Five Years After 9/11, Taliban Fighters Regaining Strength in Afghanistan

Interview with Sonali Kolhatkar, co-director of the Afghan Women's Mission conducted by Melinda Tuhus

As the U.S. marked the fifth anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks, the thousands who were killed that day in 2001 were honored with vigils and prayer services. But five years later, with the public focused on the increasingly bloody Iraq war, few Americans are paying attention to Washington's other war against the Taliban and al Qaeda in Afghanistan.

President Bush launched the war on Oct. 7, 2001 with an aerial attack that included 5,000 pound "daisy cutter" bombs dropped in the vain hope of killing Osama bin Laden. Afghanistan's Taliban government was chased from power and al Qaeda was on the run. But the White House was already planning a war against Iraq, and in the ensuing years, the U.S. was less than fully committed to bringing democracy and development -- its stated objectives -- to Afghanistan. Instead, suicide bombers have appeared there for the first time, taking a growing toll on U.S., Canadian and other military forces within the country. Opium production reached an all-time high this year; women are still severely oppressed; and the Taliban have made a dramatic resurgence.

Between The Lines' Melinda Tuhus spoke with Sonali Kolhatkar, co-director of the Afghan Women's Mission, based in Los Angeles. She discusses how the U.S. made common cause with the warlords against the Taliban, and the reasons both groups have now made a comeback under the current U.S.-supported government of President Hamid Karzai.

Contact the Afghan Women's Mission by calling (626) 676-7884 or visit their web site at www.afghanswomensmission.org. Sonali Kolhatkar is co-author, with James Ingalls, of the book "Bleeding Afghanistan: Washington, Warlords, and the Propaganda of Silence."

LISTEN to this week's half-hour program of Between The Lines by clicking on one of the links below:
www.btlonline.org
*
"Between The Lines" is a half-hour syndicated radio news magazine that each week features a summary of under-reported news stories & interviews with activists & journalists who offer progressive perspectives on international, national & regional political, economic & social issues. Because "Between The Lines" is independent of all publications, media networks or political parties, we are able to bring a diversity of voices to the airwaves generally ignored or marginalized by the major media. For more information on this week's topics & to check out our text archive listing topics & guests presented in previous programs visit: www.btlonline.org
*
"Between the Lines," WPKN 89.5 FM's weekly radio news magazine can be heard Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. ET; Wednesdays at 8 a.m. ET & Saturdays at 2 p.m. ET (Wednesday's show airs at 7:30 a.m. ET during fundraising months of April & October).
*
For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Weekly Summary" which features a RealAudio link to the week's program for Between The Lines, send an email to btlsummary-subscribe-AT-lists.riseup.net
*
For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Q&A" which features a RealAudio link & weekly transcript to one of the interviews featured on Between The Lines, send an email to btlqa-subscribe-AT-lists.riseup.net
*
www.btlonline.org
*
betweenthelines-AT-snet.net
*
www.squeakywheel.net
*
Distributed by Squeaky Wheel Productions
©2006 Between The Lines. All Rights Reserved.