Saturday, October 10, 2009

Will Paying Off The Taliban Work?


Barack Obama Ready To Pay Afghan Fighters To Ditch The Taliban -- Times Online

The Obama administration is considering outbidding the Taliban to persuade Afghan villagers to lay down arms as it struggles to find a new approach to a war that is fast losing public and congressional support.

Despite five war councils in two weeks, President Barack Obama has so far failed to come up with a strategy for the conflict that may define his presidency. Fierce infighting continues between his own generals and advisers.

Read more ....

My Comment: Throughout the history of warfare, opposing sides have always used bribes and rewards to get the other side to stop fighting .... and/or to join you to fight someone else.

Will this work with the Taliban .... I have my doubts. This was tried by the Soviets and their Afghan allies in the 1980s when they were fighting the mujaheddin, and it failed completely. Maybe the Soviets did not offer enough, but when today's Afghans have problems paying their own soldiers and police, I have my doubts that they will be successful in paying off the Taliban.

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