Afghan peace movement gains more traction

Submitted by gjohnsit on Tue, 07/10/2018 - 12:05pm

Last month the peace marchers finished their 430-mile journey in Kabul. If anyone still doubted the strength of their convictions, they soon put those doubts to rest.

Arriving in Kabul last week after almost 40 days and 700 km of walking under the scorching sun of Afghanistan, the Peace Caravan is determined to make its appeal heard in the capital: they will conduct three days of sit-ins in front of every embassy and international mission involved in the conflict.

This has been going on for weeks now, and it is beginning to have an effect, but it doesn't affect the Taliban.
So the peace marchers have a new plan for that as well.

A group of People’s Peace Movement activists will be assigned to travel to Taliban-controlled areas and hold talks with the group, leaders of the movement said Saturday.
The remarks came as peace activists continued their sit-in protest outside the Russian embassy in Kabul.

Members of the movement said the Afghan government has accepted their demands and that they will now take their peace demand to the Taliban.

“We have formed a committee comprised of elders and religious scholars. The assignment of the committee is to travel to Taliban-controlled areas and talk to them,” the head of the movement Mohammad Iqbal Khyber told TOLOnews on Saturday.

Among the activists was Mohammad Azim, 85, who tore his collar during an interview with a TOLOnews reporter. This was to demonstrate how tired they are of war and how important it is that peace is established in Afghanistan.

One of his three sons is a Taliban fighter, he said.

“Those who do not accept peace and reconciliation are infidels. I don’t fear anyone. I fear from Almighty Allah who has created the earth and the sky,” Azim said.

These are some truly amazing and fearless people. Through their courage a window of opportunity for peace is opening, and governments are noticing.

On a surprise visit to Afghanistan Monday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pushed for peace talks with the Taliban, indicating that the Trump administration would be willing to take part in discussions led by the Afghan government.
...
Meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, Pompeo dubbed the Trump administration’s approach to the 17-year-long war in Afghanistan a success.

This is starting to feel like the South Korea peace movement, where the popular demands of the people are pushing the local governments toward peace, and the Trump Administration doesn't have to do anything except not get in the way.

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Comments

Submitted by detroitmechworks on Tue, 07/10/2018 - 12:24pm

I can't wait for the "Collaborating with Terrorists"

accusations to spring forth from the DNC think tanks.

The problem is that Americans have been told the Taliban is pure evil for so long that any attempt to treat them as human is an automatic disqualification.

I expect a memo from the Colonels on the Ground.

Dear General,
Weather Is Terrible, Crops are good.
Send More Bombs.

—

I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Submitted by gjohnsit on Tue, 07/10/2018 - 12:47pm

Even the warhawks are tired of war there

@detroitmechworks
There is simply no energy for more war in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, in South Korea

South Korea said on Tuesday it has decided to scrap an annual government mobilization drill this year as part of a suspended joint exercise with the United States but will carry out its own drills to maintain readiness.
The drill, called the Ulchi exercises, usually takes place every August in tandem with the joint Freedom Guardian military drill with the United States.

Submitted by Snode on Tue, 07/10/2018 - 1:45pm

Hmmm....marching, eh?

I guess the US is experiencing a drone shortage.

Submitted by Lookout on Tue, 07/10/2018 - 3:37pm

I think this is hopeful

All we are saying....

We need to wrap up this war so we can focus on Iran...much more challenging.

—

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Submitted by Amanda Matthews on Thu, 07/12/2018 - 5:46pm

But they’ve still got OUR stuff...

@Lookout

Mining in Afghanistan is controlled by the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, which is headquartered in Kabul with regional offices in other parts of the country. Afghanistan has over 1400 mineral fields,[1][2][3] containing barite, chromite, coal, copper, gold, iron ore, lead, natural gas, petroleum, precious and semi-precious stones, salt, sulfur, talc, and zinc, among many other minerals.[1][4] Gemstones include high-quality emerald, lapis lazuli, red garnet and ruby. According to a joint study by The Pentagon and the United States Geological Survey, Afghanistan has an estimated US$3 trillion[5] of untapped minerals. There are six lapis mines in Afghanistan, the largest being located in Badakhshan province. There are around 12 copper mines in Afghanistan, including the Aynak copper deposit located in Logar province.[6] Afghanistan's significance from an energy standpoint stems from its geographical position as a potential transit route for oil and natural gas exports from Central Asia to the Arabian Sea. This potential includes the construction of the Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline gas pipeline.[7] The first Afghan oil production began in October 2012.[8] Afghanistan's resources could make it one of the richest mining regions in the world.[9]

Afghanistan has large untapped energy and mineral resources, which have great potential to contribute to the country's economic development and growth. The major mineral resources include chromium, copper, gold, iron ore, lead and zinc, lithium, marble, precious and semiprecious stones, sulfur and talc among many other minerals. The energy resources consist of natural gas and petroleum. The government was working to introduce new mineral and hydrocarbon laws that would meet international standards of governance.

1. "Market Prospects" (PDF). Afghanistan Investment Support Agency. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
2. "Minerals in Afghanistan" (PDF). Retrieved 1 July 2016.
3. Latifi, Ali M. (2013). "Afghan mines among world's most dangerous". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
4. Kuo, Chin S. "The Mineral Industry Of Afghanistan" (PDF). Retrieved 1 July 2016.
5. "Afghanistan's resources could make it the richest mining region on earth however due to the war lasting over 30 years their mining has failed". The Independent. 14 June 2010. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
6. “Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-05-29. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
7. http://www.institute-for-afghan-studies.org/ECONOMY/natural%20resources.htm
8. Nicholson, Brendan (April 4, 2011). "Kabul's eye on Aussie expertise". The Australian.
9. Sengupta, Kim (June 15, 2010). "Afghanistan's resources could make it the richest mining country on earth". The Independent. London.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_in_Afghanistan

—

I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" bullshit. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are. - Bill Hicks

Politics is the entertainment branch of industry. - Frank Zappa