Current Happenings In Afghanistan

It is very likely that the United States and its allies will be sending more troops to Afghanistan. There are already 33,000+ soldiers already operating there against al-qaeda and the Taliban. When troops currently serving in Iraq are redeployed to Afghanistan, the news will shift from Iraq to Afghanistan. (Provided that the current stability in Iraq is maintained.) While some hope that the same tactics that were implemented in the Surge in Iraq will produce identical results in Afghanistan, some experts believe an entirely different approach is what is needed in Afghanistan: see this article from Reuters. The Taliban vows that it will eventually win the conflict, yet they fear a peace deal between the current Afghan government and al-qaeda would leave the Taliban out in the cold. There are rumors that such a deal is in the making,but al-qaeda might be correct that the rumors are a tactic to split al-qaeda and the Taliban. If that is the case, we can only pray for the success of such tactics as we pray for the Afghan people who are suffering from decades-long warfare.

Since more American troops may be sent into harms way into Afghanistan, I though it would be helpful to link to a few recent news stories coming out of that country. First, the negative:

1. The killing of a Christian aid worker by the Taliban.

2. A recent suicide bomber murders civilians.

3. An attack on young school girls with acid.

4. Treatment of Afghan women prisoners.

And now the positive, how Afghan civilians are responding against militant Islam and working to create a better life for themselves:

1. Afghans protest publicly against the murder of their fellow citizens.

2. Literacy used as a weapon against the recruitment efforts of militant Islam.

3. The milk trade promises to raise many Afghans out of poverty.

One of the reasons why that the tide turned for the Coalition Forces in Iraq was the civilians disgust with the barbaric cruelty that al-qaeda inflicted upon them. The same may happen in Afghanistan as civilians see what militant Islam has in store for them. This phenomenon may be repeated where ever militant Islam seeks to expand, as this article concerning Somalia demonstrates.

Dr. Andrew Jackson at http://www.smartchristian.com/ is opposed to increasing the military commitment in Afghanistan. Read his post concerning this here.

Dr. Matt Friedeman at http://www.evangelismtoday.blogspot.com/ has a good article on five reasons Muslims convert to Christ.