AFGHANISTAN: OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE FUNDING THE TALIBAN, THE STRATEGY FOR "WINNING HEARTS & MINDS" VIA CASH PAYMENTS IS BEING FUNNELED TO THE TALIBAN...

Taliban seize US cash from locals to fuel jihad

WHEN US troops in the southern Afghan province of Ghazni handed out cash to village elders, they must have thought they were winning friends. The money, intended for bridges, wells, drinking water, irrigation systems and other infrastructure projects, was supposed to convince the locals that the foreign presence would benefit their country in general and them in particular.

After distributing the funds to villagers in Ghazni's Andar district in early October, the US soldiers left, having done their best to get Andar on side. This "hearts and minds" campaign formed part of a major anti-Taliban offensive - codenamed Operation Mountain Fury - which US-led coalition forces launched in mid-September in conjunction with the Afghan National Army (ANA).

The only problem was that the resources intended to combat the Taliban's influence ended up doing just the opposite.

Locals in several parts of Andar district have since told how almost as soon as the coalition forces left their villages, the money found its way into Taliban coffers to finance the jihad against the foreigners.

"American money is haram unlawful in Islam," said Abdul Jalil, an elder in one Andar village.

"We could not use it to improve our lives, so we decided to give it to the Taliban. The most important thing we could do with this money was help the Taliban to pursue the jihad."

At a gathering in the local mosque after the coalition troops had left, mullahs exhorted the faithful to reject foreign blandishments and contribute to the insurgency, said Jalil. The elders agreed, so the Taliban were summoned and the money handed over.

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1) Taliban seize US cash from locals to fuel jihad