Civilian Casualties and Taliban Recruitment in Afghanistan

Much has been made of the bombing of wedding ceremonies and villages in Afghanistan. However, the stories in the media have been rather distant and impersonal. So I was surprised to find this video, originally from The Guardian (UK newspaper), on The Real News.

It is good that we see a human face of those who would be our enemy, because it prevents the general ignorance that those who support the Taliban are fanatics or clueless about what is best for them.

Misguided? Maybe. And it's fairly obvious that the Taliban is not a group seeking to improve Afghans' living standards or rights. But many, if not most, Taliban volunteers are making a conscious decision with their own interests in mind. They are driven by the same fear and hatred of foreigners that has kept Afghanistan an unoccupiable tribal region for centuries, as well as the desire for revenge.

Also, nobody wants to be a collaborator to the 'filthy Western dogs' - for which the Taliban routinely carry out executions - especially if ISAF and the Afghan government is losing the war.

(Image: the proposed surge in Afghanistan may be decisive as the war enters its eighth year.)

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Will the 'surge' change things? In the sense that ISAF forces will have a sufficient number of troops to expand their influence and not be stuck in isolated outposts, maybe it will. I don't hold any really high hopes for anything more than this personally, though, with the exception of more names to be inscribed into stone; after all, as the video I posted previously points out, the surge in Iraq wasn't the main cause of improvements there.

On a related note...
Christmas greetings from British Soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Their concern with their local sports teams back home rather than staying alive is worrying :)
Come home safe, lads.