COVID-19 Presents Additional Obstacle to Afghan Peace Process

US Nanal Institute ^ | March 31, 2020 | John Grady

[Retain Mike]

At the same time, the spread of COVID-19, especially along Afghanistan’s western border with Iran, is further destabilizing the peace effort. In Herat Province, “thousands of Afghans are returning from Iran” to escape the outbreak, Mahdi said. Their arrival puts more stress on a woefully inadequate health care system.

Instead of Afghan government action, “the Taliban has established their own set of groups fighting COVID-19,” including enforcing quarantines, while also but relying on non-governmental organizations to deliver care, Mahdi said. “If the Taliban really wanted” to cooperate with Ghani’s government, “they should stop fighting” and contain the pandemic as best they can in areas they control.

The “Taliban are calculating how much violence they can get away” as they swing into another spring offensive and factor in the pandemic, said Ashley Jackson, a research associate at the Overseas Development Institute speaking from Oslo, Norway.

[Retain Mike]

The world was so much simpler when it was run by nine countries. In British India, they would have conducted a punitive operation and simply sloshed the hill tribes with Martinis as Rudyard Kipling would say.

[2banana]

JDAMS still work with the virus.

[DAC21]

Humm, sounds like a good time to have an oppsy with a couple dozen Crop Dusters spraying uhhhhh fertilizer, yeah that’s the ticket, fertilizer through Taliban help areas.

[CatOwner]

Honestly, COVID-19 is way down the list of obstacles in achieving “peace” in Afghanistan.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

McAfee doesn’t like your link/site.

[Retain Mike]

Darn. I chose the site because using the USNI site from my logon was a problem for folks. Trying the title from your browser should give several possibilities.

[SunkenCiv]

In Herat Province, “thousands of Afghans are returning from Iran” to escape the outbreak, Mahdi said. Their arrival puts more stress on a woefully inadequate health care system. Instead of Afghan government action, “the Taliban has established their own set of groups fighting COVID-19,” including enforcing quarantines, while also but relying on non-governmental organizations to deliver care, Mahdi said. “If the Taliban really wanted” to cooperate with Ghani’s government, “they should stop fighting” and contain the pandemic as best they can in areas they control.