StormWarning’s Counterterrorism

As noted elsewhere, the appearance of this rule book or "guide to being a good jihadist" is nothing special in itself. To me, my on-going argument with a now disappeared foil (the "NATO guy") who made such a strong insistence that Afghanistan was in the "best shape" and that the Taliban were "kaput" is what makes this revelation so interesting.

I’ve maintained for quite some time now that Afghanistan stood teetering on the brink…that the drug lords and war lords held rule in the country, other than the small portion where Karzai’s central government (referred to in the Layeha as the "puppet government") was permitted to exist. But to think that the Taliban was gone, or that the frequent reports that "x" number of Taliban had been killed in this or that battle showed a trend toward stabilization, I have believed to be quite bogus. Further, I believe that what this "Rule Book" demonstrates in the continuing truth of the statement, "system, not organization" (although this was written as part of an al Qaeda credo).

Doug Farah, writing on the Counterterrorism Blog and his own website, comments on the disclosure of the newest Taliban "Layeha."

…a nine-page "book of rules" that the Taliban is distributing in its areas of control in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The list itself is not earth-shattering, a list of principles to guide its militants on everything from what _infidels_ can be executed to moving from one unit to another.

But what is shows is that the Taliban leadership has the time and space to fashion such a handbook, something a group cannot do when it is seriously pressed militarily or living primarily on the run.

It also clearly demonstrates a coherent command and control structure, with orders coming down, written permission being needed for specific actions (merging units etc.) and a vertical structure that can impose punishment as well as reward. The duties and sole responsibilities of senior commanders, junior commanders and the supreme commander (Mullah Omar) are laid out quite clearly…

…Of interest is the desire to end education by infidels across the board, both in madrassas and regular school. The fact that teaching to read, write or think is such a threat in an interesting statement on its own. Teachers can be warned before being killed, but if they teach “against the Qoran” they can be executed…[more to read on Farah's blog]

The Taliban’s Book of Rules
…At a moment when the Kabul government of Hamid Karzai is under increasing threat and NATO troops are engaged in ever fiercer combat, the rule book suggests what an elusive and mercenary concept loyalty is on the Afghan battlefield. Just as American power and money helped pull warlords and fighters away from the Taliban in 2001 to bring down their regime, the surviving followers of Mullah Omar are now hoping they have the momentum to win back defectors to their side…

You can see pictures of the "Rule Book" on Christopher Dickey’s blog.

There are 30 rules in all. They are scary in many ways. You need to read them individually to see the true nature of the mujahadeen, but here is an overview…

don’t ransoming captives (without approval), sell equipment (captured weapons are evenly distributed among various groups of mujahadeen), or change units (without permission)

No killing infidels or teachers outright since a defector to the cause of good

don’t steal, don’t smoke, and don’t diddle young boys (without beards)…see the Strategy Page, Taliban Orders Its Troops To Lay Off the Sodomy

no second chances

don’t rape or pillage (without permission)

NGOs (like NATO) are to be treated like the "puppet government"

Traitors or spies can be executed, and only saved by a District or Regional Commander

To think that the conflict in Afghanistan is over is naive at best.

Some previous posts discussing NATO and Afghanistan:

Losing Afghanistan - The Taliban’s Re-Emergence
I’m still looking for that "NATO guy" who a while back chastised me and commented that Afghanistan was a success, the Afghani people were in great shape and that the Taliban had been defeated…

NATO: Afghanistan at Tipping Point
A number of times in the last few months I have railed on about how some people, especially one specific "NATO guy" had argued with me that Afghanistan was in great shape and that NATO had the situation in hand.

As for the concept of "system, not organization" you may refer to this:

…a June 8, 2006 post that raised a point from Doug Farah’s May 24th post (http://www.douglasfarah.com/), The Emerging Shape of Future Jihad talked about a treatise written by Spanish-Syrian strategist Mustafa Setmariam Nasar, “The Call for a Global Islamic Resistance.” Key is that the document espouses the concept of “nizam, la tanzim,” or ‘System, not organisation.’ Jihadist groups should develop a template that allows them to create structures wherever they are, and carry out recruitment, fund-raising and attacks.

We shall all see how this works out. It is winter in Afghanistan. Lets see whats standing in the Springtime.