An Afghan soldier at a checkpoint on a road near the town of Maidan Shahr, a hotbed of Taliban activity near the capital. Moises Saman for The New York TimesFrom The Captain's Journal:
In Financing the Taliban we addressed the issue of poppy, and why its eradication wouldn’t end the Taliban or the threat they pose to Afghanistan, Pakistan and the larger region. In addition to poppy, Taliban support comes from taxation of various businesses as well as active participation in larger industrial-size operations.
ZIARAT, Pakistan — The Taliban’s takeover in April of the Ziarat marble quarry, a coveted national asset, is one of the boldest examples of how they have made Pakistan’s tribal areas far more than a base for training camps or a launchpad for sending fighters into Afghanistan.
A rare, unescorted visit to the region this month revealed how the Taliban are grabbing territory, using the income they exact to strengthen their hold and turn themselves into a self-sustaining fighting force. The quarry alone has brought tens of thousands of dollars, said Zaman, a tribal leader.
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