Suicide bombings are back.
After a reprive from the onslaught of bombings during the Israeli/Palestinian tensions a decade ago, things had quieted down. Of course, much of that had to do with the end of a countless number of $10,000 checks issued to suicide bomber families by none other than Saddam Hussein from the United Nations Oil for Food bank account.
Remember that one? The good old Oil for Food program was one of the UN’s finest. Just ripe for corruption. And when the French bank account supposedly overseeing the UN funds dried up, so did the suicide bombings.
But now they’re back as daily news reports broadcast regular bombings in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Things have been heating up in the Afghanistan and Pakistan area for more than a month now in what many experts said was an effort to influence the Afghanistan elections. The Taliban is reaping the benefits of the opium trade these days, as drug money appears to be funding these attacks.
And now their strategy has paid off.
The Afghanistan elections were called off earlier this week after reform candidate Abdullah Abdullah — a strikingly westernized Afghan despite his name — pulled out of the anticipated run-off between him and sitting President Hamid Karzai. Abdullah was convinced, and rightfully so, that the rampant ballot-stuffing that marred the first election would continue the second time around because the very same election people continue to be involved in the election.
With Abdullah’s exit, also comes Afghanistan’s latest chance at real reform.
This is surely a quandary President Obama is wrestling with now. He gave guarded congratulations to Karzai on his win but expects more help in the terrorism fight in return.
I think Obama’s recent unannounced visit to Dover Air Force Base to honor some of the returning dead shows how heavy the Afghanistan situation is weighing on his mind.
His campaign promises of bringing the troops home are certainly ringing in his ears as he ponders the next move in that area. Sure he’s bringing troops home from Iraq, but his supporters aren’t going to be happy with a simultaneous escalation of troops in another regional nation.
At the rate it’s going now, Dover stands to receive more dignified transfers of our slain servicemen and women. It’s doubtful the bombings are going to stop just because the Afghanistan election is over.
We haven’t heard the term quagmire lately but by all indications, it appears that’s the direction it’s moving.
Melissa Steele is the editor of The Beacon. You can reach her at melissa@milfordbeacon.com.
Milford, Del. —
