Ties between Russia and the Taliban worry Afghan, U.S. officials

[applegrove]

Ties between Russia and the Taliban worry Afghan, U.S. officials

http://news.trust.org/item/20161208131821-iubzx/

By Hamid Shalizi and Josh Smith at Reuters

"SNIP..............


KABUL, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Afghan and American officials are increasingly worried that any deepening of ties between Russia and Taliban militants fighting to topple the government in Kabul could complicate an already precarious security situation.

Russian officials have denied they provide aid to the insurgents, who are contesting large swathes of territory and inflicting heavy casualties, and say their limited contacts are aimed at bringing the Taliban to the negotiating table.

Leaders in Kabul say Russian support for the Afghan Taliban appears to be mostly political so far.

............

He told reporters at a briefing in Washington last week that Russia had joined Iran and Pakistan as countries with a "malign influence" in Afghanistan, and said Moscow was lending legitimacy to the Taliban.




.................SNIP"

[applegrove]

1. There is no cold war but Putin seems intent of building up a new one around the world.

[AmericanActivist]

2. K n R nm

[malaise]

3. Seriously!

The planet is laughing at that BS