Radio Interviews

Scott Horton (Antiwar Radio) interviews

• Martin Smith,producer of the PBS Frontline documentary Obama’s War, discusses the incredible scope of a full-blown global counterinsurgency, new COIN strategies that supposedly reduce the troop levels needed to pacify Afghanistan, the missed window of opportunity for successful nation-building and the difficulty of persuading Afghan civilians to entrust their safety to foreign troops rather than the Taliban. MP3 here. (29:47
• Kelley B. Vlahos, contributing editor at The American Conservative magazine, discusses the indirect U.S. and NATO funding of the Taliban, David Kilcullen’s mixed bag of Afghanistan policy assessments, Obama’s lack of allies in the State Department, the military’s seizing of initiative from the indecisive Obama administration and how the U.S. embrace of India prompts Pakistan to increase support for the Taliban. MP3 here. (46:50)

• Peace activist Cindy Sheehan discusses plans for continuous civil disobedience in Washington D.C. until the Iraq and Afghanistan wars end, lessons learned from the Pittsburgh G-20 protests, how Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize was awarded soon after he refused to meet with peace groups and why much of the Left can’t wrap their heads around a pro-war Democratic Party. MP3 here. (20:49)

For other interviews go to antiwar.com

Barack Obama ready to pay Afghan fighters to ditch the Taliban

Barack Obama ready to pay
Afghan fighters to ditch the Taliban
The Times [UK], by Christina Lamb

Original Article(read on)

Behind the “Debate” Over Afghanistan:

Suffering, Death, and the Needs of Empire

by Larry Everest

October 7 marked the eighth year of the U.S. invasion and occupation of Afghanistan, making it one of the longest wars in U.S. history, and the end is nowhere in sight. Instead, today the imperialists are facing mounting difficulties and staring into the abyss of possible defeat.
Read on…

Secret Italian Bribes to Taliban

Secret Italian Bribes to Taliban -- Tip of the Iceberg?

Kelley Beaucar Vlahos, October 15, 2009

When I was researching my recent piece on Taliban extortion rackets in Afghanistan, it was easy to find examples of the Taliban extorting private contractors hired by western governments and companies engaged in humanitarian and reconstruction projects. What was tricky was connecting payoffs to the Taliban by contractors who were moving supplies and food to U.S/NATO troops in the field. But the evidence is out there if you look hard enough — it’s just no one wants to talk about the possibility that we are paying off the enemy in order to maintain the occupation. It’s madness. (read on)

Held by the Taliban

By David Rohde

Published: October 17, 2009

David Stephenson Rohde is a New York Times reporter who was kidnapped by the Taliban in November 2008. He escaped on the night of June 19, 2009, and made his way to freedom after more than seven months of captivity in the mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Mr. Rohde was part of The Times's reporting team that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2009 for coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan. He gives his account of his experience as a captive in a five part series, (read on: Held by the Taliban).