By Cliff Montgomery – Nov. 29th, 2009
A number of Taliban members should be recruited for U.S. ends, say some within the Obama Administration.Their central idea is that such deals with less ideological members may eventually splinter the group’s supportfor al-Qaeda.
It’s frankly a decent idea: Find any possible way to turn the enemy against itself. But a recent article publishedon the website of Foreign Affairs Magazine calls this theory into question.
The matter is immensely important, as President Obama reportedly plans to unveil his policy for Afghanistanthis week.
Drawing on the lessons of recent Afghan history as well as a mountain of declassified documents, a top experton Central Asia declared that former “Secretary of Defense [Robert] McNamara warned us of the centralimportance of knowing the enemy.”
McNamara was one of the principal architects of the Vietnam War. He later came to deeply regret his Vietnam-related decisions as Pentagon chief.
“We must not ascribe our own logic, mindsets or worldview to the Taliban,” wrote Barbara Elias, Director of theAfghanistan, Pakistan and Taliban project for the National Security Archive, a privately run governmentwatchdog group.
The central problem for the Obama Administration, continues Elias, is that “the Taliban and al-Qaeda areneither inextricably linked by ideology nor held together merely by fleeting correspondence of interests.
“Their relationship is rooted in more complex issues of legitimacy and identity.
“The Taliban cannot surrender Bin Laden without also surrendering their existing identity as a vessel for anobdurate and uncompromising version of political Islam.
“Their legitimacy rests not on their governing skills,” or their popular support, “but on their claim to representwhat they perceive as Shari’a rule.”
“This means upholding the image that they are guided entirely by Islamic principles,” added Elias.
“As such, they cannot make concessions to, or negotiate with, secular states.
“The core of the Taliban, in short, will not flip against its al-Qaeda allies.
“Moreover, even if some elements gave indications of being willing to do so, they would probably not followthrough,” continued Elias.
“The Taliban’s history is littered with promises to adversaries that remain unfulfilled.
“And there is little reason not to expect flipped Taliban to flip back when it suits their purposes,” added Elias.
