Arming the People Against the Taliban

A pilot project is underway in Afghanistan, but concerns remain that local auxiliaries could exacerbate tribal strife.

By Jeff Davis

Published March 11, 2009

As the Taliban continues growing in strength and reach, the Afghan government is experimenting with "armed neighbourhood watches" as a way for communities to defend themselves against insurgent aggression.

While initially hesitant, the Canadian government appears to be warming up to the idea of using local auxiliary troops, even though there are ongoing concerns that arming local populations could lead to increased tribal violence....

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