Thursday
May062010
Taliban Recruiting In Marjah Is On The Rise, Says Kerry
Thursday, May 6, 2010 at 1:51PM
By Monique Cala
University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service
Army General John Nicholson discussed progress in Afghanistan, in particular the city of Marjah, during a hearing held by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
“We cleared systematically, over the course of the past two years, some of the key and most densely populated areas, resulting in this remaining enemy sanctuary and this remaining narco-trafficking sanctuary in the area of Marjah,” said Nicholson.
Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-Mass.) lamented the fact that Marjah has become such a hotbed of dangerous activity despite being a fairly insignificant area.
“Marjah is not a great Afghan city like Kabul, Herat or Kandahar,” he said. “Marjah was the last Taliban stronghold in the central Helmand River Valley and it was the poppy production hub of Afghanistan and the world.”
Kerry said a recent survey showed that the majority of villagers in Marjah harness negative feelings toward foreign troops and blame them for the increasing number of men joining the Taliban. Kerry, a veteran himself, attributed such attitudes to the lack of jobs, money for marriage and inability for people there to buy land.
“The ultimate measure of our success is going to be if we can win the trust of the Afghan people and transfer security and governance to them,” said Kerry. “Our challenge was never to just clear the territory, it’s always been to hold it, to build it, and then to transfer it. I think transfer is the single most critical element of all.”
University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service
Army General John Nicholson discussed progress in Afghanistan, in particular the city of Marjah, during a hearing held by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
“We cleared systematically, over the course of the past two years, some of the key and most densely populated areas, resulting in this remaining enemy sanctuary and this remaining narco-trafficking sanctuary in the area of Marjah,” said Nicholson.
Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-Mass.) lamented the fact that Marjah has become such a hotbed of dangerous activity despite being a fairly insignificant area.
“Marjah is not a great Afghan city like Kabul, Herat or Kandahar,” he said. “Marjah was the last Taliban stronghold in the central Helmand River Valley and it was the poppy production hub of Afghanistan and the world.”
Kerry said a recent survey showed that the majority of villagers in Marjah harness negative feelings toward foreign troops and blame them for the increasing number of men joining the Taliban. Kerry, a veteran himself, attributed such attitudes to the lack of jobs, money for marriage and inability for people there to buy land.
“The ultimate measure of our success is going to be if we can win the trust of the Afghan people and transfer security and governance to them,” said Kerry. “Our challenge was never to just clear the territory, it’s always been to hold it, to build it, and then to transfer it. I think transfer is the single most critical element of all.”
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