U.S. occupation in Afghanistan, Pakistan reaches new moment of truth

By John Catalinotto

Statements from both the U.S.-NATO occupation command and the spokespeople of the Afghan resistance indicate that a military showdown looms in Helmand province of Afghanistan, specifically in the Marjah area. At the same time, the deaths of three U.S. operatives in Pakistan — either Special Forces or mercenary “contractors” — exposes the growing U.S. military involvement in that nuclear-armed country of 170 million people.

The Obama administration announced its escalation of the Afghan occupation last fall. If the attack proceeds and the resistance stands and fights, this escalation will bring a new level of casualties in what the Pentagon calls “the Af-Pak region.”

In Afghanistan, the U.S.-NATO forces and their client Afghan regime, led by President Hamid Karzai, are carrying out a two-pronged offensive.

One prong is the looming attack on Marjah, set for mid-February. Thousands of NATO and Afghan puppet troops, led by U.S. Marines just sent to the area, are supposed to strike Marjah and drive the resistance out of its most secure base. Reports are that 2,000 of the 80,000 people residing on the Marjah plain have been taking refuge in the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah, to avoid the fighting.

U.S. Gen. Stanley McChrystal says the offensive is aimed at clearing the region of the resistance fighters so that forces allied with the Karzai government can take control.

According to U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, NATO has publicized the assault “[to let] people know what’s coming in the hope that the hardcore Taliban, or a lot of the Taliban, will simply leave, and maybe there will be less of a fight.” (Reuters, Feb. 7)

The refugees, however, say that the resistance fighters have been digging in. “The Taliban are not going to leave Marjah. We have seen them preparing themselves. They are bringing in people and weapons. We know there is going to be a big fight,” said Abdul Manan, a refugee from the Marjah area. (Reuters, Feb. 7)

Mulla Sharfuddin, Taliban commander in Helmand, told the Afghan Islamic Press by phone, “Taliban are not afraid of the planned major offensive by foreign forces in Helmand. We are happy that foreigners would come out of their bases and our fighters would attack them.”

Sharfuddin, who said the Taliban have popular support, also denied the U.S.-NATO propaganda that accused the resistance of funding themselves with the sale of illegal drugs. “The Taliban had banned drug cultivation during their rule,” he said. (www.thenews.com.pk)

U.S., Karzai try to bribe Taliban

The other prong of the offensive is Karzai’s alleged offers to negotiate a settlement and at the same time to offer Taliban troops jobs. Washington, up to now, has refused to admit it is attempting to negotiate with the Taliban or other resistance forces. It is hard to see, however, how Karzai could pursue a serious diplomatic maneuver without support from the U.S., as his puppet regime is completely dependent on Washington for funds, weapons and armed protection.

U.S. imperialism will always look for ways to divide the forces fighting it. This is especially true when it becomes impossible for the U.S. occupation forces to win militarily. Thus the talk of “giving Taliban fighters jobs” implies that the occupation is in trouble.

Also unconvincing is the argument that most of the resistance fighters are simply mercenaries, fighting for pay. This seems especially weak when applied to the resistance fighters who take on suicide missions.

Washington, on the other hand, is becoming more and more dependent on mercenary forces to fight its colonial wars.

‘Special forces’ killed in Pakistan battle

Investigative reporter and writer Jeremy Scahill, who writes about the increased use of mercenary troops to carry out U.S. military adventures in Iraq and Afghanistan, wrote Feb. 4 about the deaths of three U.S. “special forces” in northwest Pakistan. (www.thenation.com)

“The soldiers died Wednesday in Lower Dir when their convoy was hit by a car bomber in what appeared to be a targeted strike against the Americans. According to CENTCOM, the U.S. soldiers were in the country on a mission to train the Pakistani Frontier,” he wrote. “Capt. Jack Hanzlik, a spokesman for the United States Central Command said there are about 200 U.S. military personnel in Pakistan.” About 60 to 100 of these are “trainers.”

Scahill argues that the increased presence of these “trainers” is usually a precursor to landing larger numbers of regular U.S. troops. He also points out that much of the training work is being carried out by mercenary troops. In Pakistan these are Blackwater (or as it is now called, Xe) operatives working as subcontractors to a Pakistani firm, Kestral Logistics.

A Pakistani-Taliban spokesperson, Azim Tariq, also pointed to mercenaries: “We know the movement of U.S. Marines and Blackwater guys and we have prepared suicide bombers to go after them.” (The Nation, Feb. 4)

The increased U.S. intervention in the region is causing changes also among anti-imperialist forces. In Pakistan in January, there was a meeting of many different tendencies of the Pakistani left that have been divided for years, but who have now agreed to found an “Anti-Imperialist Front.”

In Afghanistan, U.S. propaganda calls everyone in the resistance “Taliban.” Other observers point out, however, that while the Taliban is the major organized force in the Afghan resistance, there are many others involved. Not all of these forces are fundamentalist and some are even secular and Marxist. They don’t exist now as a united liberation front, but all want to chase the U.S. and NATO out of Afghanistan — and out of the entire region.

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