# Afghanistan Expels Officials from UN, EU



## Dog Walker (25 Dec 2007)

Two stories from today’s news. I wonder if they are connected. (If they are the Taliban already know more about it then we do.)


Afghanistan Expels Officials from UN, EU
By VOA News 
25 December 2007
Afghanistan on Tuesday ordered a top European Union official and a United Nations employee to leave the country for allegedly threatening national security.
Government spokesman Humayun Hamidzada said authorities had detained the pair -- one British, the other Irish -- along with their Afghan colleagues who are being investigated.  
The spokesman said the two, based in southern Helmand province, were involved in activities outside their mandate.  He said they have been declared persona non grata and have been given 48 hours to leave.
The two men are accused of having meetings with different tribes and groups, including possibly the Taliban. 

http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-12-25-voa11.cfm?rss=politics

Britain in secret talks with the Taliban
By Thomas Harding and Tom Coghlan
Last Updated: 12:56am GMT 26/12/2007
Agents from MI6 entered secret talks with Taliban leaders despite Gordon Brown's pledge that Britain would not negotiate with terrorists, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.
Officers from the Secret Intelligence Service staged discussions, known as "jirgas", with senior insurgents on several occasions over the summer.
An intelligence source said: "The SIS officers were understood to have sought peace directly with the Taliban with them coming across as some sort of armed militia. The British would also provide 'mentoring' for the Taliban." 
The disclosure comes only a fortnight after the Prime Minister told the House of Commons: "We will not enter into any negotiations with these people." 
Opposition leaders said that Mr Brown had "some explaining to do".
The Government was apparently prepared to admit that the talks had taken place but Gordon Brown was thought to have "bottled out" just before Prime Minister's Questions on Dec 12, when he made his denial instead.
It is thought that the Americans were extremely unhappy with the news becoming public that an ally was negotiating with terrorists who supported the September 11 attackers.
The delicate balance in Afghanistan was underlined as it emerged that two diplomats had been ordered by the Kabul government to leave the country after allegations that they had met Taliban insurgents without the administration's knowledge.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/12/26/wafg126.xml


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## tomahawk6 (25 Dec 2007)

Hey it worked so well last year with Musa Qala so why not repeat it ? If we let the Brits run ISAF after McNeill leaves we will see alot more of this. I just dont think the Brits can be trusted.


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## a_majoor (26 Dec 2007)

From the NY Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/26/world/asia/26afghan.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&ref=world&pagewanted=print



> December 26, 2007
> *Afghanistan to Expel 2 Envoys, Citing Threats to Its Security*
> By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
> 
> ...


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## retiredgrunt45 (26 Dec 2007)

> Agents from MI6 entered secret talks with Taliban leaders despite Gordon Brown's pledge that Britain would not negotiate with terrorists, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.
> Officers from the Secret Intelligence Service staged discussions, known as "jirgas", with senior insurgents on several occasions over the summer.



Seems like Mr. Bond and his friends has stirred up a few to many martini's...

Or the left hand has no idea what the right hand is doing. Go figure.


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## Kirkhill (26 Dec 2007)

tomahawk6 said:
			
		

> Hey it worked so well last year with Musa Qala so why not repeat it ? If we let the Brits run ISAF after McNeill leaves we will see alot more of this. I just dont think the Brits can be trusted.



Well, you could always continue with the CIA and State in the lead.  They seem to be working the plan well....


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## Kirkhill (26 Dec 2007)

Further to my last:

From Tom Coghlan and the Daily Telegraph.



> *Envoys' expulsions 'result of misunderstanding'*
> By Tom Coghlan in Helmand
> Last Updated: 9:17pm GMT 26/12/2007
> 
> ...



And:



> *Analysis: Talk of negotiation is oversimplistic*By Tom Coghlan
> Last Updated: 9:01pm GMT 26/12/2007
> 
> 
> ...


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