Friday, August 28, 2009

Adm. Mullen: "Got a governance problem? The Taliban is getting pretty effective at it..."

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" .... The Taliban had a reputation for incorruptibility in the 1990s that helped them come to power; and as much as the Taliban remain unpopular in opinion surveys, the incapacity and corruption on the part of the Afghan government probably reinforces that reputation." 
Adm. Mullen in "Getting Back To Basics", NDU, here

"...Got a governance problem? The Taliban is getting pretty effective at it. They’ve set up functional courts in some locations, assess and collect taxes, and even allow people to file formal complaints against local Talib leaders. Part of the Taliban plan to win over the people in Swat was to help the poor or displaced own land. Their utter brutality has not waned, nor has their disregard for human life. But with each such transaction, they chip away at the legitimacy of the Afghan government, saying in effect: “We can give you the stability the government cannot "...

No, our biggest problem isn’t caves; it’s credibility. Our messages lack credibility 

because we haven’t invested enough in build- ing trust and relationships, and we haven’t always delivered on promises ..."

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

"Their utter brutality has not waned, nor has their disregard for human life"

This coming from one of the leaders of the US Military which only fires pillows and candy from drones in Afghanistan.

Gonzolegend