DEVELOPMENTS

As a direct result of the 30,000 American troop surge in Afghanistan, coalition troops are attempting to capture the Afghan town of Marja, located in the Helmut Province. In the operation that was launched at the beginning of February, thousands of American, Afghan and British soldiers began their assault on the area. Arriving in mine resistant vehicles and by helicopters the assault has largely appeared to be effective.

Add to this development the recent capture of several high ranking Taliban commanders in Pakistan by a joint mission of American and Pakistani intelligence agencies, the progress in Afghanistan towards nullifying the Taliban or rendering their presence a nuisance is possible and illustrates that progress is being made in the nearly decade long struggle.

The American effort in Marja is also significant because instead of focusing on a purely military victory, i.e. killing all remaining Taliban fighters and moving on to the next mission, American and Afghan officials are focusing on rebuilding the governance in the area after years of Taliban rule. To insure that this occurs, a significant number of American and Afghan soldiers will remain in the area to insure that the Taliban are unable to return to establish a foothold in the area again. In order to decrease the chance that corrupt Afghans will assume the reins of power in Marja and the region, the United States has begun flying in Afghan police officers and administrative officials from outside of the area. These officials and officers from the North and elsewhere in the country are perceived to be less corrupt than those from the Helmut Province or Taliban areas. Referencing these government officials, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal had this to say, “We’ve got a government in a box, ready to roll in.”

DEVELOPMENTS

Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner prevailed in a prolonged power struggle over the country’s central bank earlier this month when Mercedes Marcó del Pont was appointed as the institution’s new head. The ascension of Marcó del Pont, an ally of the president, concluded a month of political maneuvering that began when Fernandez de Kirchner tried to dismiss central bank President Martín Redrado on January 7.

His offense? Refusing the president’s demand of $6.5 billion of the bank’s reserves to help pay the government’s debt.

Redrado’s dismissal was done via an emergency decree with Congress out of session, (a time-honored tradition in Argentine politics). The Supreme Court cried foul, briefly reinstated Redrado, and then ruled that a congressional commission should decide his fate. Undeterred, Fernandez appointed the bank’s deputy governor as interim head and barred Redrado from the bank. Awaiting the outcome of the commission, Redrado submitted his resignation on January 30, which was bizarrely rejected by the president, who speciously insisted the commission reach its conclusion.

The unexpected appointment of Marcó del Pont on February 3 confirmed the obvious: the central bank will be under the president’s control for the remainder of her term. The new bank chief said as much upon taking office, when she expressed the view that central bank independence should be limited.

What might Fernandez have in mind for the country’s near record $48 billion of reserves? A rash of spending will probably be needed for Fernandez to revive her flagging popularity ahead of the 2011 presidential elections – or, in a scenario analysts consider more likely, to position her husband and predecessor Néstor Kirchner for a bid to return to the presidency. Either way, the specter of four more years of kircherismo bodes poorly for the state of Argentine democracy.