NATO commander: Afghanistan drug raids imminent

[qsaark]

July 11, 2008
Interview with Richard Holbrooke
Bloomberg

MR. HUNT: Richard, the other war, Afghanistan, where you've traveled recently, worst month - the most violent month since the invasion. Things seem to be getting worse. You, according to reports, lectured Karzai on the need to get tougher when you were there. Karzai seemed like a nice man. But really, it appears he's just not up to the tough job -

AMB. HOLBROOKE: I don't think I lectured him. I asked him some questions and received a lecture in return. (Chuckles.) We have three overwhelming problems in Afghanistan, but let me say two things before I list them. Number one, this is the war we cannot fail in. This is the war which, if we fail, al Qaeda and the Taliban come back. Number two, we are not going to lose in Afghanistan because the Taliban are so hated, but we're not going to win because the government is so weak, incompetent and, let's be honest, corrupt.

There are three overwhelming problems. The border areas with Pakistan, you can't stabilize Afghanistan unless Pakistan buys in and the U.S., under the Bush administration, is has two policies; they have an Afghanistan policy and a Pakistan policy, and they've never integrated them. I was in Islamabad and Peshawar and Kabul on this recent trip, went down into the provinces on the border. Everybody has got their own theories. Point number two, the drugs. Fifty percent of the GDP of Afghanistan is drugs; Karzai has never arrested a single drug lord. Everyone knows who they are. You go into the central marketplace in Kabul and the big villas are the drug lord people. Instead, they eradicate crops, driving farmers out of work and into the hands of the Taliban.

MR. HUNT: Well, that suggests he's just not up to it, doesn't it?

AMB. HOLBROOKE: Whether he's up to it or not, I don't think the United States and the rest of the world should be giving him money - $20 billion pledged to Karzai the week before last in Paris - with no kind of conditions.

The third issue is the government's weakness and corruption, and of course, the police. So you've got to fix the police and the government weakness, you've got to change our policy towards drugs - we've wasted about a $1 billion a year on drug policies in Afghanistan. And Al, you know what's happened for that? The drug crop goes up every year. This is Bloomberg Television. I think your viewers know that's not a good business model.

Easy to brush off one opinion (even though Dr. Ann is more an informed person than frankly anyone on this forum), here we have another two. Both, Mr. Thomas Schweich and Mr. Richard Holbrooke are pointing their fingers to the US puppet Karzai and the bunch of thugs and murderers, certain people here insist to call Afghan Government.

Poppys are not grown in the caves, they are grown in the open fields. But as all three persons have noted, there is simply no commitment on the side of the corrupt Karzi and Co. Infact Karzai mafia is making more money than the Taliban. Taliban are only making money from imposing taxes and giving safe passage to the drug traffickers, Karzai and Co on the other hand owns those fields. I really find it amazing what on earth can enable farmers to grow poppy in a warzone. Unless they are deliberately allowed to grow and harvest their crops. It has been said over and over again that most poppy is grown in the South, who is the Governor of Qandhar? some lieutantant of Mullah Umar or the real brother of Karzai? Why is he not held responsible for what is going on in his area?

 

[qsaark]

Afghans to Karzai: You failed us.
Perceived as ineffective and corrupt, the Afghan president faces an uphill battle to reelection.
By Mark Sappenfield | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

from the October 23, 2008 edition

Kabul, Afghanistan - Hajji Mohammed Aman sits in the half-light of his west Kabul real estate office and makes a demand of his president.

"When you decide to do something, you have to do it, even if it costs you your life," he says, firmly but without bluster.

The comment hints at why the country that once chose President Hamid Karzai to lead it into a new, democratic future is now turning against him. Both at home and abroad, Mr. Karzai is facing mounting criticism that he has lacked the courage to stop the government's descent into corruption and ineffectiveness.

Karzai's international allies are increasingly unwilling to accept inaction, and with presidential elections a year away, the man who once had an 83 percent approval rating now finds himself politically isolated and needing to resuscitate his image.

"Things are out of his control now," says Farooq Mirranay, a member of parliament who supported Karzai in the 2004 elections and remains a part of the Karzai's legislative bloc.

As the West begins to pay more attention to the worsening state of law and order in Afghanistan, pressure on Karzai is growing. His decision on Oct. 11 to reshuffle his cabinet has widely been seen as an effort to placate international allies demanding progress against corruption.

"It's taken him two years to do it," says Ahmed Rashid, author of "Descent into Chaos," a book about US efforts to rebuild Afghanistan.

Also this month, officials in the Bush administration alleged that Karzai's brother, Ahmed Wali, is involved in the opium trade, according to the New York Times. The Karzais have denied the charge.

Despite this dissatisfaction with the Afghan government's lack of progress under Karzai, there is no clear replacement. A study by the Congressional Research Service recently tabbed former Interior Minister Ali Jalali and former Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani as the most likely contenders for Karzai's job. Mr. Ghani, who served under Karzai from 2002 to 2004, has the greater name recognition [Editor's note : The original version misstated the government in which Mr. Ghani served.]. Mr. Jalali is seen by many in the international community as a competent technocrat, but he is currently living in the United States and would have trouble connecting with Afghans.

Rumors also continue to circle that America's ambassador to the United Nations, Zalmay Khalilzad, who was born in Afghanistan, is considering a run. He has repeatedly denied this.

There has been no recent opinion poll to measure Karzai's approval rating. Yet interviews throughout Kabul point to a widely held perception: that Karzai has surrounded himself by thieves and drug lords. This has turned many Afghans against him.

For this reason, Mr. Mirranay says he will not campaign for Karzai again.

"He never took measures against corrupt officials," he says. "The government is built on compromises and deals."

With voter registration having already begun, it is a statement that presages the tone of the coming campaign. But there is at least a kernel of truth in it, say some analysts of Afghanistan, with Karzai governing almost as a tribal leader, seeing every situation as an opportunity for negotiation.

"He was always faced with the problem of indecisiveness," says Mr. Rashid, citing the delayed cabinet shuffle as a typical example of how Karzai has often attempted to skirt difficult choices.

In light of the problems facing Afghanistan, this lack of a strong hand has led to frustration. Afghans' complaints are bitter. Between a resurgent Taliban and NATO airstrikes, more civilians are being killed as security worsens. Militants are now ambushing military convoys just outside Kabul.

Meanwhile, Afghans say they must pay bribes to pass police checkpoints or even to pay their taxes. The flourishing opium trade has further alienated Afghans, who assume government complicity. More than half the country's economy is based on opium.

But these are not all problems of Karzai's making.

"Karzai cannot govern without security, and security is not in his hands," says Mr. Rashid, the author, suggesting that NATO still has not sent enough troops.

It points to the constant balancing act that he must play. Karzai must not be seen as favoring any one of Afghanistan's tribes or ethnicities – which are often at odds with one another – and he must also negotiate the desires of some three dozen member-nations of NATO's International Security Assistance Force.

In addition to this, America largely ignored Afghanistan until this year, focusing its efforts predominantly on Iraq. "There was a failure to set tougher conditions for the government early on," says Rashid. "A great deal depends on what the next US president does."

Shagufa Amiryar, a political science student at Kabul University, has some sympathy for Karzai. She begins by blaming, not Karzai, but Pakistan and Iran for sponsoring and harboring terrorists. But then she begins talking about poppy barons building mansions in Kabul's best neighborhoods.

"If [Karzai] tries his best, he can prevent drug dealers from walking freely," she says.

The fact that he has not upsets fellow student Iqbal Ali Sharwand. "When President Karzai first came people had hopes," he says. "But after the elections people's hopes were dashed because he is only working to keep his power rather than thinking of the people's interests."

Squatting on packets of cement he is selling, Hajji Hasan Qurbanzadeh says, "Even if you appoint me mayor of Kabul, I will become involved in corruption."

Is it not interesting that all this is happening right under the nose of the occupation forces? The occupation forces who 'claim' to have very high moral standards couldn't find allies better than Karzai and his thugs? I would not be surprised to read by someone, if this is also blamed on the Taliban.

 

[S-2]

Why do you persist in relying upon topical interviews that are eight months to two and one-half years old when you've the UNODC report for 2008 available now?

Pedantic and pointlessly tiresome.

Helmand. South of Garmsir. Pashtu. Taliban. Page 8-province by province graph of planted hectares since 2004. Trendlines otherwise down. McKiernan going after bad druggies.

Once again that PhD. proves it's irrelevancy.

 

[Cheetah786]

i am not a chemist but heroin will also be produced! not a good idea IMO

Poppy, Papaver somniferum L., is an annual herb native to Southeastern Europe and western Asia. Also known as opium poppy, the species is cultivated extensively in many countries, including Iran, Turkey, Holland, Poland, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, India, Canada, and many Asian and Central and South American countries. Reaching a height of 1.2 meters, the erect plant can have white, pink, red, or purple flowers. Seeds range in color from white to a slate shade that is called blue in commercial classifications.
The reported life zone of poppy is 7 to 23 degrees centigrade with an annual precipitation of 0.3 to 1.7 meters and a soil pH of 4.5 to 8.3 (4.1-31). The plants grow best in rich, moist soil and tend to be frost sensitive.

A latex containing several important alkaloids is obtained from immature seed capsules one to three weeks after flowering. Incisions are made in the walls of the green seed pods, and the milky exudation is collected and dried. Opium and the isoquinoline alkaloids morphine, codeine, noscapine, papaverine, and thebaine are isolated from the dried material. The poppy seeds and fixed oil that can be expressed from the seed are not narcotic, because they develop after the capsule has lost the opium-yielding potential (11.1-128). Total yield of alkaloids is dependent on light, temperature, the plant species, and the time of harvest (5.2-4).

Poppy seeds are used as a condiment with baked goods and pastries for their nutty odor and flavor. Poppy oil is widely used as an edible cooking oil. The oil is also used in the manufacture of paints, varnishes, and soaps (14.1-35). Opium is used in the production of morphine, codeine, other alkaloids, and deodorized forms of opium (14.1-35). Morphine is the raw material from which heroin is obtained. Poppy plants are important as ornamental plants in flower gardens.

Poppy is one of the most important medicinal plants. Traditionally, the dry opium was considered an astringent, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, diaphoretic, expectorant, hypnotic, narcotic, and sedative. Poppy has been used against toothaches and coughs. The ability of opium from poppy to serve as an analgesic is well known. Opium and derivatives of opium are used in the pharmaceutical industry as narcotic analgesics, hypnotics, and sedatives. These compounds are also used as antidiarrheals, antispasmodics, and antitussives (14.1-35). Opium and the drugs derived from opium are addictive and can have toxicological effects.

The poppy has had a tremendous impact on several societies as an opiate. Currently, there is interest in developing a poppy plant rich in thebaine and low in morphine as the former could be converted to codeine and other legal pharmaceutical products with less morphine available for illegal conversion into heroin.

Papaver rhoeus L., known as corn or field poppy, is an annual herb native to Europe and Asia. Extracts of the plant are used in medicine and beverages. The alkaloids rhoeadine, morphine, and papaverine have been reported in this species (14.1-32). Papaver orientale L., formerly Papaver bracteatum Lindl., is a morphine-free alkaloid source used for medicinal purposes. Mexican or prickly poppy, Argemone mexicana L., has been reported to have toxicological properties but no substantial medicinal uses have been recorded (11.1-136).

Poppy seed is generally recognized as safe for human consumption as a spice or a natural flavoring (21 CFR section 182.10 [1982]).

 

[qsaark]

Wow, Dr. Ann, Mr. Thomas Schweich and Mr. Richard Holbrooke's opinions are 'topical interviews'. That is really very interesting to know.

Asadullah Wafa was the Governor of Helmand, was he a Talib? I thought he was one of the thugs of Karzai mafia who is now replaced (but not punished) by Gulab Mangal. In fact, Wafa was awarded a medal for his services by Karzai (what services, for the bumper poppy harvest!).

I wish if certain people could come up with something better than taunts (I know people do get jealous though).

 

[S-2]

"I know people do get jelous [sic] though..."

Certainly not of your spelling, Mr. PhD.

 

[qsaark]

Certain people Keep expozing there cheepness. Gud luk with there stripties.

 

[S-2]

I guess General Craddock wasn't lying-

British and Afghan Troops in Major Drug Raid- BBC

 

[Metallic]

Here's some more info on the raid on Taliban's drug industry

Airborne troops strike at Taliban's drug industry
18 february 2009

Waves of helicopter-borne troops caught the Taliban by surprise in a meticulously planned assault which has struck severely at the narcotics industry in Helmand which helps finance the Taliban's insurgency.

The operation, codenamed 'DIESEL', involved over 700 personnel and resulted in the disruption of enemy command and control, logistics and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) facilities in the Upper Sangin Valley, and the capture of four narcotics factories containing drugs, chemicals and equipment with a UK street value of £50m.

The area has long been a centre of enemy activity where extensive narcotics interests have provided a stream of funding for the Taliban.

After weeks of detailed planning, Operation DIESEL saw marines and soldiers over the period 6 to 11 February 2009 deliberately confuse the enemy before seizing a number of strategic sites after which waves of helicopter-borne troops conducted rapid assaults on the multiple targets.

The troops involved included Afghan Security Forces, Royal Marines from 45 Commando, 42 Commando, and 3 Commando Brigade's Reconnaissance Force, as well as armoured infantry and close reconnaissance from 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (1 PWRR).

Commander Task Force Helmand, Brigadier Gordon Messenger Royal Marines, summed up the success of this operation saying:

"The links between the Taliban and the drugs trade are well proven and we know that the revenue from narcotics production directly funds the insurgency.

"Operation DIESEL was a clinical precision strike, supported by strong intelligence, which has had a powerful disruptive effect on known insurgent and narcotics networks in the area.

"The success of the operation is a significant boost to the Afghan authorities in their fight against the drugs trade. As a combined ISAF [International Security Assistance Force]/Afghan team, we will continue to take every opportunity to strike at the linkage between the narcotics trade and the Taliban, the product of which brings so much misery to the Afghan people."

The operation was led by Lieutenant Colonel Jim Morris, Commanding Officer, 45 Commando Group Royal Marines.

It began on 6 February, following detailed rehearsals of the plan, with the Brigade Reconnaissance Force in their Jackal vehicles moving onto high ground overlooking the objectives under cover of darkness.

The objectives - referred to as 'Southern', 'Western' and 'Eastern' - comprised a number of compounds and farm buildings in three areas, nestling in the Helmand Valley, flanked to the west by the River Helmand and by mountains to the east.

Intelligence had suggested that the area was a hotbed for narcotics production, providing the funding for the insurgency, as well as being a stronghold for enemy fighters.

Over the preceding week, British Forces from both 1 PWRR and the Armoured Support Group had deliberately feigned a move into an area to the north of the targets, leading the Taliban to divert their attention away from the actual objectives.

1 PWRR's armoured vehicles then moved up to secure the first of three helicopter landing sites, codenamed WILLOW, around 8km west of the objectives. Forming a western flank, they screened the target area to prevent enemy reinforcements arriving and to intercept any attempting to flee.

The Vikings of the Armoured Support Group moved into the south, ready to provide re-supply and casualty extraction, if required.

The Brigade Reconnaissance Force, high in the mountainous area to the east, provided overwatch protection to a second helicopter landing zone, codenamed OAK, carefully selected due to its location within a natural depression in the landscape, providing a perfect screen from the enemy targets in the valley below. Their heavy weaponry and view over the whole of the area below also provided protection to a third landing site deep in the valley, codenamed CHERRY.

At around 0100 hrs on 7 February 2009, with the screens in place and helicopter landing sites (HLS) secured, the raid was launched.

In just 20 minutes two waves of coalition helicopters, including RAF Chinooks, Royal Navy Sea Kings and Lynx, joined by US CH53 Sea Stallions, inserted over 500 commandos into their landing sites, 800 metres from the enemy positions.

The first wave of helicopters delivered troops from Lima Company 42 Commando into HLS CHERRY and 45 Commando Headquarters and Mortar Troop into HLS OAK.

X-Ray Company 45 Commando, who had been pre-positioned into HLS WILLOW, a holding area out of sight and earshot of the enemy, were the second wave into HLS OAK twenty minutes later and quickly reinforced the assault from a different direction.

Lima Company systematically cleared the western flank and secured a vital river-crossing to deny the enemy the freedom to move in reinforcements or to escape, while at the same time X-Ray Company were fighting through and searching the southern enemy positions. This initial insertion was a complete success and achieved total surprise.

As the first stage of the assault moved in, forces from Yankee Company were moved by helicopter from Camp Bastion to replace X-Ray at OAK, where they waited in reserve, within striking distance of their objective as the second stage of the assault.

Major Richard Parvin Royal Marines, Officer Commanding Yankee Company 45 Commando, on arrival at the helicopter landing site, positioned his men to await further orders. He described the situation:

"From the mountainside we could hear sporadic shots and small exchanges of fire throughout the morning but not the heavy defence we had prepared for; it was clear that several groups of Taliban had moved out to meet phantom threats as we had hoped."

To the west, Lima Company and their Afghan colleagues moved through compounds, searching for enemy forces, for weapons that many had dropped or hidden and the materials associated with narcotics.

Sergeant Tony Dryden, Lima Company, 42 Commando Group, said:

"The Taliban was confused and completely overmatched by our tactics. Our scheme of manoeuvre was fantastic. I have never seen anything like it as they were on the back foot and unable to cope throughout."

The first of the two processing plants was discovered in a chain of compounds, the vital components for the drugs trade having been hastily abandoned as the enemy fled. Vats used for refining opium, presses and chemicals used in heroin production, and even bags ready to be filled with heroin were found, along with over 60kg of wet opium waiting to be processed.

X-Ray Company had now secured their objectives and together with Afghan forces began to enter and search compounds in the Southern objective, uncovering weapons caches and another suspected drugs factory.

Over 400kg of raw opium and a massive supply of the essential chemicals required to make heroin were discovered; sacks of Ammonium Chloride, barrels of Acetic Anhydride and other chemicals that were piled up ready for use.

Such swift progress did not go unnoticed however, and they soon came under attack from enemy forces firing small arms and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) from within the warren of compounds and ditches.

X-Ray Company and the Afghan forces returned fire, supported by Apache attack helicopters accurately targeting the enemy firing points. The attack was soon quashed and the area secured, with the enemy abandoning compounds and fleeing.

Major Rich Maltby, Officer Commanding X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, said:

"The company did extremely well, neutralising the enemy whenever they presented themselves, destroying large quantities of drugs and drug-making equipment and recovering enemy weapons and explosives. We then secured a route for the remainder of the Commando to extract."

Having been held in reserve for the majority of the morning, Yankee Company launched their attack on Eastern, the final objective. Moving up through the area previously secured by X-Ray Company, Yankee advanced north to the collection of compounds which comprised their target. Manning mortars and heavy machine guns, and with a sniper team, they moved onto high ground to the west to provide another layer of overwatch.

Captain Olly Osborne Royal Marines, 9 Troop Fire Support Group, Yankee Company, 45 Commando, said:

"We were 200 metres away from the first compounds and had just climbed onto the high ground when an RPG buzzed over our heads, fired by a guy who just came out of an alleyway. Fortunately it was a blind and didn't explode. The guys opened up on him in response. Another firing position with a PKM heavy machine gun was also firing at us too and we guided in an Apache helicopter to attack with its 30 millimetre cannon."

The sniper team began to spot enemy forces fleeing from the area in the face of such overwhelming odds. When positively identified as either carrying weapons or having left firing points they were engaged, through the deadly accuracy of the long-range rifles and by the ever-present Apache helicopters.

Marine Matthew Webb, a sniper with 9 Troop, Yankee Company, 45 Commando Group, said:

"Once Yankee started their move towards the Eastern objective we were up on the high ground giving them cover. We got contacted first - RPGs soaring over our heads and a bit of AK fire - we always expect this so it wasn't anything too new.

"We just got on with picking out enemy forces as they moved - appearing in breaks in the tree-line or when they moved from the compounds. We were picking targets from about 1,500 metres, and, for those further out where we were not able to clearly identify them as enemy, we were providing the information to the Apaches which have better optics at those distances - we were always checking to make sure they were enemy."

Yankee Company continued to advance on the compounds, forever conscious of the threat from IEDs and attack from those enemy forces remaining. As with the other objectives, the paraphernalia of the insurgency were soon discovered; weapons and ammunition abandoned as they fled and the largest find of opium on the operation, nearly 800kg. The final, and largest, complete processing lab with chemicals, vats and presses to make deadly heroin was also discovered.

Marine Jake McEndoo, Yankee Company, 45 Commando, said:

"We used explosive entry to some of the compounds but only where we had to. In one compound we found 10 or 15 barrels of wet opium cooking which is the most I've ever seen. I've not seen it on this scale before - once we'd finished searching, it was all put into one compound and then destroyed.

"We watched some of the enemy fleeing the area and it looked like they may be planning to IDF [mortar] us and X-Ray Company - we got the Apache in to take them out."

Commenting on the success of the operation, Lieutenant Colonel Jim Morris Royal Marines, Commanding Officer of 45 Commando Group Royal Marines, said:

"Operation DIESEL was a bold and hugely successful operation which demonstrated quite clearly that ISAF and Afghan Forces can strike when and where we choose, with speed and ruthless precision, at the very heart of Taliban bases.

"The resulting disruption of the enemy and his infrastructure, and the impact on the closely related narcotics activity that was achieved in this action will contribute directly to the gradually improving security situation in the Upper Sangin Valley. As ever, it was the bravery, determination and skill of the men and women on the ground that delivered this success; I am immensely proud of them all."

The operation was an enormous undertaking carefully planned and executed with precision and guile. Multiple, co-ordinated attacks by a large number of British and Afghan forces on a totally overmatched enemy were conducted without loss to ISAF or Afghan forces, and with minimal disruption to the local population.

Defence Secretary John Hutton said:

"Our dedicated and professional forces have once again taken the fight to the enemy. Their bravery, coupled with the size and sophistication of our firepower, has cleared the enemy from large areas of Helmand bringing security and governance to more of the province. The seizure of £50 million worth of narcotics will starve the Taliban of crucial funding preventing the proliferation of drugs and terror on the UK's streets."

Source: United Kingdom Ministry of Defence

Members of 7 Troop Lima Company 42 Commando Royal Marines prepare to enter a compound in the Upper Sangin Valley during Operation DIESEL.


Members of 45 Commando Royal Marines pick their way through a compound housing a narcotics factory during Operation DIESEL.


Insertion of troops for Operation DIESEL in the Upper Sangin Valley.

 

[S-2]

1260 kgs. 2770 lbs. That's a ton (literally-and more) of opium. This is an impressive bust. I hate the "street value" thingy. They know the hectare yields in this area. Translating the raw opium to hectare yield would tell me how much of the Helmand crop was really affected.

Those numbers are probably somewhere with UNODC and merit a look. Total captured opium/yield per hectare= Captured hectares of opium.

More valuable than "street value".

No heroin found. I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing.

I look forward to the next. The taliban will get real small, real quick. We'd best move really fast to follow-up. I hope so anyway. Good job to Great Britain and ANA.

 

[S-2]

One question about the captured opium would be the number of "harvests" represented. Is that all fresh opium? Any stored or older stuff. The taliban are rumored to have an inventory ready should production drop off.

Is this some of that backlogged inventory?

 

[DarkStar]

The Taliban probably make money through transit/protection fees paid by trafickers, smugglers, but I doubt they hold huge stashes of it themselves, considering they successfully banned its production while they were in power.

Wonder if one of the biggest drug lords, President Karzai's own brother (a US citizen), will ever be arrested?

 

[S-2]

"I doubt they hold huge stashes of it themselves"

Nobody holds huge stashes for very long without good reason. If so, I don't know if the taliban would be those repositors or not. They can secure dope and know how to hide weapons so they'd be an excellent choice. Once processed, I'd want the stuff off my property so I could clean evidence and lie dormant while awaiting the next crop.

The mechanics of this business at this scale would be an interesting study.

"...they successfully banned its production while they were in power."

A disinclination to the trade based upon their morals? They've an expedient sense of application then given their history and current role.

 

[qsaark]

The Taliban probably make money through transit/protection fees paid by trafickers, smugglers, but I doubt they hold huge stashes of it themselves, considering they successfully banned its production while they were in power.

Wonder if one of the biggest drug lords, President Karzai's own brother (a US citizen), will ever be arrested?

I have posted everything that can convince a 'normal' human being. Trolls on the other hand are different creatures, they can only be handled by sending warnings from the Mods or banning them for a few days.

It is very clear from all the reports and the studies conducted by the UN or the US officials that the corrupt Karzai's gang is involved in the drug business, yet certain trolls love to put all the blame on the Taliban.