Who is the doer here ? - Battle for loyalty in lush Afghan valley

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13169224

an article about the battle for loyalty of villagers near Kandhar in Afghanistan.

At one point the article talks about payments. Taliban pay this much for planting bonbs but Americans pay only this much for work -as if the people couldn't see the difference between planting bombs and making roads.

a questionable piece, to say the least.

also, ...the main point. Who is the "doer" of the center of focus here. The villagers certainly are not presented as the people who matter the most. It is about winning their loyalty for maybe in the writer's view a "bigger cause" ???? at least that's what the language indicates. Why is there any bigger cause that requires "loyalty" of the villagers.