Several months after the creation of a $160 million internationally-funded “trust fund” for the Afghanistan Peace and Reconciliation Program, the Karzai government is near putting that plan into action.
Following the upcoming peace jirga in Kabul, the government’s draft plan insists, low and mid-level insurgents will be courted with promises of jobs and vocational training.
The idea behind this plan is that with sufficient funding the rank and file members of the various insurgent groups would be convinced to abandon the fight and cut off support for the high ranking leadership.
Several have expressed concerns, however, that the plan will accomplish little except provide small sums of money to people who will be no more loyal to the Afghan government and no more disloyal to the Taliban than they were to begin with.
The US military, meanwhile, is putting its latest war plan to its paces, and is said to be finding it seriously wanting. The latest in several official strategy changes over the last few years, the McChrystal Plan is already straining under the weight of enormous expectations, and leaving growing doubt about its wisdom.
$160 million?
Karzai knows very well that will barely cover the place settings. He also knows that the last thing that the rural tribesmen want is "jobs" working for US and NATO occupation forces or their World Bank and IMF puppeteers.
On the other hand, he is a former restauranteur, so he knows the uses of a fancy menu.
When it is all said and done the US and NATO Afghan adventure, with or without jobs, could easily cost another trillion in todays' USD. In tomorrow's–perish even the thought.
That is very expensive "face" indeed.
As much as I enjoy E.A. Costa's intelligent and incisive commentary, I disagree with him on this issue of how this plan will fail.. He brings restaurant life into the picture.. As a former restauranteur I can tell him and you that there is NO way to stop theft, sabotage and unexplained absences…
What I think will happen: I think the Afghans will be more than willing to be "employed", which to them means getting free American money. Money for the Afghan necessities of life, RPGs [hey it's a warzone] and more land to grow poppies when the coalition is gone.. Giving aid to the Taliban is giving money to the people.. The people in this case are Afghans. A people particularly adverse to being told what to do, AND NOT DO by outsiders, UNBELIEVERS…with guns.. Just as if the Afghans were occupying the U S.. If they handed out money and jobs, would we take it?? Sure many of us would be more than happy to BLEED then of their money AND perhaps the jobs will get us in the backdoor where we can do some REAL damage… It IS just a waste of money. Those who hand out the money will steal [or misdirect] MOST of it. The jobs program is one more attempt to sell what no one there wants…to be occupied….conquered…….TOLD WHAT THEY MUST DO.. The people there KNOW what it is they need to do… They will be more than happy to accept any financial assistance from anyone to help them accomplish their goals. The neocon salve of bribery wont work in Afghanistan. The STRONG don't DO bribes..
Any disagreement is merely apparent. The gist of the "job" Afghans don't want, one calculates, is as a cog in a Global Finance Capitalist machine, slaving away as debt credit serfs, while US and NATO occupiers steal whatever resources they do have–including a pipeline easement–with their own docility and labor.
"Free money"–sure why not? Why not call it booty and bakhsheesh? As a part-time amusement, taking the Imperialists for all they are worth until the Little Big Horn is quite entertaining.
Given the gullibility of the American population that supports this Imperialist elite, including the US military morons, Karzai the restauranteur probably figures they can score another trillion before the Chinese decide it is time for the Americans and NATO to go home (if they have any home left) and leave Afghanistan alone.
Five more US soldiers were reported killed in Afghanistan today, Monday, May 5, at the DOD website under press releases. Four of those killed were in Helmand province where a US helicopter was reported shot down on this site with no casualties. Obviously some major fighting going on in Helmund. How many dead US soldiers would it take for the corporate media and Antiwar to bother to report these deaths? How can we build anti war sentiment when a supposed alternative site refuses to report the mounting US death toll in Afghanistan? What gives?
Correction, Monday, May 10.
Thanks Tom! I have noticed how the news blackout our black hope has brought to us, drifted in silently like the fog rolls in over the Island where I live.. Ditto NPR… Go figure..
You should read this column by Dr. Jack Kem, Reintegration: Rejoining Afghan Society http://www.ntm-a.com/kem/311-reintegration-rejoin…