Meanwhile, in Afghanistan...

[theHandpuppet]

I must admit I don't have a clear picture of what exactly is going on in Afghanistan these days because there seems to be very little reporting with the exception of the occasional "Coalition Forces Kill X Number of Taliban" article usually buried in the back pages somewhere. But go to other news sources, even the BBC, and you see reports such as this one today:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5078316.stm

Afghan violence claims more lives

"Two US-led coalition soldiers have been killed in separate clashes with suspected Taleban militants in Afghanistan, the US military says.
A number of suspected insurgents were also killed or hurt in air strikes which followed, a spokesman said.

"In the south-east, officials say four civilians were killed by mortars fired over the border from Pakistan.

"Attacks blamed on the Taleban and their allies have risen sharply this year, with hundreds of people killed."

(snipping)

"More than 30 foreign soldiers have been killed in action in Afghanistan this year, most of them American.

"On Sunday, a UK soldier and another member of the US-led coalition were killed in separate incidents in the south.... "

(snipping again)

Violence rising

"The past month has been one of Afghanistan's bloodiest since 2001."

So while Bush is making a big show in Baghdad as if the killing of Zarqawi will be the end of the insurgency in Iraq, the situation in Afghanistan seems to be deteriorating. Am I correct in this and also, do the American people not give a whit about "yesterday's news" (Afghanistan) or is it a question of whether they are really being told what the situation is over there?

[stop the bleeding]

1. I have been hearing more and more "noise"

coming out of Afghanistan in regards to news reports lately.

Shhhh - keep this dirty little secret hidden for a while, the "Patriots" are too busy wrapping themselves in the Flag to notice

[theHandpuppet]

3. It would appear that even on DU this is of little interest

So I don't hold out much hope for the public at large. :shrug:

[leftchick]

2. chimpy still says " the Taliban are no more"

no more in his head apparently because they are thriving in Afghanistan.

[theHandpuppet]

4. You know, I have this sneaking suspicion...

... that any troops who will supposedly be withdrawn from Iraq will soon find themselves being shipped to Afghanistan. It's GOP arithmetic -- PR the hell out of any "troop reduction" in Iraq while quietly pump up the numbers deployed to Afghanistan. I wonder how many fronts Bush thinks he can take on at once? And he has the nerve to get into a dick-waving contest with Iran.

[Fleshdancer]

5. I'm trying to figure out what our objective is in Afghanistan now

Are we there to make sure the Taliban doesn't take over again? Various reports claim that OBL is in Pakistan...are we hoping he'll come back to Afghanistan so we can get him? (ha, don't bother answering THAT ridiculous question) Are we building bases there or working on their non-existent infrastructure? What's the plan?

[theHandpuppet]

6. Who knows?

And no one is even asking that question anymore.

[Fleshdancer]

7. It's very Twilight Zone-ish, isn't it?

To start a war but never discuss it?

Not only is the country not discussing Afghanistan, but many people I talk to aren't even aware of the difference between Afghanistan and Iraq. The overall ignorance is just mind blowinging.

[theHandpuppet]

8. Taliban targets Afghan civilians in Kandahar

I guess this will be the unofficial Afghanistan update thread.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5078316.stm

Thursday, 15 June 2006, 11:07 GMT 12:07 UK


Taleban target Afghan civilians

The Taleban say they have carried out a bomb attack on a minibus in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar which killed at least 10 people.
The vehicle was carrying Afghan labourers on their way to work at a coalition military base in the city.

Correspondents say it was the first such major attack on Afghan civilians working with US forces in the country.

Police say the bomb was possibly hidden on the bus, and detonated during morning rush hour.

Attacks blamed on Taleban have risen in southern and eastern Afghanistan this year, with hundreds of deaths....

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