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FLASH 16: More Signs of Afghan Warlordism: Inadequate Support for Central Govt

On the return of warlordism, Stratfor, 1/24/02, warns that Afghanistan is breaking apart faster than the new government is coming together:

"A fresh outbreak of fighting between Northern Alliance factions highlights the continued ineffectiveness of Afghanistan's central government. Warlords who have a stake in the government are only behaving long enough to receive international aid while those outside the government are motivated to cause its collapse."

Meanwhile, the BBC, 1/24/02, reports that a UN official says 30,000 foreign troops are needed (while only 2,000 are deployed):

"Earlier, Mr Vendrell told the BBC that a force of 30,000 foreign troops might be needed for Afghanistan.

"Current plans allow for up to 5,000 foreign peacekeepers to be deployed. At present, there are just 2,000 troops on the ground."

(For further details go also to BBC, 1/24/02,: "UN calls for bigger Afghan force.")

According to The Times of India (1/26/02), "Diplomatic sources in Kabul said there was a definite increase in instability in Kabul," where three murders were reported on 1/23/02 alone. And Kabul of course is the only place where international peacekeepers have been deployed.

A San Francisco Chronicle editorial, 1/22/02, accuses the US of "nickeling and diming" at the Afghan aid conference, 1/21/02:

" It's almost impossible to exaggerate the urgency of Afghanistan's needs. Its central bank's coffers are empty, the nation's entire infrastructure is rui ned, and not a single factory -- of any size -- is left standing. Unless the Kab ul government can show the Afghan people fast material progress, Afghanistan wil l be ripped apart by warlords, bandits and resurgent Taliban.

"Why such nickeling and diming by Washington? Why such lack of leadership at the crucial moment?"

(For my earler report on this subject, go to my FLASH 13: Many Signs Warlordism Returning to Afghanistan , 1/5/02.)