Comments on: U.S. News Discovers Arbakai, Globe Trembles

By: Wim Roffel

Wim Roffel — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:10:07 +0000

In my opinion the idea is misrepresented. Think of it as a kind of democracy: Anbar worked because the local population felt little inclination to support Shiite troops (that bahved like occupying forces) against the Taliban. So it pays to have troops with local support.

In Afghanistan there is a similar problem. The Karzai regime that the US brought to power is much more centralized than Afghanistan historically has been. It appoints provincial governors that have little local connections and as a consequence are often quite powerless. I am aware of the pitfalls of warlords and ethnic militias in multi-ethnic areas, but I do believe that there is much to win with having troops, police and administrators that have local connections.

By: Rabia

Rabia — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 02:27:22 +0000

whoops, that should have been:
At least in Pakistan, the gruesome story this week about Pir Samiullah who led a Barelvi lashkar against the militants in Swat illustrates this problem.

By: Rabia

Rabia — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 02:25:02 +0000

another argument against such strategies is that once such militias are raised, they had better receive adequate support or their defeat will just further demoralize the population and strengthen the Taliban's hand. At least in Pakistan, thegruesome sto story this week about Pir Samiullah, who led a barelvi lashkar against the militants in Swat. After killing him, the swati militants actually exhumed his body and hanged it as a warning to anyone who decided that taking up arms against them was a good idea.

By: sayke

sayke — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:18:11 +0000

update 2 is correct. asop has absolutely nothing to do with security-sector recruitment or arming – it’s a governence intiative, being run out of the democracy & governance office at usaid. as such, it won’t be arming anyone.

the military is horribly, and typically, confused. they want arbakai because fighting and training people to fight is what they know how to do, regardless of the fact that it would be an absolutely terrible idea. they got an idea (anbar militia tribal good guys give guns fight bad guys whoooo!!!) and are going to try to run with it, regardless of the inevitable disasterous consequences.

if the military wants to recruit for ana and anp using asop, well, whatever, fine, but they should be doing that anyway at any shura that convenes. instead they sit around in their PRTs waiting for people to ask them for money. ugh…

By: Azar Balkhi

Azar Balkhi — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:43:59 +0000

The idea of establishing Arbakai tribal militias is very dangerous for our people and it’s a trick that may take us back to warlordism. United Nations spent billions of dollars disarming those irresponsible militias but now Karzai’s ethno fascist team trying to mislead the entire world and arm the Pashtun people again . These tribes are all drown in tribal rivalry. They kill each other women and children everyday while having no weapons. They hint to one other as Taliban Insurgents and ask the NATO Forces for bombing. It’s an easy way for them to get rid of their rivals. What do you think will happen when they become armed?

The tribal militias have a bloody barbaric and savagery history in Afghanistan. Whenever the southern Pashtun become armed, they looted northern part of the country. They even stole innocent women and sold them to the Middle Eastern sex markets.