NATO has taken command of military operations in Afghanistan, at a time when the Taliban are stepping into the vacuum left when the US changed its focus to Saddam Hussein. It’s the biggest challenge in the history of the Alliance. In the meantime, gun battles, roadside explosives and suicide bombers are taking their toll as the Taliban stage a powerful comeback. We hear about drug money, the failure of reconstruction and Pakistan, as well as a warning that there are not enough boots on the ground to avoid a crisis that could be worse than the war in Iraq. (An extended version of this discussion was originally broadcast earlier today on To the Point.)
The Taliban Rise Again in Afghanistan
Credits
Guests:
- Paul Watson - South Asia Bureau Chief for the Los Angeles Times
- Charles Heyman - Senior Defense Analyst for the online defense journal ArmedForces.co.uk
- Marvin Weinbaum - Senior Scholar, Middle East Institute
- Christine Fair - Georgetown University - @CChristineFair