Who Are the Taliban? The Afghan War Deciphered

Tomdispatch.com, The Nation by Anand Gopal | Dec. 10, 2008 (Special Report)

Almost every suicide attack and kidnapping is attributed to "the Taliban." In reality, however, the insurgency is far from monolithic. Full Story »

Posted by Gregory Kruse

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4.9

by James Canning - Dec. 10, 2008

Serious piece, and one Obama should read several times. Even a quick scan will convince most that the great majority of Americans have no idea what is going on in Afghanistan.

I agree with Tariq Ali of London and Imran Khan of Pakistan that the US military effort in Afghanistan (and the border area of Pakistan) is only making the region more dangerous and unstable. Zbigniew Brzezinski has told Obama that a large increase in US forces will almost certainly ensure the Americans are seen as occupiers and the enemy. G W Bush is determined to push things in this disastrous direction, as hard as he can, in his remaining days in the White House.