Afghanistan: ‘Britain is backing the Taleban’

By Jerome Starkey
news.scotsman.com

DESPITE the grim toll of British soldiers’ bodies coming home in coffins, many Afghans believe British troops have been helping the Taleban.

“Of course we think they are supporting the Taleban,” said shopkeeper Saad Alikhi in Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province. “When the international troops first came here, they cleaned up all the Taleban, all over Afghanistan, within a month. Now I find there’s a mine exploding in front of my shop.”

Security has plummeted across Helmand since UK troops arrived three years ago, and ordinary people have watched the Taleban grow stronger.

Many are struggling to understand why Britain, with all the might of Nato and the United States behind it, has failed to beat the ragtag Taleban militia.

“Since the British troops came here, you cannot even go out of the buildings because there are mines everywhere,” said Colonel Abdul Ghafour, a former head of Helmand’s police. “Everywhere there are Taleban.”

Wild conspiracy theories are rife in Lashkar Gah’s bazaars, but the prevalence of the myth that Britain has been helping the insurgents is evidence of how far UK troops still have to go to convince local people they are there to help.

Read full article…

Related posts:

1. Britain ‘preparing to send more troops to Afghanistan’ The Government is preparing to send hundreds more troops...
2. British marines ‘going deaf’ in Afghanistan www.presstv.ir More than two-thirds of British combat troops returning...
3. British troops in Afghanistan helping control asylum claims, says minister www.telegraph.co.uk British troops are partly fighting in Afghanistan to...
4. Manhunt launched to catch Afghan policeman who killed British soldiers www.guardian.co.uk Ministry of Defence says five soldiers died and...
5. Men must not be asked to die for politicians too weak or too vain to admit their mistake By Peter Hitchens www.dailymail.co.uk This country and its people...
6. Former MI6 chief says Britain was ‘dragged’ into Iraq war Britain was “dragged into a war in Iraq which was...
7. Britain and US consider asking India to train Afghan National Police timesonline.co.uk The United States and Britain are exploring ways...
8. Afghanistan general quits over disillusionment with government strategy www.telegraph.co.uk Major-General Andrew Mackay, a general who led the...
9. Stealing Money, Selling Heroin and Raping Boys Meet Our Afghan Ally By Patrick Cockburn www.counterpunch.org Just...
10. Barack Obama sending More Troops to Afghanistan www.111breakingnews.com WASHINGTON : In an unannounced move, President Barack...