Targeting the Taliban

Today’s lead story in The New York Times is titled, “Drug Chieftains Tied to Taliban are U.S. Targets.” It describes a new policy by the Pentagon to go after Afghan drug lords whose trafficking is providing ecomomic support to the Taliban. The policy was revealed in a new Congressional study due to be released this week. Though there are only 50 Afghans on the list, it is described as a policy shift because it involves an expansion of the NATO mission beyond the Taliban itself.

The article raises several questions, first of all, whether the new policy complies with international law. Previously, the U.S. led force tried to destroy the poppy crop instead of going after specific individuals who were only tangentially related to the Taliban. Another question concerns whether this policy will also target Afghan warlords, whose support is deemed essential to winning the hearts and minds of the people.

In my opinion, this issue represents a classic case of “mission creep,” that is an expansion of the responsibilities of U.S. and NATO troops beyond their initial intention. We also hear now about the need for more U.S. troops in the arena, beyond the transfer from Iraq — already in progress.

I think we need to take some preliminary steps before we expand U.S. and NATO authority in the region. We must establish a carefully worded definition of the mission and establish benchmarks to measure progress in achieving that mission. Otherwise, especially with the increase in troops, we risk being viewed by the population as an occupying army instead of a trusted ally.