The Afghan Intel Crisis: Satellite State - War of Interests and the Blame Game

Despite America's commitment to a "War on Terror," Afghan intelligence agencies remain unprofessional and profoundly ill-equipped to fight the Taliban and ISIS, incapable of effectively warning of threats, blocking deadly attacks, or adhering to elementary standards of treatment for suspects and prisoners. International journalist Musa Khan Jalalzai outlines the obstacles that stop them from developing professional, reliable systems so they can provide the government and military with actionable intel: tribal rivalries and lack of education, international interference, and no foundation of national identity to build on. Thousands of innocent people are killed in secret prisons, in broad daylight, and during brutal "investigations." Torture, custodial death, and denial of due process continue to drive citizens into revolt. He shows how such illegal and repugnant tactics have alienated the citizens from the state and forced young people to take up arms against the government and its international partners. The role of Pakistan is a particular focus, as well as relations with India and other neighbors. Broken agreements and a complete breakdown of trust, the author shows, threaten a complete failure of the Afghan state if this continues.