US Strategies for Afghanistan and Sri Lanka
Posted on May 16th, 2009

Dr.P.A.Samaraweera, Australia

The US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and the UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband in a joint statement issued , “… Expressed concern about the humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka… Expressed alarm at the large number of reported civilian casualties… Asked the LTTE to lay down arms and allow civilians free passage… Called for a political solution…”
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Both Hilary Clinton and David Miliband are aware that political solutions in the past had been scuttled by the LTTE and their brutality and track record is well known. Will they use the same strategy proposed and go for a negotiated political solution with Al Qaida, Hamas and Taliban? For obvious reasons their strategy towards these groups and the LTTE is poles apart.
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On March 27th, the US administration announced a new strategy for Afghanistan which was to , ‘disrupt, dismantle and defeat Al Qaida and Taliban’. Based on this new strategy the troops in Afghanistan have been raised to 55,000. This includes the 5000 troops announced in the new plan and the 17,000 approved in February. Pakistan has more than 100,000 of its 500,000 troops stationed on the Afghan border. When launching the Afghan war EU’s contribution was 80,000 soldiers. Based on the new strategy the cost of Afghanistan war will increase in leaps and bounds.
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In the Afghan war, the US enemies are Al Qaida, Taliban and Tribal groups who are much superior to Iraqi terrorists. Therefore, the battle in Afghanistan is much tougher than in Iraq. According to National Security PolicyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Studies there are about 15,000 Taliban fighters apart from other rebels and foreign insurgents causing threat to US troops. This is why US withdrawal of troops from Iraq are not sent home but plunged to Afghanistan as the new strategy is to defeat Al Qaida and Taliban.
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Thus the US is injecting troops to Afghanistan while pressing Pakistan on Taliban. On 25th April Iftikhar Hussain, a leader of the rulingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Awami National Party in Pakistan issued an appeal to Taliban to retreat to their Swat Valley stronghold and salvage a peace deal. This was sharply criticised by Hilary Clinton, saying, “…Pakistan leaders are abdicating to the Taliban… US administration is trying to convince Pakistan that its traditional focus on India as a threat has to be shifted to Taliban and Islamic extremists…” This statement shows the conflicting policies adopted by the US with regard to ‘anti-US terrorists’ and ‘pro-US terrorists’ such as the LTTE in Sri Lanka.
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On 7th May Hilary Clinton said , that she is “… deeply concerned about theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  plight of innocent civilians caught up in the conflict in Sri Lanka…” The same day US raids conducted in Afghanistan killed scores of civilians . According to the Governor of Farah Province nearly 147 civilians had been killed.
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Pentagon officials had told CNN, “…US forces dropped bombs on eight different locations, a mixture of 500 pounds and 1000 pounds…” In addition to the civilian casualties nearly 45,000 had fled the battle zone. Due to the continued onslaught against insurgents and the military operation in Swat Valley the number of civilians fleeing had gone up to 360,000 by 13th May (Islamabad AP).
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The other side of the coin is that the Taliban are now aping the LTTE and are using civilians as human shields. According to reports , “…Taliban fighters deliberately forced villagers into houses from which they attacked coalition forces… Taliban was fighting from roof tops while forcing the people to remain in their compounds…” Thus the Taliban is imitating the LTTEƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in the same way other terrorists copied the suicide jacket.
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Despite the LTTE being the most brutal terrorist group some countriesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ are still drumming support for the LTTE while others have come openly against terrorists . To quote one example, Ms. Bev Oda, Federal Minister for International Corporation Canada after visiting Sri Lanka last week said, “… The Canadian Government is not prepared to meet anyone who might represent the terrorists, the LTTE…”

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