Flashpoint #5

• A suicide bomber on Friday attacked a mosque in eastern Afghanistan, killing police chief and killing at least five other people
• Spokesman for the militia, Zabiullah Mujahid, claimed in a text that the police chief was the target of the attack
• Six policemen were killed.
• The attack came only three days after attacks on Shiite Muslims in the capital of Kabul and Mazar-i-Sharif
• These attacks killed at least 59 people in an assault on the holy day of Ashura.
• Afghan officials fear that Tuesday's killings could unleash Iraq and Pakistan-style sectarian violence.
• The Guardian newspaper reported Friday that up to 4,000 British troops could leave Afghanistan before the end of 2013 http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gBFXl0WmUwX5tTa3FIgBxoceYwcA?docId=CNG.769cfb938cc7e9d16a0ff9ccbf764fce.81
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/214265.html

More attacks on the citizens of Afghanistan is not a good sign. What makes it even worse is that the Taliban is publicizing the fact that they executed the attacks. These attacks are most alarming because the first set came on a holy day which was supposed to be a day in which there was a treaty of sorts. These attacks raise major problems, as the date for withdrawing the troops is fast approaching. These attacks could potentially lead to a civil war, which is never a good option. It is clear that the Taliban has strayed away from their goals, as their intention was to fight the foreign forces until they left the country. They are attacking citizens of their country who they claim to be trying to protect. And for a large scale attack to be executed at a mosque on a holy day is very perplexing. In my mind, it seems as if the militia groups of Afghanistan are looking for a civil war in order to come out on top and lead the country their way

Afghanistan Intro

Location:
• Between Middle East, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent.
• On the “slik route” therefore very sought after despite its very rough terrain
• Slightly smaller than texas
History:
• Gained independence from UK in 1919
• Afghanistan was a cold war battleground when soviet troops invaded to promote communism. The country brought a lot of international attention, but the attention faded very quickly
• 1978 a coup was planned and executed that overthrew Muhammad Daoud, and this started a civil war that has not yet ended.
• Afghanistan is also a major part of the worlds drug trade, supplying about 90% of the world’s opium (main ingredient in heroin) = half of the econ
• This has been discussed on the international scale, because it is believed that the opium trade is greatly boosting the Taliban resurgence

Afghanistan, a country that has been in the international spotlight for decades, is an extremely troubled country. There is an extremely unstable balance in the government, as the Taliban and other militia groups of the country pull a lot of weight in the decisions being made in the country. They influence the citizens by using scare tactics, making them believe that their army, and foreign armies are the enemy. Afghanistan's borders are a huge problem as well, as the country borders 6 countries. A lot of Afghanistan's money comes in through the drug trade, which is also heavily influenced by militia groups. With the US, and NATO troops scheduled to be completely withdrawn by 2014, there is a lot of speculation as to how secure the country will be in the near future. Much, much more to come