Northern Alliance an uneasy partnership

Deep in the northern regions of Afghanistan lies a loosely formed alliance created for the sole purpose of opposing the Taliban—an alliance that is the newest and most critical player in a broad international coalition against terrorism led by the U.S.

Mutual hatred of the Taliban is one of the only things that binds the Northern Alliance together. In addition to the dominant Tajik faction, the alliance is composed of ethnic Uzbeks, Hazaras, and Shiite Muslims.

In fact, before the Alliance was formed in 1996, the factions, pitted against each other over ethnic and political issues, bitterly fought for control. "Alliances were formed and destroyed in almost a kaleidoscopic fashion," said Charles Hill, former U.N. policy consultant and visiting lecturer in the in-ternational studies program.

Although the Taliban committed glaring human rights violations, the Alliance's history has also been tarnished by scandal. According to human rights groups, the U.S.'s newest ally has performed mass executions of Taliban members and participated in drug and weapons trafficking.

"Is the Northern Alliance a defender of human rights?" asked William Foltz, the chair of the international affairs department. "No. The Northern Alliance has acted like most other factions, with a good deal of violence, betrayal, and deceit," he said.

To supplement its income from emerald mining operations in the Panjshir Valley, the Alliance receives a good deal of its funding from opium and weapons trafficking. "[Drug trafficking] is just a way a country funds itself. It needs a source of money. There is certainly a lot of traffic going through Afghanistan." The Alliance vehemently denies these allegations.

Ahmed Shah Massoud, the Alliance's leader, was killed in a suicide bombing just days before the attacks on the World Trade Center, rendering the Alliance leaderless. General Muham-mad Fahim is Massoud's designated successor but, has not yet established himself asthe next leader.

In addition to the Alliance, reports say that Abdul Haq, a former commander of the Mujahedeen, who is now in self-imposed exile, might return to Afghanistan and form a southern alliance to oppose the Taliban.

"There is no indication that the United States will support the Northern Alliance as the next government in Afghanistan," Hill said. "The United States wants bin Laden. It has no commitments to support them."

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