Anand Gopal, Christian Science Monitor journalist, talks with TRNN Senior Editor
Paul Jay about Afghanistan. Gopal became interested in America's foreign policy
in Afghanistan and Pakistan after several of his close friends were killed in
the Sept. 9/11 attacks.
The US has discussed implementing structures like the Iraqi awakening councils
within Afghanistan. Gopal says that this strategy is problematic in Afghanistan,
the fundamental difference being that "[in] Iraq, the US was able to bring
aboard Sunni tribesmen to fight against an outside, or a perceived outsider
which is Al-Qaeda. In Afghanistan, that dynamic doesn't exist because the
Taliban are part of the community. They are the sons, brothers, and cousins of
the villagers, so it's not easy to separate the tribe from the villagers and the
Taliban," Gopal says.
watch the interview
Gopal says that despite a few small pro-government groups in northern
Afghanistan that have signed up for the program, "the Pashtuns by and large have
not joined the programs."
"So what we have is the Americans arming one ethnic group against another ethnic
group. In a country that has had a history of civil wars and international
warfare, this is a very dangerous recipe," Gopal says.
Bio:
Anand Gopal is a journalist for Inter Press Services (IPS). He covers the
"Global War on Terror" across its many fronts, from Afghanistan, Pakistan and
Somalia to the domestic arena. He is a correspondent for the Christian Science
Monitor and writes for many other outlets as well.
