Hamid Karzai, the Afghan President is scheduled to visit Camp David on Sunday to meet US president George Bush. Hard pressed by the rising domestic violence and under duress to negotiate the release of 21 South Korean hostages, Karzai is to hold talks with his US boss on the strategy to combat rising forces of Taliban and burgeoning opium poppy cultivation in his country.
Ever since the US is more involved in Iraq, the Afghanistan problem has taken a back seat both at the White House and the Capitol Hill. A resurgent Taliban adopting two-prong strategy of hit and run and hostage kidnapping to demand ransom has literally paralyzed the security in Southern and Eastern part of Afghanistan. The foreign skilled employees and aid workers are in the grip of a looming Taliban assault on them.
The bumper opium poppy cultivation this season has added another thorn in the problems of Afghanistan. Many in the ranks of both the administration and the terrorists patronize the rising poppy cultivation on the wake of ongoing economic crises and increasing unemployment. Being a major source of money in rural Afghanistan, poppy cultivation is being exploited by the militants to showcase the governmental measures to destroy it as anti-people. The government has also failed to come with a concrete plan to stop the opium menace.
Taliban continuing its tirade against foreigners in Afghanistan, keeps its inhuman act of hostage kidnapping to remain active. This has caused a fear psychosis among the workers there helping Afghanistan stand on its feet. The slaying of hostages is sure to bring more international pressure on Karzai to compromise Afghan national interest with the Taliban demands.
The Afghan economy is in shambles. Refugees returning to their country after years of staying way in Pakistan and other parts of the world are acing acute food shortage and unemployment. The draining of international aid is also another cause of concern for Karzai. Taliban is regrouping in Pakistan and the Pak authorities look helpless to counter it. On the wake these problems Karzai is sure to expect much needed help from Bush in men, money and material.
Via: Washington Post
