Taliban vow to retake Afghanistan: Report

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Asia

Friday, 03 February 2012

Author / Source : Reuters

KABUL, FEB 2: The Taliban, backed by Pakistan, remains confident despite a decade of NATO efforts that it will retake control of Afghanistan, NATO said in a new classified report that raises more questions about Afghanistan’s future as foreign forces withdraw. “Taliban commanders, along with rank and file members, increasingly believe their control of Afghanistan is inevitable. Though the Taliban suffered severely in 2011, its strength, motivation, funding and tactical proficiency remains intact,” according to an excerpt of the report, published by the Times of London and the BBC.
“While they are weary of war, they see little hope for a negotiated peace. Despite numerous tactical setbacks, surrender is far from their collective mindset. For the moment, they believe that continuing the fight and expanding Taliban governance are their only viable courses of action,” the published excerpts said. Lieutenant Colonel Jimmie Cummings, a spokesman for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, confirmed the existence of the document, but military officials downplayed it as a depiction of the views of thousands of Taliban detainees who were interviewed by NATO officials.
“The classified document in question is a compilation of Taliban detainee opinions,” Cummings said. “It’s not an analysis, nor is it meant to be considered an analysis.”
Still, the published excerpts paint a troubling picture of the Afghan war more than 10 years after the Taliban government was toppled, and as foreign forces begin to go home in earnest.
US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said on Wednesday the United States was aiming to complete its combat role in Afghanistan by mid- to late 2013, shifting to a training role.
The report’s findings - including assertions that the Taliban had not formally split from international extremists - could also reinforce the view of Taliban hard-liners that they should not negotiate with the United States and President Hamid Karzai’s unpopular government while in a position of strength.
Hours after the Times report, the Afghan Taliban said that no peace negotiation process had been agreed to with the international community, “particularly the Americans.”
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement that before any negotiations, confidence-building measures must be completed, putting pressure on Washington to meet demands for the release of five Taliban in US custody.
The hard-line movement also said it had no plans to hold preliminary peace talks with Afghanistan’s government in Saudi Arabia, dismissing media reports of talks in the kingdom.
Britain’s Kabul ambassador, William Patey, wrote on his Twitter feed that “if elements of the Taliban think that in 2015 they can take control of Afghanistan they will be in for a shock.” He did not say if he was referring to the NATO report.
“We really do believe that militarily we are making an impact on the Taliban,” said Captain John Kirby, a Pentagon spokesman.
The published excerpts of the report also gave further indication of the Taliban’s reliance on neighboring Pakistan, where elements of the Inter-Services Intelligence agency has long had links to the Taliban.
“Reflections from detainees indicate that Pakistan’s manipulation of Taliban senior leadership continues unabated. The Taliban themselves do not trust Pakistan, yet there is a widespread acceptance of the status quo in lieu of realistic alternatives,” another excerpt published by the Times read.
The report overshadowed a visit to Kabul by Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar designed to repair ties
and raise the issue with Karzai of peace talks with the Taliban.     REUTERS