April 12,
2008: Afghanistan has asked India for help in training counter-insurgency
troops. India has lots of experience in dealing with Islamic terrorism, and in
counter-insurgency. India not only has defeated a major outbreak of Islamic
terrorism in its northwest (Kashmir), but is also dealing with tribal
separatists in the northeast and communist rebels in the eastern parts of the
country. Afghanistan would also like some help with maintaining its Russian
helicopters, something else India has lots of experience with.
India has
been supplying humanitarian aid to Afghanistan since 2001, and has been accused
(mainly by Pakistan) of supplying military assistance. But aside from sending
some security personnel to protect Indian aid workers, there has been no
military involvement. But now that will change.
The
Afghans blame Pakistan for many of the problems plaguing the country, including
the Taliban (both before and after September 11, 2001), and the inability of
Pakistan to shut down Islamic terrorist operations inside Pakistan. An Afghan
military delegation is also on its way to visit Kashmir, and see how India has dealt
with its Islamic terrorism problem there.
