tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post7676179992201415607..comments2024-03-27T09:14:27.496+00:00Comments on All That Is Solid ...: Branch Meeting: AfghanistanPhilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298147857234479278noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-4943560524968134742008-08-31T10:10:00.000+01:002008-08-31T10:10:00.000+01:00Phil, I was somewhat obnoxious in my original comm...Phil, I was somewhat obnoxious in my original comment. However it remains somewhat naive in my opinion to believe that in Afghanistan any political system (including western democracy of course) can take root. This is due to the popular culture being so grounded in Islam. Islam of course has it's own system of governance (Sharia) unlike other religions which are largely private theologies.<BR/><BR/>Anyway I wish you luck! You said 'I don't know how we would undermine the Taliban. But the international organisation my organisation is affiliated to, the CWI does have affiliates in Israel, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka'. Well out of those only Pakistan is Islamic but we can see there the problems of governance. So called secular governments such as those of Bhutto, only effectively ruled the cities and modern areas. The rural hinterland and especially the FATA were administered locally under tribal leaders. These same areas are now effectively ruled by the Taliban under their austere version of Sharia.<BR/><BR/>The example of the PDPA is a case in point. The government tried extending a modern political system to a rural tribal area. Immediately the Mullahs and tribal leaders rejected it and started a revolt that gained pace in the countryside before the USSSR intervened. The rest we know is history.<BR/><BR/>Ken makes a good point. There are all sorts of tribal, ethnic and political tensions in the Afghan army. I do believe however that creating a modern unified army is the best way forward in Afghanistan. The alternative is warlordism or the Taleban. Most Afghan units are a mixture of Tajik, Uzbek, and Pashto etc. Not a bad idea. It strikes me as ironic however that our own army in the 21st century is not like that! Regiments are still divided regionally and nationally. Just look at the pain caused in Scotland over the issue of dissolving clan regiments like the famous Black Watch into the amorphous Royal Regiment of Scotland. I digress I know, all the best with establishing secular democracy in Afghanistan.Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11249817220736089013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-20238412374506609032008-07-29T22:39:00.000+01:002008-07-29T22:39:00.000+01:00I saw a report a while ago that many of the soldie...I saw a report a while ago that many of the soldiers of the US/UK backed government army are former soldiers of the Soviet-backed government, and that there is some tension between them and those in the same army who fought on the other side. The former PDPA govt soldiers are still called 'communists'.Kenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03493440163559858462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-31070544927523108802008-07-29T19:35:00.000+01:002008-07-29T19:35:00.000+01:00Thanks for suggesting I "lack experience of the re...Thanks for suggesting I "lack experience of the real world". Tis true I haven't worked in Afghanistan or had much experience with our misogynistic medievalist friends the taliban, but family background, low pay, crap jobs, trade union activity and regular street campaigning has kept my feet firmly on the ground thank you very much.<BR/><BR/>The problem with the PDPA was they didn't try 'secular socialism' - they instead clumsily and heavy handedly tried to force through reforms that brutally attacked the fabric of traditional Afghan life. There was no democracy, no attempt to win over opposition through debate and argument. And don't know about you, but for us socialists socialism without democracy isn't socialism.<BR/><BR/>I don't know how we would undermine the taliban. But the international organisation <A HREF="www.socialistparty.org.uk" REL="nofollow">my organisation</A> is affiliated to, the <A HREF="http://www.socialistworld.net" REL="nofollow">CWI</A> does have affiliates in Israel, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka where they pursue strategies to tackle fundamentalist religious ideas (of whatever hue), so there is experience our organisation can draw from should we develop a groups of activists in Afghanistan.Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06298147857234479278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-83659076831067392492008-07-29T18:32:00.000+01:002008-07-29T18:32:00.000+01:00'It may well be ambitious and difficult to achieve...'It may well be ambitious and difficult to achieve, but how else can the problems of Afghanistan be resolved?'<BR/><BR/>Wishful thinking in the extreme!<BR/><BR/>Seriously though I enjoyed your post and you have identified some of the problems in AFG. One problem with your extremely optimistic plans is the Taleban. How do you think they will respond to calls for secular socialism? It has been tried before in the country. Also how would you divide the pashtun rebels who are perhaps more nationalistic than Islamist from the Taleban? You would have to defeat the insurgency or at least contain it in order to achieve that aim. I like your thoughts but i gain the impression that like many left leaning academics you like experience of the real world. Hence you come up with lofty ideas that are completely unworkable and border on fantastic I'm afraid.Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11249817220736089013noreply@blogger.com