Jan Shah Safi worked inside a CIA-built intelligence network at the heart of Afghanistan’s shadow war. His arrest now raises urgent questions about the fate of America’s former Afghan partners.
What’s most disturbing here is not just the arrest, but the refusal to grapple with U.S. responsibility. If intelligence work required contact with armed groups—and that work was managed or authorized by the CIA—then scapegoating Afghan operatives after the fact feels like a betrayal, not counterterrorism. This is exactly the kind of reckoning independent journalism is supposed to force.
"following the shooting by Lakanwal" Alleged by Lakanwal. No trial and no conviction. We are still supposed to do that first before proclaiming guilt. But maybe those days really are long gone? Other than that, your information and analysis of the murky tangle US allies are entangles in, is valuable, and welcome.
sometimes the CIA reaps what it sows. making today’s friends tomorrow’s foes.
will anyone ever manage to see through the impenetrable mazes created, destroyed, and re-created by "intelligence“ agencies’ alliances of convenience?
much of the details here - and those concerning rahmanullah lakanwal, among others - reminds me of what seth harp describes in his book 'the fort bragg cartel’, which is as fascinating as it is infuriating. US special forces wreaked so much havoc, killed so many people - not to mention their pushing the drug trade to new highs and heights - that the local population concluded: “if our choice must be between US special forces and the taliban, we opt for the latter as the lesser evil bc they kill less people.“
i am also reminded of all the afghan locals, not working directly for the CIA, who risked their lives for US soldiers and civilians - for my EU country’s soldiers and civilians, too - and were promised safe haven, only to be let down instead. [tea bag tactics: “use up. then discard.“] accountability anyone?
US - and/or EU - betrayal: mikhail gorbachev experienced it, much to his dismay. as did boris yeltsin and wladimir putin, surely. afghans will certainly not be alone in “… never again trusting the United States in any way.“
countless missed opportunities for peaceful cooperation, if THAT were their aim.
What’s most disturbing here is not just the arrest, but the refusal to grapple with U.S. responsibility. If intelligence work required contact with armed groups—and that work was managed or authorized by the CIA—then scapegoating Afghan operatives after the fact feels like a betrayal, not counterterrorism. This is exactly the kind of reckoning independent journalism is supposed to force.
"following the shooting by Lakanwal" Alleged by Lakanwal. No trial and no conviction. We are still supposed to do that first before proclaiming guilt. But maybe those days really are long gone? Other than that, your information and analysis of the murky tangle US allies are entangles in, is valuable, and welcome.
sometimes the CIA reaps what it sows. making today’s friends tomorrow’s foes.
will anyone ever manage to see through the impenetrable mazes created, destroyed, and re-created by "intelligence“ agencies’ alliances of convenience?
much of the details here - and those concerning rahmanullah lakanwal, among others - reminds me of what seth harp describes in his book 'the fort bragg cartel’, which is as fascinating as it is infuriating. US special forces wreaked so much havoc, killed so many people - not to mention their pushing the drug trade to new highs and heights - that the local population concluded: “if our choice must be between US special forces and the taliban, we opt for the latter as the lesser evil bc they kill less people.“
i am also reminded of all the afghan locals, not working directly for the CIA, who risked their lives for US soldiers and civilians - for my EU country’s soldiers and civilians, too - and were promised safe haven, only to be let down instead. [tea bag tactics: “use up. then discard.“] accountability anyone?
US - and/or EU - betrayal: mikhail gorbachev experienced it, much to his dismay. as did boris yeltsin and wladimir putin, surely. afghans will certainly not be alone in “… never again trusting the United States in any way.“
countless missed opportunities for peaceful cooperation, if THAT were their aim.
The US is making more enemies by the day! Everywhere.