Taliban backlash against US activities

The rise of the Taliban, as an Islamic extremist movement, was largely instigated by US activities.

Russia invaded Afghanistan in 1979 and maintained a repressive occupation of the state for the next nine years. They fought furiously against the Mujahideen, whilst the US poured millions of Dollars of arms into the war-torn region. That was where the stinger missile was battle-proven, as the Mujahideen used it and other US arms so effectively against Russian aircraft and armored gunships.

Russia was finally driven back, leaving Afghanistan in a state of ruin. America’s own objective had been to deter Russia from interfering in US interests in the Middle East, without any real regard for Afghans. President G W Bush tried to balance forces in the region by supplying military and humanitarian aid to both sides of the internal conflict. Besides internecine conflict amongst the Mujahideen, criminal gangs operated in the power vacuum, using the status quo to open up their supply lines into the Middle East.

Unfortunately, Bush was soon to be distracted by other more pressing issues, notably Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait and the Iranian revolution. The latter deposed the CIA-backed Shah of Iran, with an extremist order led by the Ayatollah Khomeini. That marked the end of direct US influence over Iran and the start of a long-term standoff that eventually brought Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power. He is a religious politician with dangerously fanatical anti-US and anti-Israel leanings, partly a backlash against years of oppression under the Shah. He is also working hard to equip that country with nuclear weapons, to fulfill his dark ambitions for the destruction of Israel: which of course could significantly advance his personal ambitions.

Back in Afghanistan, conditions deteriorated sharply after Russian withdrawal, until a conservative local Muslim leader, Mullah Omar, decided that enough was enough. He was determined to rid his country of criminals and thugs and the incessant fighting between Mujahideen warlords.

Successful suppression of crime and in-fighting boosted his popularity and brought many Afghans on to his side. This gave impetus to his Sunni/Pashtun nationalist movement, the Taliban, which eventually ruled Afghanistan for five years. Omar provided education and upliftment to his people, but he was also fanatically fundamentalist, partly inspired by the activities of Khomeini just over the border.

Consequently, the Talib or Taliban (which effectively means “disciples”... of Islam), implemented the most extreme interpretations of the Q’uran and Sharia law, bringing great misery to many Afghani’s, especially women. The movement also enjoyed support from the ISI (Pakistan intelligence) and Pakistani president Ul Haq, whilst its ranks were swelled by Pashtuns from western Pakistan. Pakistani support became a breeding ground for Pakistani Taliban fighters and Islamic extremists, the source of current terrorist activities in that country. These factors were largely instrumental in bringing General Pervez Musharraf to power as a pro-US, anti-fundamentalist strongman.

At the time another major player in Mid-East and world affairs, who had successfully targeted US missions and embassies elsewhere, found himself homeless after having been kicked out of Saudi Arabia. Osama bin Laden found solace amongst the Taliban. In the remote hills of Afghanistan, he began plotting his most ambitious attacks against the US, leading to an attack on the world trade centre and the subsequent 911 disaster.

The US retaliated and largely destroyed the Taliban, but they had already become too extensively organized to disappear. They had become a major force in the region and soon regrouped as a dangerous Afgani-Pakistani terrorist grouping that has been responsible for widespread and lethal bombings in both countries.

The Taliban are rising again at a time when Iran and Pakistan are in a state of political flux. Iran is heading towards a dangerous, Russian backed confrontation of the US and Israel, whilst Pakistan struggles with its own internal political problems.

It is not impossible that Pakistan will eject General Musharraf, which would remove the greatest ally the US has in that region in the fight against the Taliban. But even if Musharraf survives, there is a growing risk of a fundamentalist surge in the region that could eventually trigger a meltdown across the region.

The ties between the Taliban and Ahmadinejad’s extremism are obvious and they are encouraging each other to forge a united front against US activities in the Middle East. Pakistan has even reduced its military role in the region because it believes that the Taliban is becoming a significant force.

Russia is pulling strings behind the scenes, eager to hurt the US for the embarrassment they suffered during their unpopular occupation of Afghanistan. But Russia’s objectives exceed mere retribution and her motives for originally invading Afghanistan are still relevant as she seeks to establish a significant strategic foothold in the Middle East. The big difference now is that the pendulum is swinging in their favor whilst the US stumbles and anti-US sentiments give Russia the backing she needs to further her own objectives.

The world stands at the threshold of a staggering crisis, largely initiated by misguided US foreign policy, particularly at the hands of two Bush administrations.

(c) Peter Eleazar at www.bethelstone.com