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Afghans Cool to US Troop Increase

Doubting Taliban can be defeated, they want foreigners out

By Caroline Miller, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 7, 2009 7:34 AM CST

(Newser) – Even as the Obama adminstration agonizes over deploying more troops to Afghanistan, the Afghan public is growing increasingly negative about the US presence in their country. Doubting that the Taliban can be defeated, most agree that the government should negotiate with insurgents, the New York Times reports, and they see Americans as occupiers who have accomplished little.

“What have the Americans done in eight years?” a pharmacists asks the Times. “Americans are saying that with their planes they can see an egg 18 kilometers away, so why can’t they see the Taliban?” The lack of US success against insurgents has bred rampant conspiracy theories about US wanting to prolong the fight. “In the first days of the war, the Americans defeated the Taliban in just a few days,” says a student. “Now they have more than 60,000 forces and they cannot defeat them.”

US soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division patrol through a village in the Pech Valley, Afghanistan, Friday, Nov. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)

Afghan riot policeman places a tear gas bullet in his rifle during a demonstration in Kabul, Afghanistan Monday, Oct. 26, 2009. Students protested the alleged desecration of the Quran by US troops. (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq)

Afghan police arrest protesters during a demonstration in Kabul, Afghanistan, Oct. 26, 2009. Hundreds of university students were angered over the alleged desecration of the Quran by US troops. (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq)

International Security Assistance Force soldiers near the body of an ISAF soldier after a suicide car bomb attack on an Italian military convoy, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

An Afghan police officer frisks a passenger of a car at a roadside checkpoint in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe)

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Doubting Taliban can be defeated, they want foreigners out

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Taliban: Prince Harry Shouldn't Kill

'Captain Wales' to return to Afghanistan this year; he'll be Taliban target

CIA Fills Void in Iraq, Afghanistan

Agency expects to maintain large stations there for years

US Eyes Switch to Special Ops in Afghanistan

Focus to be on training, special missions, not policing

Afghan Civilian Deaths Hit New High

More than 3K killed, mostly by Taliban

Panetta: US Combat Role in Afghanistan Over in 2013

But American, NATO troops will still have 'robust' advisory role

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Afghanistan • US troops

MOST POPULAR STORIES

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More Newser Stories

Taliban: Prince Harry Shouldn't Kill

'Captain Wales' to return to Afghanistan this year; he'll be Taliban target

CIA Fills Void in Iraq, Afghanistan

Agency expects to maintain large stations there for years

US Eyes Switch to Special Ops in Afghanistan

Focus to be on training, special missions, not policing

Afghan Civilian Deaths Hit New High

More than 3K killed, mostly by Taliban

Panetta: US Combat Role in Afghanistan Over in 2013

But American, NATO troops will still have 'robust' advisory role

About Us

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Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?