Afghan government’s delays hinder recruitment of Taliban defectors

By artappraiser on Thu, 05/19/2011 - 9:30am |

By Rajiv Chandrasekaran, Washington Post, May 18/19, 2011

The Afghan government has moved so slowly to recruit Taliban defectors that U.S. and Afghan officials say they are losing an opportunity to capitalize on hard-won military gains and the death of Osama bin Laden.

Interest among war-weary Taliban foot soldiers and low-ranking commanders in switching sides is at an all-time high, the officials said, but the Afghan government’s inability to provide safe houses, job-training classes and other services aimed at reintegrating former combatants has prevented local authorities from offering amnesty to many fighters.....

URL:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/afghan-delays-hinder-recruitment-of-taliban-defectors/2011/05/18/AFwDii6G_story.html?hpid=z2