Comment – Opinion. You have no doubt heard by now that President Obama is calling for an investigation of a mass grave of Taliban fighters allegedly executive by Northern Alliance troops in 2001. The Northern Alliance, led by General Rashid Dostom and other Afghan warlords, helped Nato troops by providing a pincer movement that trapped thousands of Taliban and Afghan fighters during the initial invasion.
After the Taliban were defeated a new government under the leadership of Hamid Karzai was formed. General Dostum and other warlords were invited to participate. Shortly thereafter, Dostum pulled his support from the Karzai led government. The reason, as believed by various intelligence agencies was that Hamid Karzai’s brother Ahmed Wali Karzai a tribal foe of General Dostum, was appointed jirga representative, by his brother, for Kandahar Province; and here begins a tale not told by the main stream media. Dostum and his other warlord allies controlled a large part of the poppy trade; Ahmed Wali Karzai was a competitor in that he was also heavily involved in the heroin poppy trade in Kandahar Province.
To the present. Obama, greatly offended, (I assume), at the mass execution of the Taliban fighters had called for an investigation. What the boy President doesn’t realize is that he is being played by Afghan President Karzai. With the upcoming Afghan elections Karzai hopes to neutralize Dostum and his allies by starting an investigation that will undermine Northern Alliance supported candidates. The Northern Alliance is much stronger and better organized than Karzai’s a Afghan Army. Karzai knows that there is no way that he can defeat the Northern Alliance – enter Obama. Karzai is hoping that Obama will provide a distraction by demanding the Northern Alliance answer for the executions as a way to keep the Northern Alliance factions from gaining any seats in the Loya Jirga, (the Afghan Government Grand Tribal Council.)
Obama is showing his ignorance of tribal politics and Afghan national culture by getting involved in this mess. If Karzai is that concerned about the executed Taliban than it is up to him to address the matter. Remember Obama said we should not be involved in other nations internal affairs – unless of course he deems it so. Just my opinion.
Beaudreaux
