New strategy in Taliban's offensive

Kidnappings are the Taliban's new weapon of choice in Afghanistan.

from the April 11, 2007 edition

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• In Canada, which has 2,500 troops in Afghanistan, 46 percent of respondents agreed that their troops should be withdrawn before 2009, according to a February poll by Vancouver-based polling service Angus-Reid.

• In Germany, which has deployed 3,000 troops, 57 percent of respondents believe their troops should be withdrawn, according to a March poll released by Der Speigel magazine.

• In the Netherlands, which has 2,200 troops in Afghanistan, only 33 percent supported the recent deployment of additional troops, according to a January 2006 poll by market-research firm TNS NIPO.

• The public is also divided in the United States and Britain, the nations with the two largest troop deployments of 15,000 and 5,200 respectively. Fifty-three percent of British respondents to a September BBC poll oppose their government's military operation in Afghanistan. Fifty-two percent of US respondents also oppose it, up four points since September, according to a January poll released by CNN.

If Italy is any indication, the Taliban's lethal cocktail of roadside bombs and kidnappings could place increasing pressure on foreign governments to withdraw troops. But President Karzai's government has insisted that, despite the deal it brokered for Italian journalist Mastrogiacomo, there will be no more negotiations.

"The government of Afghanistan is determined not to deal with the Taliban terrorists," regardless of whatever pressure foreign governments may exert, says Mr. Baheen of the foreign ministry.

At home, the Taliban's kidnapping spree is exploiting divides between the Afghan people and President Karzai.

In a televised statement, Mullah Dadullah, a Taliban leader known for his cruelty, played up the idea of the Karzai government's double standards.

"If Karzai really is Afghanistan's president, he must negotiate [Naqshbandi's] release," said Dadullah. "Karzai has so far negotiated the release of foreigners but never the release of an Afghan citizen. If there is no negotiation, we will kill [Naqshbandi]."

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