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• Tuesday, July 22, 2008 07:29 PM

  American conflation of "Taliban" with "Al-Qaeda" is coming home to roost ...

  I'm not sure what or who the Taliban 2008 is without Al-Qaeda.

  Making the two joined at the helped rationalize an invasion and coup in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, Karzai's regieme has failed to deliver -- it is overextended, underfunded, apparently corrupt and/or badly manned and seems to have been unable to cope with a resultant resurgence of the warlords and the Taliban (although it may be that Karzai enlisted the Warlords, shades of the Sunni tribeleaders in Iraq, only to gradually lose their support, I'm unclear.)

  I read of a resurgence of the Taliban and cannot discern if this is due to a Taliban "reign of terror" in which peasants shelter tyrants having no alternative or if again (as they came to power initially) the Taliban represents a choice, possibly better and again some protection from the ruthless self-interested warlords.

  America and Americans appear to find "islamic fundamentalism" generically distasteful, threatening, and unwelcome even when it may represent a popular alternative locally. Karzai's star in all circles seem to be waning -- which may or may not be "fair" - but wWhat will we do if he continues to fail and the Taliban seize the day, rally allies, etc.

  Will I be shouting "Afghanistan for the Afghans!" at the next antiwar rally?

  —susan sunflower Read susan sunflower's other letters
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