Eye on Arab Media: Taliban Consolidate Power in Afghanistan
NAM, News Analysis, Jalal Ghazi, Posted: Sep 05, 2007
Editor’s Note: Many Arabic commentators say that the Taliban are back and gaining momentum, thanks in part to Al Qaeda. Jalal Ghazi monitors and translates Arab media for New America Media and Link TV.
Arabic media are using the word "Istihlal" to describe the use of kidnapping by the Taliban to undermine Kabul’s government and drive Western forces from Afghanistan. Translated into English, the Arabic word "Istihlal" means “regarding otherwise religiously banned actions as permissible.” The term is often used by Al Qaeda-affiliated groups to justify robbing and killing civilians.
By enacting “Istihlal,” the Taliban show that they have fused with Al Qaeda. This explains why the Taliban have adopted Machiavellian methods such as attacking government forces and police stations, making videos of military operations and treating collaborators brutally, and carrying out suicide bombings and kidnappings.
Arabic media offer clues as to how Al Qaeda, one of the reasons behind the toppling of the Taliban, is now helping the movement regain legitimacy and control.
Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak, for instance, was quoted on Al Jazeera’s Web site as saying that Al Qaeda has brought Arab fighters with expertise from Iraq to train Taliban fighters. Wardak added, “The Taliban forces are organized, armed and brutal and they are now stronger than they were in 2001. The Taliban have more men, equipment, and money. They also have more expertise in planting explosive devises that can be detonated from a distance. We have information that the Taliban have received new weapons and explosives.”
Attacks by the Taliban occur almost every day in Afghanistan. Al Jazeera Television recently showed images of two destroyed military vehicles. According to reporter Samer Allawi, the road between Kabul and Kandahar is now called the “Death Road”? due to the intensity of attacks by the Taliban. Al Jazeera reports that one of the main Taliban strategies is to achieve self-sufficiency in financing their military operations.
Taliban arms supplies come from a variety of sources. The Taliban steal weapons and ammunition from police stations. They also purchase arms from money they make selling opium, kidnapping foreign nationals and demanding ransom.
The way the Taliban have carried out these kidnappings has the footprints of Al Qaeda. The Taliban have taken video images of their hostages and even made similar demands, such as the withdrawal of foreign forces. In addition, their ransom deals are always made in complete secrecy.
But acquiring a large ransom isn’t the Taliban’s only objective in carrying out kidnappings, according to Dr. Muhammad Thabet, political science professor at Cairo University. Speaking to Al Alam, the 24-hour Arabic television station based in Tehran, Thabet outlined several other objectives that the Taliban kidnappings have been able to achieve. The Taliban undermined the Afghan government, for instance, by negotiating directly with the South Korean government to free 21 captives and establish themselves as important players.
Political analyst Habib Hikmati also told Al Alam that keeping the ransom secret serves the interests of both the Taliban and South Korean government. The Taliban did not want anyone to know that the kidnapping was motivated by money. Instead, he argues, they want people to think that the main reason for the kidnapping was to pressure the South Koreans to withdrew and stop their missionary activities. The South Korean government, meanwhile, did not want its allies in the war on terror to criticize its willingness to pay ransom to a terrorist group.
Al Qaeda has also helped the Taliban acquire weapons. Al Arabiya Television, based in Dubai, aired a report suggesting that Iran has been providing the Taliban with weapons. Abd Al-Rahim Ali, an expert on Islamic movements, believes that this would never have been possible without Al Qaeda. He said that Al Qaeda has mediated between the Taliban and their former enemy, Iran.
Hasan Abu Haniya, who is also an expert on Islamic groups, told Al Arabiya that Iran wants to keep the United States exhausted so that it won’t have the energy to attack Tehran.
Journalist and political writer Ahmad Asfahani agrees. Speaking recently to ANB, the Lebanon-based Arabic News Broadcast, he said, “Iran would be stupid if it did not help the Taliban with weapons because this is only way to bring the U.S. to the negotiation table.”
Ahmad Asfahani also pointed out the unique ties that bond the Taliban and Pashtun tribes living in the Pakistani tribal region. When Pakistan’s Gen. Pervez Musharraf attacked the Red Mosque, he said, it had a great impact on the Taliban because most of the students who were attacked inside the Red Mosque were from the Pakistani tribal region. The Taliban kidnapped the 23 South Koreans just as the Red Mosque events were unfolding. Asfahani implied that the kidnapping might have intended as a show of solidarity with the Pakistani tribes. Mansur Abu Al-Azm, the deputy chief editor of Al Ayam newspaper, mentioned a similar connection on Al Jazeera Television.
Pakistan is also concerned with the growing Indian influence in Afghanistan under Karzai’s government, Asfahani explained, since several major development projects in Afghanistan have been given to Indian companies.
To solidify their local support, the Taliban have exploited the shortcomings of coalition forces by systematically attacking people working on development projects as a way to slow the reconstruction process. The Taliban also hide among civilians as a way to capitalize on the indiscriminate targeting of civilians and increase their outrage against the coalition forces.
Asfahani told ANB TV that the United States has ignored social and economic issues in favor of security and military concerns. For example, the U.S. Congress passed a bill allocating $300 million for the reconstruction of Afghanistan, but Bush insisted that this fund be diverted to security, which gave the impression that Americans do no care about helping Afghanistan economically.
Thabet added that it doesn’t help matters that the coalition forces used excessive force against Afghan civilians. They have indiscriminately targeted weddings and social gatherings, he said.
In addition, people have lost their trust in the current Afghan government due to widespread corruption, which has undermined reconstruction and development projects. All these factors have increased the sympathy and support for the Taliban among the Afghan population.
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