The Obama administration seems baffled by growing popular support for the Taliban in Afghanistan. While they grudgingly acknowledge anger over the continued bombing of innocent civilians by NATO drones and war planes, they are less forthcoming about the real reason - the criminals who run the Afghan police. This was the subject of a recent Panorama documentary broadcast by the BBC. Despite their other faults, it seems the Taliban draws the line at kidnapping, child rape, murder and drug trafficking and abuse. Afghan security forces have become notorious for such activities, particularly in Sanguin in Helmund province.

BBC Panorama reporter Ben Anderson recently embedded for five weeks with US Marines who are training and advising the Afghan security forces who will replace them in 2014. The marines took over the region from British troops in 2010. During his time in Sangin, just two teams of eighteen marines went out every few days to advise the Afghan army and police across the district.

He says it was typical to find police at checkpoints openly smoking marijuana and/or high on opium or heroin. Corruption is an even worse problem, with security forces routinely skimming off ammunition, fuel and metal from security fences to sell in the local bazaar (which means the Taliban are likely ending up with it). Then there’s the false imprisonment scam, where they detain civilians at random and wait for the families to come and pay them money to release them.”

The most sickening portion of the documentary relates to the young boys, known as “chai boys,” who are routinely sodomized by Afghan security officers. During Anderson’s stay in Sangin, four boys were shot while trying to escape police commanders, three of them fatally. None of the commanders responsible were arrested.

He notes that it was exactly this type of criminality and corruption on the part of Northern Alliance (who staffed the puppet government the US government installed following their 2001 invasion and occupation) that led many Afghans to welcome the Taliban when they swept to power in 1996.

For this inane and unspeakable outcome, the Obama and Bush administrations have committed countless war crimes and crimes against humanity, as well as indebting US taxpayers to the tune of trillions of dollars. It’s high time for Obama to be impeached (click here) and for both men to face charges in the International Criminal Court.

photo credit: Defence Images via photopin cc

February 27, 2013  
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