Massacre in Afghanistan: The Deterioration
Published in Le Devoir
(France) on 13 March 2012
by Serge Truffaut (link to original)
(France) on 13 March 2012
by Serge Truffaut (link to original)
Translated from
by Rachael Stephens.
Edited by Tom Proctor.
The massacre committed by an American soldier in Afghanistan, combined with the Qurans burned long ago, already announced a complex plan drawn out by the White House. While the Obama administration expected to manage it with minimal hassle, we are seeing here a deterioration of security at an unbelievable speed.
For months, Washington has embarked on a reconciliation of the Afghan actors, especially the Taliban, through international partners, including Qatar, who was said to agree to having objective negotiations for peace take place in its territory. The basis of the discussions had been defined in concert with Hamid Karzai. It was this: In exchange for the release of prisoners and other considerations, the Taliban would put their political ambitions to dominate the country at half-mast and pledge to respect the rights of minorities, especially women.
In the wake of violence consistent with the Quran sacrilege and prior to the killing of the weekend, Barack Obama’s goal had been quite mishandled. Indeed, the tough fringe of the Taliban had announced its total opposition to any participation in the negotiations, arguing that with the departure of the Americans being dated, they did not see why they should make major concessions on the management of the country after troops were discharged. In short, once they left, they would just storm Kabul. Period.
In addition to this reaction, the Quran burnt by the military had a resounding backlash: Karzai announced the abolition of contracts awarded to U.S. companies and paid private security and their replacements from members of the Afghan armed forces. In doing so, the Afghan president hopes to accelerate the pace of training the enlisted and to choke out the danger. Which one? Employees of these companies are mostly Afghans; Karzai dreads the formation of a militia after the U.S. contingent leaves.
The Quran episode as well as the 16 Afghans killed had another consequence that itself highlights the few cases in which the officials from the U.S. base to which the involved parties are attached are soldiers. According to a survey by the New York Times, the leaders of the base in question have changed diagnoses made by medical staff to save money. The fact is that 285 individuals deemed as suffering from post-traumatic disorder are no longer classified as such. Nurses working at the hospital were moved because they were aware of these malpractices. What else? The suicide rate is abnormally high, like that of those with mental illness and behavioral problems. In short, what happens at Lewis-McChord is truly "move along, nothing to see."
Between these revelations and the change in policy adopted by Karzai security, now no one wants to go to Afghanistan. Finally, we exaggerate, but... certainly American companies involved in reconstruction programs in the Afghan nation decided to return home because they fear for their employees. The military, on the eve of another departure for Kabul and its environs, claims to know that recent events will increase their risk exposure considerably. It makes one wonder if Obama will not be obliged to review all parameters of his plan.
For months, Washington has embarked on a reconciliation of the Afghan actors, especially the Taliban, through international partners, including Qatar, who was said to agree to having objective negotiations for peace take place in its territory. The basis of the discussions had been defined in concert with Hamid Karzai. It was this: In exchange for the release of prisoners and other considerations, the Taliban would put their political ambitions to dominate the country at half-mast and pledge to respect the rights of minorities, especially women.
In the wake of violence consistent with the Quran sacrilege and prior to the killing of the weekend, Barack Obama’s goal had been quite mishandled. Indeed, the tough fringe of the Taliban had announced its total opposition to any participation in the negotiations, arguing that with the departure of the Americans being dated, they did not see why they should make major concessions on the management of the country after troops were discharged. In short, once they left, they would just storm Kabul. Period.
In addition to this reaction, the Quran burnt by the military had a resounding backlash: Karzai announced the abolition of contracts awarded to U.S. companies and paid private security and their replacements from members of the Afghan armed forces. In doing so, the Afghan president hopes to accelerate the pace of training the enlisted and to choke out the danger. Which one? Employees of these companies are mostly Afghans; Karzai dreads the formation of a militia after the U.S. contingent leaves.
The Quran episode as well as the 16 Afghans killed had another consequence that itself highlights the few cases in which the officials from the U.S. base to which the involved parties are attached are soldiers. According to a survey by the New York Times, the leaders of the base in question have changed diagnoses made by medical staff to save money. The fact is that 285 individuals deemed as suffering from post-traumatic disorder are no longer classified as such. Nurses working at the hospital were moved because they were aware of these malpractices. What else? The suicide rate is abnormally high, like that of those with mental illness and behavioral problems. In short, what happens at Lewis-McChord is truly "move along, nothing to see."
Between these revelations and the change in policy adopted by Karzai security, now no one wants to go to Afghanistan. Finally, we exaggerate, but... certainly American companies involved in reconstruction programs in the Afghan nation decided to return home because they fear for their employees. The military, on the eve of another departure for Kabul and its environs, claims to know that recent events will increase their risk exposure considerably. It makes one wonder if Obama will not be obliged to review all parameters of his plan.