On the other hand...

Over at Bellum, Mark Rice reports on "good(ish) news from Afghanistan, point to this at the Paper of Record.

Optimism is fine and I think that those doing development work in Afghanistan deserve medals - or a substantial increase in their daily rate which would be more tho their liking.  But a reality check is in order.  The troops are leaving and the money will dry up and in the meantime, in order to get anything done at all, the latest development news out of Afghanistan may actually be occurring much more often than people expect.

But this is shocking, shocking - and is behind a subscription wall so I'll quote the key parts of the story.

Subcontractors of DAI, a development contracting firm, may have misused funds of the U.S. Agency for International Development to pay the Taliban in exchange for protection, a review by USAID’s Office of Inspector General finds.

DAI is implementing that USAID-backed Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Driving Economic Alternatives for the North, East, and West, and Local Governance and Community Development projects in Afghanistan.

(snip)

News reports over the past year claimed that U.S. funds paid to contractors for Afghan reconstruction projects were siphoned off to Taliban insurgents in exchange for “protection” to prevent attacks.

The review, which was conducted by the USAID Regional Inspector General/Manila, however, revealed that DAI subcontractors may have “misused USAID funds to pay off Taliban insurgents in remote and insecure Taliban strongholds” for the Local Governance and Community Development project.

The review said: “Interviews with personnel from USAID, U.S. intelligence, and DAI indicated that, for LGCD subprojects, Afghan subcontractors would meet with local community leaders before the implementation phase and negotiate the terms of community support, including employment opportunities and security arrangements. The subcontractors would also negotiate security terms with insurgents either directly or indirectly through community leaders. Insurgents could demand from the subcontractor a ‘protection tax’ of up to 20 percent of the total subcontract value in exchange for protection. ‘Protection’ might include Taliban-provided security guards for the activity site and a promise not to attack the subcontractor’s personnel and equipment and not to halt the activity.”

Does anyone really find it shocking that some money is going to pay off the people who might blow up your
project and you with it?  The trouble is that money is somewhat fungible and a pay-off at one site merely allows the cash to be spent to buy weapons to use against someone who did not pay the protection money - like NATO troops.

It is very noble to engage in making lives better.  It is something else to do it in the name of nation-building knowing that when the foreigners leave it will not be a pleasant scene for those left behind.  Nation building was not the purpose of the US or NATO involvement in Afghanistan.  To butcher Nietzsche - "To forget one's purpose is the commonest form of stupidity."

The Druids are Coming...Run

OK. Well, maybe not run.  The only question is whether a religion based on a close relationship with and protection of the natural environment can become a significant world-wide movement.  Before you laugh, consider this.  Christianity was a minor cult of disaffected Jewish thinkers for a considerable period of time which promoted its doctrine amid increasing hostility from the power that controlled everything important in Europe, the Mediterranean, Aegean and Black Seas for over 750 years.  It was accepted as the official religion of the Roman Empire only after 300 years. Without official support from the weakened, but still dangerous empire, Christianity would have been less able to become firmly established.  Islam didn't take quite that long - but he basis was the same. State acceptance and enforcement.

The scenario is interesting in that people need religion to fill a need and concern for the environment is a good enough reason as any. As a movement promoting a cause that could affect international policy, the Druids may not find a niche outside of the UK, Ireland or Brittany. But then, in a few hundred years...well.

Here come the Druids. Again. Everyone remain calm.

Image via Wikipedia

France just made a significant contribution to NATO in Afghanistan by sending the battle group (Le Figaro - in French) led by the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the Indian Ocean.  Last year, NATO members France, Germany and the UK insisted on a timetable for a draw down in Afghanistan.  The US administration responded with a "surge" tactic and the announcement that NATO would be out by the summer of 2011. My suspicion is that additional support from Europe was part of the deal.  A nuclear aircraft carrier is a pretty big deal.

What impresses about the French under Sarkozy (I am not a big fan of his) is the aggressiveness of the French military.  It was the French that chased down and killed Somali pirates - on land.  The French naval forces in the region are effective while being low-profile. This new deployment seems to be part of the "surge" - a vast input of firepower as a parting shot so that NATO can leave without being accused of losing by those in the US who are very happy to send other peoples children off to war for no valid reason.

Middle East - Outside the Box

This is a good idea.  It is outside the box. It undercuts opppositon on both sides.

The current round of Isreali-Palestinian negotiations will be as successful as the previous.  Almost as successful as Doha or the recently concluded aid conference in New York City.  Even Hamas would have trouble dealing with this idea because opposing it would reveal to the world exactly what everyone knows - that it is nothing but a gang of terrorists who happen to have gotten control over a piece of land by promising the people of Gaza ultimate victory - no economy, but ultimate victory. 

Worth a try.

Kansas Controls US Foreign Policy

Among the problems with implementing US foreign policy is the ability of a small group of people - or in this case one Republikan - to bring an important posting to a key country to a screaming, tire burning halt. And for no reason or some double super-secret reason or,more likely to pander to whatever group is paying him or her off.

There has been no ambassador to Turkey since last July.  Turkey is a member of NATO.  Even the EU is now warming to it. Now, due to a deal by the "why can't we all get along" Democrats that will never be repeated once the lunatics gain political control in the US, preventing recess appointments , it will not happen for another seven weeks or so. Senator Brownbeck (R - KS) originally put this appointment on hold for no apparent reason other than to please his Bible thumping friends and "punish" Turkey for following a foreign policy that Turkey considers suitable for Turkey and not necessarily for the bought-and-paid-for US Congress.

There are major policy decisions that need to be discussed in the region, including dealing with Russian expansionism, energy, stability in Iraq and dealing with Iran. The petty, childish foot stomping by one senator from Dorothyland puts US foreign policy at risk.

Development Thought for the Day

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Don't want it more than they do.  It will be a waste of time and money and likely keep a corrupt, stupid government in power longer than necessary.

Outrageous

Please explain to me why this is any different than the actions taken by the recently defeated regime in Germany a few years earlier.  And please - differences in degree don't count unless you believe that killing one person makes one a murderer. Killing millions, a conquerer.