So, Italian forces in Afghanistan were bragging about how peaceful their area was. Turned out, they were paying bribes to the Taliban to prevent attacks. [...] Then they left and handed off to the French, without telling them about the bribes. So they thought they were taking over a nice pacific region, and the ambush that killed ten of their soldiers (oh, and the mutilations) came as a bit of a surprise.The Americans found out about the bribes through intercepted telephone conversations and formally protested to Italy. Two months before the ambush. So the US didn’t warn the French either.
Well, they were French.
Two Western military officials in Kabul confirmed that intelligence briefings after the ambush said that the French troops had believed they were moving through a benign area — one which the Italian military had been keen to show off to the media as a successful example of a “hearts and minds” operation.
Yes, money can indeed buy hearts and minds. In fact, I believe that idea has been bandied around lately for another ally’s approach. Actually, a British general thinks a good idea would be to offer cash for arms. Is that rich or what? I wonder if it would be like blood donations – you can only cash in one AK-47 per week - to limit the number of times an Afghan can go find a gun - or take one from an ambushed soldier - and get paid for it.
But he’s not the only one thinking about the Italian Solution:
[October 12] A Time magazine national security correspondent says it may be time for the US to send the Taliban a new message: Make money, not war.[...]
Mark Thompson told CNN's John Roberts that some 70 percent of Taliban fighters are "economic Taliban" who are fighting US forces for the $10-a-day paycheck. They may be willing to lay down their arms in exchange for $20 a day -- a relative bargain compared to the cost of fighting the insurgent group.
Where had he heard that before?
[March 10 : VP Joe] Biden said the same tactics used in Anbar province in Iraq, where radical Sunni Muslims were co-opted by American financial support, could work in Afghanistan as part of President Barack Obama’s strategy for winning the war raging since 2001.[...]
"Roughly 70 percent are involved because of the money.”
Oh, so it’s not the Italian Solution.
October 11: The Obama administration is considering outbidding the Taliban to persuade Afghan villagers to lay down arms as it struggles to find a new approach to a war that is fast losing public and congressional support.
Of course, it isn’t completely without risks.
Afghans are known for changing sides back and forth during their long years of war — there is an old saying that “you can rent an Afghan but never buy one.”
In October 2007 two Italian agents were kidnapped in western Afghanistan; one was killed in a rescue by British special forces. It was later alleged in the Italian press that they had been kidnapped while making payments to the Taleban.
FUBAR.
....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.
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