Afghanistan: A First Step Toward 'Turning' Moderate Taliban?

Radio Free Europe is reporting Mullah Abdul Salaam, a former Taliban commander who switched sides before a battle last month to secure Musa Qala, a Taliban-held southern town, had been named the government's top official there. Mullah Abdul Salaam commented.

"There were many problems before. There was no trust before. There was no one you could trust," he said. "People didn't know whom to contact. Now they are talking with me. They give me assurance and I give them assurances. There were many problems before. There was no trust before."

Afghan presidential spokesman Humayun Hamidzada stated,

"The president has said before that all those former Taliban who come and accept the constitution and who want to participate in the political process through non-violent means, they are all welcome. And Musa Qala is one example,"

Bringing Taliban over to the side of the democratic government is the first step towards peace in Afghanistan. It is signficant militarily in that it brings over 300 forces to help police this region of Afghanistan. Even more important, Christopher Langton, who studies Afghanistan at London's International Institute For Strategic Studies, noted,

"If it is stabilized, all sorts of follow-on could occur in other parts of the country when people see a successful outcome [in Helmand Province]," Langton says. Langton says the stabilization of Musa Qala and the fertile farmland of the nearby Sangin Valley would allow repairs and upgrades to the nearby Kajaki hydroelectric dam. That, in turn, would allow the government to provide more irrigation, water, and electricity to as many as 2 million people in southern Afghanistan. That would signal to Afghans elsewhere that their living conditions can be improved if they cooperate with the Afghan government. Langton says it also would allow the international community to be seen as an agent of positive change in Afghanistan rather than as an invader and occupier.

One can only hope this reconciliation with Mullah Abdul Salaam is successful and brings more Taliban forces over to the side of democracy and freedom.