Gareth Porter on Afghanistan and US National Security, Use of War Lords

Talk Nation Radio for November 5, 2009
Gareth Porter on Afghanistan and US National Security

The use of War Lords as a Counter Insurgency Strike Force for US and NATO in Afghanistan


Produced by Dori Smith
TRT:29:45

Download at Pacifica's Audioport here and please use the 2nd file uploaded which is named: 'Gareth Porter re edit for time and quality' or at Radio4all.net and Archive.org.

Gareth Porter joins us to talk about the difficulties of understanding White House policy on Afghanistan. We look at competing versions of the Afghan War story. How can American forces or NATO win the trust of Afghan society while supporting Afghan war lords?

Gareth Porter is an investigative historian and journalist specializing in national security policy. His most recent book was, "The Perils of Dominance: Imbalance of Power and the Road to War in Vietnam." (Paperback in 2006) We talk about his news coverage and commentary writing about Afghanistan for Inter Press Service News.

Gareth Porter's recent reports center on Pro-War American Officials who have exaggerated ties between the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. He has also been writing about U.S. and NATO Force Reliance on Warlords for Security in the region and revelations about Kharzi family ties with the CIA as only the tip of the iceberg.

As we edited this interview news broke that Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen had outlined a policy of a US troop surge for Afghanistan modeled on Iraq policy. Admiral Mullen also cushioning the blow this announcement holds by claiming the increased soldiers could be drawn down quote in a few years.

We will air the rest of our interview with Gareth Porter next time as we talk more about America's national security state. You can read his work at Inter Press Service News or at the new blog of Inter Press journalists at Huffington Post, cross over dreams. SeeIPS page with video of Gareth Porter, Iran debates negotiations. Also Gareth Porter's story in Counter Punch on
Iran's nuclear program

Related informational links:
Helmand Province Reports of civilian casualties after US air attacks and an Afghan policeman opened fire on British soldiers killing five in the southern afghan province of Helmand.

Gareth Porter's story in Counter Punch, "A Bigger Problem Than the Taliban? Afghanistan's US-Backed Child-Raping Police US Rape in Helmand Province

Contact Dori Smith at talknationradio@gmail.com
Our music is by Fritz Heede