Afghanistan may fall into Taliban's hands, says report Richard Norton-taylor November 23, 2007 THE Taliban have a permanent presence in 54% of Afghanistan and the country is in serious danger of falling into Taliban hands, according to a report by an independent think tank with long experience in the area. Despite tens of thousands of NATO-led troops and billions of dollars in aid poured into the country, the insurgents, driven out by the American invasion in 2001, now control "vast swathes of unchallenged territory, including rural areas, some district centres, and important road arteries", the Senlis Council says in a report released yesterday. On the basis of what it calls exclusive research, it warns that the insurgency is also exercising a "significant amount of psychological control, gaining more and more political legitimacy in the minds of the Afghan people, who have a long history of shifting alliances and regime change". It says the territory controlled by the Taliban has increased and the front line is getting closer to Kabul - a warning echoed by the United Nations, which says more and more of the country is becoming a "no-go" area for Western aid and development workers. The council goes as far as to state: "It is a sad indictment of the current state of Afghanistan that the question now appears to be not if the Taliban will return to Kabul, but when . and in what form. The oft-stated aim of reaching the city in 2008 appears more viable than ever and it is incumbent upon the international community to implement a new strategic paradigm before time runs out." Its 110-page report coincides with an equally severe warning from Oxfam. The humanitarian and aid agency warns that the security situation in Afghanistan is deteriorating significantly, with the country's problems exacerbated by corruption in central and local government. Senior British and US military commanders privately agree despite their public emphasis on short-term successes against Taliban fighters. Oxfam also claims that at least 1200 civilians have been killed so far this year, half in operations by international or Afghan forces. It notes there are four times as many air strikes by international forces in Afghanistan than in Iraq. GUARDIAN This story was found at: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/11/22/1195321946819.html
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