February 26, 2008:
The Taliban in
Afghanistan have been notable for their desire to stop foreign aid from
reaching Afghans. There are actually a number of reasons for this practice. One
of the more obvious ones was demonstrated recently when Italian soldiers
delivered food, fuel and blankets to a mountain village that had been cut off
by brutal Winter weather. The grateful villagers told the Italians where three
weapons caches could be found, and the Italians seized dozens of mortar shells
and thousands of rounds of rifle ammo.
The Taliban also attacks infrastructure
program (roads, bridges, dams, power), because this would make people grateful
to the government. It's not that lack of these amenities would make people
grateful to the Taliban. No, the Islamic radicals believe that it is God's Will
for the Taliban to rule the country, and these infidel (non-Moslem) aid
projects are interfering with the Divine Will. Or something like that.
Basically, the Taliban don't like the competition, and note that, in other
parts of the country, when electricity, roads and education came in, affection
for old school Islam, which the Taliban backs, declines a great deal.