For our troops fighting in Afghanistan, there may be a new threat, beyond the constant worry of enemy fire which occurs in the field. This new threat is growing behind friendly lines. According to Stars and Stripes, at least 38 coalition troops have been killed by Afghan Security forces undergoing routine training. Two weeks ago, 5 NATO troops were killed by a Taliban suicide bomber who enlisted as an Afghan National Army soldier. What our guest Bill Murphy Jr. reports is that, in most cases, the assailants are not sleeper agents or Taliban forces in disguise. Bill Murphy Jr. is the Washington reporter for Stars and Stripes and he discusses how this growing threat has gone under-reported.
We also speak with Thomas Barfield, professor of Anthropology at Boston University and the author of “Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History,” about some of the possible sociological causes of the violence.