Afghanistan Times
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At least ten army posts have been overrun by militants in Uruzgan, a southern province, local officials said Friday. A fierce battle is going on for the last week in Khas Uruzgan district. Around ten posts have collapsed into the hands of the militants. Meanwhile, 40 policemen along with their equipment have gone renegades. A police officer said. The government has not responded over what has happened in this southern province, but the deterioration of security has been solely attached to the minister-less defense ministry. Although President Ashraf Ghani nominated Masoom Stanekzai for the Ministry of Defense, however, the question still remains whether he will win the vote of confidence from the Parliament? Mohammad Khan, the First Vice Deputy to Abdullah Abdullah while talking to a private news channel, said that just a while before President Ashraf Ghani announced the nomination, the President, and the Chief Executive were at loggerheads over the nominees for the Defense Ministry and Army Chief of Staff. Yet, Khan added that negotiations were underway to nominate people on merit. It has also been learnt that the Chief Executive’s choice for Chief of Army Staff is Gen. Qadam Shah Shamim, Commander of the 111 Unit of Army Corps. No nomination has been officially announced yet, however, what is worth lamenting is the two leaders are holding on to their egos and are failing to adapt in a conflict situation. They don’t talk about the deep schism that has crept into the power corridor, but it is there, felt by all and denied just by a few. The internal bickering has hurt the nation already too much therefore it must stop now.
Stanekzai, for this slot, is not a bad choice at all as he had been in talks with militants as a leader of the High Peace Council. In the current situation, the Defense Ministry needs a leader and a chief of army staff more than ever because the security situation has been as much deteriorated and complex as it is today. For many, one man, cannot bring a major difference as ultimately it is the police and security forces that will stand the ground, but they must think about policies. In a critical situation like the current one, running the defense ministry without a defense minister and running an army without the army chief of staff is no wisdom, no sanity and no honesty. The government must shed its internal war, inspirit the army and police as they are not spineless, but the current political differences have caused them this blow. When the two leaders cannot overcome their differences, how will they successfully talk to the militants? All and sundry know that peace cannot be achieved by force as it can only be achieved by understandings and dialogues. Just talking about peace wouldn’t bring it rather having faith in peace is a must, which the Taliban don’t have. They are the very symbol of intolerance and foreign subservience. Afghanistan first will have to learn to be in peace with itself. After that others wouldn’t have any chance and opportunity to interfere. We lament foreign interference too much but little we work on bridging our internal differences. We can make a difference by standing up for peace, but the problem is how many of us stand up for peace and not for luxurious offices and the love of power.
