Okay let's go through some points raised here. Gen.Nicholson clearly states
10% of Afghanistan is still under Taliban control. Please tell me -
(1) if you still have
not 100% cleaned your own house why are you pointing fingers
next door? You might have a case after having disinfected Afghanistan but you have not failed to do that but are concerned about the infection across the border?
(2) If indeed you have
disinfected all your country but only the border districts
adjacent to Pakistan remain infected you might be able to make a case that the
breeding grounds in Quetta and Peshawar need draining as the infection keeps
seeping in across the porous border. Okay lets test this contention out. Look at the map below showing Taliban controlled districts. I have marked [selection] three out in red circles.
(i) Jowzjan - 300 miles from Durand Line, Pakistan [marked green].
(ii) Kunduz - 200 miles from Durand Line, Pakistan [marked green]
(iii) Ghor-Sari Pul - 200 miles from Durand Line, Pakistan [marked green]
3. Could somebody please explain to me how do Taliban have a district in Jowzjan in control on the Uzbek border. That is right across on the opposite side of Afghanistan. Is Pakistan using Afghan Ariana Airlines or maybe Ganga India Airline flights to supply, service and provide logistical support? Seriousl;y can anybody [including Indian members] explain this enigma? Do note that these districts are distal from Pakistan with the huge mountain ranges in central Afghanistan almost cutting off Northern Afghanistan from the south. For example to go from Kabul to Kunduz you have to go through the Hindu Kush mountains and traverse through the Salang Tunnel.
3. How the hell does Pakistan service the Taliban in Kunduz. When we have 200 miles of Afghanistan, mountains, one tunnel with all roads controlled by US Army or Afghan forces? How is it even possible for Taliban to launch a attack on Kunduz, take it over for two weeks before they were pushed out. Are we expected that Islamabad was managing this effort. If this is indeed true that it speaks genius of ISI and the gross stupidity of US, Afghan and NATO forces.
5. My contention is if Pakistan was responsible for Taliban insurgency then there would be a strong
correlation between Talib controlled districts and the Durand Line. There is a very weak correlation between Durand and Talib controlled districts. The strongest predictor is the ethnic Pashtun areas thus alluding to a
endogenous insurgency with nominal external influence.
6. Finally why has Afghan Army/US Army not neutalized the Talibs that are distal from Pakistan in those three circles marked on the map. Why have they not managed to squeeze them and squash them since they are far away from Pakistan?
Frankly to me this is looking more and more like USA and the Afghans finding Pakistan as scapegoat. And I have tried to be objective about this but I request other senior members to address the points I rasied - Indian, Afghan, Chinese etc
@Chinese-Dragon @AUSTERLITZ @Sher Shah Awan @Mian Babban @Others