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US, Afghans Recruit Taliban With Jobs

Drive will be similar to the 'Sons of Iraq' program

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 23, 2009 10:49 AM CST

(Newser) – Afghanistan has launched an initiative to convert Taliban foot soldiers with the promise of jobs and protection. Backed by the US military, the plan is modeled on its “Sons of Iraq” program; Stanley McChrystal even lured a key architect of that program out of retirement to help with it. The key, officials say, is to acknowledge and assuage fears that the West plans a prolonged occupation.

There’s already a program in place to accept surrendering militants, but it’s seen as a bit of a sham. “Lots of Taliban surrender,” says one Western diplomat. “And lots of them un-surrender.” Hamid Karzai has made this latest push a central part of his political platform, using his inauguration speech to encourage “all disenchanted brothers who are not directly linked to international terrorism to again embrace their homeland.”

[Images (1)]

[Quotes (1)]

Afghan police sort through weapons surrendered by around 80 former Taliban fighters Saturday, after Hamid Karzai asked his fellow countrymen to embrace the government and lay down their arms. (AP Photo/Fraidoon Pooyaa)

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Some Afghan Taliban may be committed to global jihad. But the vast majority are not. Their primary commitment is to tribe and to locality. Our goal is not a fight to
the death. - David Miliband

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 4 comments

sailor86

Nov 23, 2009 8:06 AM CST

This program held a lot of promise up until that "unsurrender" comment. Drats!!

sailor86

Nov 23, 2009 8:04 AM CST

ROI = Reason Of Insanity?

Face-Of-RNC

Nov 23, 2009 5:56 AM CST

High U. S. unemployment does not offend the corporate wealth protectors. High profits from no-bid contracts to sell the U. S. taxpayers over-priced goods and services is fine. When will Americans wake up and realize this corporate welfare is what's keeping the country broke? Defeat corporatism! Make corporations survive the so called 'free-market' just as the working class and poor people must do on an individual basis everyday in this country. No more corporate tax breaks, no more going to war for profit. No more no-bid contracts. No more free reign for corporate bosses.

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World • US

Afghanistan • Taliban • insurgents • Hamid Karzai • Sons of Iraq • counterinsurgency • Stanley McChrystal

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US, Afghans Recruit Taliban With Jobs