Afghanistan disarmament to begin October 29th

[Ted Striker]

Lots of critics have been complaining about the warlords of Afghanistan and why the hell the US hasn't disarmed them yet. Well as I've said all along that would amount to opening a Pandora's Box and destabalize the whole damn place. The Russians already tried going in and blowing up everything and that didn't really work. Sometimes you have to work with people on the terms given and not try to impose your own ideal rule on top of them right away.

So now the long awaited disarmament program begins at the end of the month. And it couldn't come sooner considering two of the Northern Alliance factions decided to kill each other this week.

The fighting came as the Afghan government and the United Nations signed a deal paving the way to deploy teams of U.N. and Afghan personnel in cities across Afghanistan to start a much-delayed program to disarm militiamen loyal to warlords.

Disarming the tens of thousands of militiamen is essential if the Afghan government is to be able to build and deploy a national army to maintain security. It is also an important step if a NATO-led peacekeeping mission is to expand to regions outside Kabul.

Convincing the warlords, many of whom are also provincial governors, to agree to surrender their weapons will be a major challenge. Some of them are allegedly involved in drug trafficking and other crimes and may see little benefit in giving up the arms that keep them in power.

The first disarmament team is expected in the northern city of Kunduz on October 25. Teams are then scheduled to head for the cities of Gardez, Mazar-e-Sharif and Kabul later this year.

Attempts last year to disarm the two militia groups loyal to Atta and Dostum largely failed.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapc....ap/index.html

[uh Clem]

Great. Now there won't be any more guns in Afghanistan.

[Evil Knevil]

Except the M16's.

Won't work. Afghanistan needs a Saddamite type dictatorship to fix things. Use US soldiers to butcher the warlords, and their families, then provide an extremely strong power structure in their place, so no new warlords spring up.

viva Saddamism.

[Whaleboy]

[uh Clem]

Gun control never works.

[Evil Knevil]

Guns don't kill people, Afghan Warlords kill people!

So... kill the warlords.

That's what Saddam did, and he was highly successful. In fact I'd say that Saddam was Iraq's greatest leader.

[MrFun]

Originally posted by uh Clem
Great. Now there won't be any more guns in Afghanistan.

[Kropotkin]

Ehh, I'm somehwat confused. First you seem to be very positive about the disarmament. But on the other hand you claim that your answer to critics that didn't think it happend soon enough you say "Well as I've said all along that would amount to opening a Pandora's Box and destabalize the whole damn place." So how would this be any different?

[Ted Striker]

Bascially the Pandora's Box I am referring to is Evil Knevil's idea of the coalition using an iron fist to enforce rule on the warlords (and stabbing them in the back right after they helped us).

It's going to take alot of finesse to disarm them and this is what's going on now. Bascially going in and blowing up anybody who doesn't initially play by the rules is not only stupid but also counterproductive.

Also keep in mind these two warlords swore loyalty to Karzai's government.

[MichaeltheGreat]

So they're sending teams to ask nicely if they wouldn't mind disarming? Where's the finesse?

[Theben]

Somehow, I don't think the warlords are going to give up their regional power.

[Ted Striker]

We'll see Mister Doubting Thomas and Senor Cabron

This sh1t is going to work

My predictions on the course of Afghanistan have all been money.

As soon as the superhighway is completed it's pretty much game over for the warlords and the wannabes.

[Theben]

Nahhh. Warlords don't give up power, and they certainly don't give up hefty profits from gun & drug running, unless thru force. I don't see a willingness at this stage to re-commit the force needed in Afganistan to make this happen. Plus the Pakistanis don't want to see a Northern Alliance-controlled govt running a united Afganistan. Such a neighbor would have no religious ties to them (unlike the Taliban) and could potentially ally with India against them. So it's in Pakistan's interest to see this fail.

[Theben]

Oh, and chingate, mariposa.

[Ted Striker]

1) Force doesn't win the day in Afghanistan. Hell, if it takes bribing, then that's what it takes. The CIA literally bought half of the Northern Alliance

2) A Northern Allians backed government already runs Afghanistan. Screw what Pakistan thinks

[Theben]

Originally posted by Ted Striker
1) Force doesn't win the day in Afghanistan. Hell, if it takes bribing, then that's what it takes. The CIA literally bought half of the Northern Alliance

Except that Afgans switch sides quicker than the U.S. can print a $100 bill. Just depends on who's winning at the moment in that location.

2) A Northern Allians backed government already runs Afghanistan. Screw what Pakistan thinks

Well a) the "Government" doesn't extend it's power much past the outskirts of Kabul, and b) considering that there are more Al-Queda cells in Pakistan than there ever were in Afganistan, AND that Pakistan has nukes, AND that the dictatorship holds the relgious factions of Pakistan barely in check, I think "screw what they think" isn't a sound policy.

[Ted Striker]

USA can print more $100 than anyone else

Like Pakistan is going to toss around nukes

Central government power is growing and like i said once the superhighway is done those warlords and wannabes are toast

[Theben]

Originally posted by Ted Striker
Like Pakistan is going to toss around nukes

No, but a Taliban/Al-Queda controlled Pakistan might.

Central government power is growing and like i said once the superhighway is done those warlords and wannabes are toast

What does the highway actually do? Is it that powerful? Maybe we should build a highway through Iraq... that'll show 'em!

[Ted Striker]

It's about projecting power through the whole damn place!