U.S. Troops Fight Taliban, With Jobs

(CBS)  This story was written by CBS News correspondent Cami McCormick, embedded with U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan's eastern Paktia and Khost provinces.

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"This has been a Taliban area for years," said Lt. Col. Dave Woods, who commands U.S. Forces in Paktia, one of the eastern provinces in Afghanistan which shares a small slice of border with Pakistan.

In the extreme cold, on un-paved roads that slowed their progress to a crawl, 500 U.S. and Afghan forces fanned out from the village of Zormat, searching for weapons, Taliban fighters and their sympathizers.

"Zormat has had a lot of enemy activity in the past four months," said U.S. Army Maj. Greg Stephens. "We're hitting five different objectives all at the same time. They're all hot spots for IED detonations or discoveries."

Roadside bombs in this area have killed two American soldiers, wounded more than 60, and destroyed as many as 30 military vehicles. They are often pressure plate devices made of anti-tank mines, sometimes stacked two or three high to create more force. They are planted on the very dirt roads the U.S. military hopes to rebuild, to improve the lives of the villagers here and turn them against the Taliban.

Already, 400 local men have been put to work. They line one main road, armed with shovels. U.S. commanders admit the work is labor intensive for a reason.

(CBS)

"We're giving these men an opportunity to work this winter versus going to Pakistan or put in IEDs," said Woods, seen at left talking to CBS News correspondent Cami McCormick. He believes his most powerful weapon is the ability to provide jobs. "It's something the Taliban can't do."

The workers are paid five dollars a day. The Taliban tried to stop the project, issuing threats over its radio station and through "night letters", which appeared on residents' doorsteps, warning that them and their families would be killed if they participated. But the men showed up for work anyway. In the months ahead, the road will be paved.

It is an important trade route.

"The roads all run through here," Woods said, standing near a heavily bombed bridge where he has just won permission from tribal leaders to remove trees, which provided the bomb planters with cover.

The operation in Paktia comes as senior officials in the Bush administration signal a looming shift in the focus of the entire war on terror - back to Afghanistan and, increasingly, to neighboring Pakistan.

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Listen To Cami's Report: "Anything But Bullets"
Listen To Cami's Report: "Opportunity To Work"
Listen To Cami's Report: Deadly Hidden Bombs

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Tribal cooperation is key to the U.S. Military, but winning their support is not always easy.

"The tribes here don't get along," Maj. Stephens said. "If one tribe talks to the Coalition, the other tribe will talk behind them to the Taliban or bad guys and say 'that guy just gave you up'."

The U.S. is also trying to convince the tribes to support the central government. But at a recent tribal council meeting in Zormat, tribal leaders vented their frustrations with Kabul.

"The people of Zormat don't have any hope from the Afghan government," one tribal leader complained. "No one is trying to do anything in this district." He and others said the government had failed to build roads, schools and clinics.

"If the people saw those projects, they would be hopeful," added another, insisting that despite the violence, Zormat only wants security and stability.
By Cami McCormick

[samsel3]

February 12, 1998 John J. Maresca vp of UNOCAL oil appeared before a House sub committee. The purpose of the meeting was to gain support for exploitation of oil & natural gas resources purchsed by BIG OIL in the Caspian Sea area. In his testimony he stated, "The key question is how the energy resources of Central Asia can be made available to nearby Asian markets ". The exploitation option stated : "One obvious route south would cross Iran, but this is foreclosed by American companies because of U.S. sanctions (with Iran ) . The only other possible route is across Afghanistan, which of course has it''''s own unique challenges. "
He continued saying, " the pipeline we have proposed across Afghanistan could not begin until a recognized government is in place that has the confidence of governments,lenders (world monitary fund & world bank ) ,and our company "......

" UNOCAL and other American companies are prepared to undertake the job ".

More than a year and half before 911 the CIA Special Activities Division was conducting operations in Afghanistan, trying to topple the Taliban regime for the Caspian Sea Oil & Gas Pipelines.

[samsel3]

In 2007 Condoleeza Rice in a meeting with President Musharaf of Pakistan said the administration was not happy with the progress being made on their end of the Caspian Sea Pipeline. Unkown to the administration at the time, Musharaf was talking to Iran & India.
January 24,2008 India announced a plan for a 2,775 km Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline. Union Petroleum Minister Murli Deora said, "Iranian ambassador spoke to me tuesday and they are very keen that the project takes shape as it is in the interest of all three countries ". Times of India
This is a new twist that does not fit Cheney''s energy policy for the Caspian Sea Oil & Gas pipelines headed for Pakistan to supply Asian markets.
Will Musharaf dump the USA''s Caspian Sea Pipeline now that he has Iran on line in this new deal? Or will he take both pipelines through Pakistan for Asian markets ?

[neo267-2009]

The best way to stop the Taliban is to flatten a village in Waziristan every time an IED goes off. They are animals and their entire medieval society needs to be destroyed. They can either become good little capitalists - or die.

[neo267-2009]

The best way to stop the Taliban is to flatten a village in Waziristan every time an IED goes off. They are animals and their entire medieval society needs to be destroyed. They can either become good little capitalists - or die.

[rowdytexan2]

Another really funny thing in this article is ''JOBS''...think about it....rofl

[rowdytexan2]

:)

Your parody was priceless, and a well needed laugh this Monday morning....

[piercetheval]

Kevin spacey had a marvelous line in the movie "The Usual Suspects": "...you know, the greatest trick the Devil ever played was convincing the world he doesn''t exist."...well I say: The second greatest trick He''s trying to play is convince the world God doesn''t exist.

[toolmangler-2009]

I believe that without Jesus, barbarism would have destroyed ancient civilization and man would have remained in darkness and cruelity - Rome survived.

But government (the Beast) corruption, deception and greed has awaken the darkness to promote hatred, violence, and murder . . . it will be our end. You know, God warned the Israelites of the perversion which followed a King that was flesh . . . but the people wanted a King they could see and touch.
Posted by mcv57 at 09:36 AM : Jan 28, 2008




You have a valid point. People under the influence (of evil or what ever) do not want constraints in their lives. The majority want religion rendered impotent as it affects themselves. They also want the rest of the world bound by laws that do not impact them. (What better victim than one that is held by a chain). They wish to have what ever they want without regard to anyone elses well being. The more enlightened ones realize that to have a steady supply of victims they must insure that the cattle thrive. This is known as "the human condition". There are a minority that truly want to help and they have learned to keep a low prrofile so they don''t attract unwanted attention. You will probably never hear of these Godly people because they will never blow their own horns. I will close by saying, "This is everything that Jesus said or taught in a nutshell). A wise person will think on this.

[neo267-2009]

The best way to stop the Taliban is to flatten a village in Waziristan every time an IED goes off. They are animals and their entire medieval society needs to be destroyed. They can either become good little capitalists - or die.

[neo267-2009]

The best way to stop the Taliban is to flatten a village in Waziristan every time an IED goes off. They are animals and their entire medieval society needs to be destroyed. They can either become good little capitalists - or die.