DUSHANBE, December 3, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- The decision of the United States to send additional troops to Afghanistan is quite belated, Abdughani Mamadazimov, the head of the Association of Political Scientists of Tajikistan, said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

“In recent years, the NATO-led coalition forces have given strategic initiatives up to their enemies – the Taliban and the Al-Qaeda network,” said Mamadazimov, “After the first concentrated blows made by the collation forces, the Taliban lost their organizing and combat capabilities, however, due to slow actions of the coalition forces the Taliban have recovered in recent years and even began demonstrating their strength.”

According to him, this unhurried method of conducting war has shown international community that the ultimate goal of the United States is not the war on the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.  “It has become clear that presence in Afghanistan is just a leverage for the United States to strengthen it positions in Central Asia,” said the expert, “Therefore, the United States rivals have begun providing support to the Taliban, who begun recruiting fresh forces using lack of control on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.”

Mamadazimov considers that there is no military solution to the Afghan problem.  “This war may drag on for many years,” said he, “Peace in Afghanistan may be established only if consensus is found between Pashto and non-Pashto population of this country.”

He added that sending additional military personnel could solve only tactical problems.