KABUL // The Taliban must become part of the political system or there will never be peace in Afghanistan, people from across the country have warned. Amid claims that the British ambassador has called for a dictator to be installed here, they told The National that no regime could maintain security as long as the insurgency continues. "The situation is very bad. From one side the government is fighting, from the other side the Taliban are fighting.
"All the buildings are destroyed, there are no jobs for the people, prices are very high, and we can't even feed ourselves," said Akbar Khan Kuchai, from the south-eastern province of Paktia. "The Taliban and the government should join together. If these two sides remain separate, there could be 100 dictators, and it would still be impossible to bring peace." Last week a French newspaper published extracts from what it claimed was a leaked diplomatic cable. The article quoted Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, Britain's ambassador to Kabul, as saying that "security is worsening" and the current regime "has lost all credit".
More controversially, it also reported him outlining a best-case scenario in which "an acceptable dictator" holds power in five or 10 years. The embassy has denied these are his views. While Afghans do want a stronger leader and regularly express their fondness for capital punishment, they will go only so far in supporting the idea of an authoritarian government. "The British should go back to Britain. We can build our country, and we can solve our problems," said Mr Kuchai.
Among others, the mood was less strident. Mohammed Qasim, who comes from Maidan Wardak province, said the foreigners should stay in Afghanistan for the time being or there will be "blood and dead bodies everywhere". He opposed any future plans to curtail freedom of speech and abolish elections, but agreed with a further comment attributed to the ambassador that a surge in troops would have a "perverse effect".
For him, the only way to stop the violence is by striking a deal with the militants. "If they do not bring the Taliban into the government, then for 100 more years there will be lots of fighting," Mr Qasim said. At least some members of the international community appear to have reached a similar conclusion. The commander of UK soldiers here recently admitted that "a decisive military victory" could not be expected.
