Reports: Afghan narcotics officials face threats form Taliban as US and Afghan agents ramp up war on drugs; Two NATO service members killed in Taliban attacks; US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, resigns; President Karzai holds
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    • Reports noted that narcotics cop Mohammad Wais has resigned from his job in Afghanistan’s poppy heartland of Kandahar after receiving death threats from Taliban. Similarly, an intelligence officer Mohammad Tariq Aziz Hashimi has fled after an assault by the traffickers. Their decision to abandon their posts is a reminder of the challenges facing a newly ramped-up US and Afghan bid to fight against drug business that has helped fund three decades of conflict.1

    Meanwhile, NATO sources noted that two of its service members were killed in insurgent attacks in Afghanistan. One service member was killed on Thursday in the north, while another was killed on Wednesday in the south. However, the report did not identify their nationalities. 2

    The US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan reconstruction, Arnold Fields has resigned which is to be effective from February 4, 2011. The decision by Arnold Fields, a retired Marine Major General came as some critics are urging Obama to find a more aggressive watchdog who can focus attention on flushing out civilian corruption and shortcomings in the Afghan government. 3

    In other developments, Afghan President Hamid Karzai met with lawmakers on Saturday aimed at breaking the deadlock over his plan to delay opening a new parliament. Karzai spent hours in negotiation with a large delegation of legislators who threatened to inaugurate parliament on Sunday without him, in open defiance of his authority. This came after the United States and the United Nations called for the parliament to meet as quickly as possible, further ratcheting up the pressure on Karzai.4

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