WikiLeaks Allegations, Where Do We Go From Here
“One of the more attention-grabbing headlines emerging from the classified military documents published by WikiLeaks alleges that the Iranian government is directly supporting Taliban insurgents and warlords allied to al Qaeda in Afghanistan through the provision of money, arms, training and safe haven,” says Suzanne DiMaggio, Asia Society’s Director of Policy Studies. “The leaked documents are based on uncorroborated raw data provided by Afghan spies and paid informants and, as such, it’s difficult to ascertain whether they shed any new light on these suspected ties, which have been reported before. The U.S. has been accusing Iran for some years now of being a source for both materiel and trained fighters for Taliban elements in Afghanistan though it is unclear whether these activities are government-sponsored or being carried out by groups that are freelancing beyond Tehran’s control. The likely scenario is that Iran is playing all sides in Afghanistan as it seeks to cultivate a strong relationship with the Afghan government while trying to hinder U.S. military operations in the region. As the Obama administration begins some kind of troop drawdown in Afghanistan in the coming year, it will need to find ways to keep Iran’s growing involvement and influence in the country in check. The best way to manage the Iranian challenge would be to begin a strategic dialogue with Tehran that is based on dealing with common threats to security in Afghanistan, including terrorism, narcotics, organized crime, and refugees.” Suzanne, who is based in New York, directs the Asia Society’s Iran Initiative.
“If all of the media stories to date have not been clear enough, the WikiLeaks documents describing in great detail how active Pakistan’s ISI has been in supporting and even managing the Afghan Taliban leave little room for doubt – the United States is basically at war in Afghanistan with elements of the Pakistan government. Unless this is changed and governance within Afghanistan improves significantly, there is no chance for anything resembling success in Afghanistan and American public support for the war will collapse. WikiLeaks may not be the Pentagon Papers, but the current situation of a military holding on in a far-away war and a disillusioned American public no longer willing to shoulder the burden is starting to look eerily familiar,” says Asia Society Executive Vice President Jamie Metzl. Jamie is in New York.
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