Living With the Taliban
[Guest post by DRJ]
A recent report indicates President Obama may refuse Gen. McChrystal’s request for 40,000+ more troops in Afghanistan and opt for a new strategy that takes aim at al Qaeda and accepts the Taliban:
“Instead, America might seek a settlement of sorts with the Taliban, giving them some involvement in Afghan politics. An official involved in the review told Associated Press that America would “not tolerate their return to power”, but may not seek the total defeat of the Taliban. Some in Mr Obama’s team believe that only a minority of the Taliban are aligned with al-Qaeda and share its goal of attacking the West. “They’re not the same type of group,” said Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary. “It’s certainly not backed up by any of the intelligence.”
Really? Pakistani soldiers who fought their way into a South Waziristan Taliban stronghold found two passports that may be linked to al Qaeda and 9/11:
“One of the passports is German, belonging to a man by the name of Said Bahaji. That matches the name of a man who lived in Hamburg and is believed to have fled Germany shortly before the 9/11 attacks.
Another passport, from Spain, is under the name of Raquel Burgos Garcia. A woman with the same name is reportedly married to an alleged al-Qaida member suspected in both the 9/11 attacks and the Madrid train bombings in 2004.”
Time for new talking points.
— DRJ
With Obama intending to change the course he set only six months ago, and reverse a key point of his campaign’s supposed foreign policy positions, is it any surprise that they’ll use a lie to justify it?
SPQR (26be8b) — 10/29/2009 @ 2:50 pmHis Peaceyness is gonna get a lot of people dead.
happyfeet (71f55e) — 10/29/2009 @ 3:01 pmLiving with the Taliban. Living with a nuclear Iran. Living with a Mother-in-law.
President Mop (44bf37) — 10/29/2009 @ 3:09 pmThere’s only one trouble listening to Gibbs,
AD - RtR/OS! (c561b5) — 10/29/2009 @ 3:21 pmand that is listening to Gibbs.
He makes Baghdad Bob look like the Encyclopedia Britannica of accurate information.
If these fools don’t know, or refuse to acknowledge that the Taliban are part and parcel with A-Q in the IslamoFascist Movement, we are truly doomed to a Century of horrendous conflict and death.
When the next attack occurs, they will either have to step-up to the bar, or we will have to change governments –
that is, if there still is a government.
Nobody knows what Obama will do, least of all Obama. Those elections next week will probably be the best indicator. If the Dems lose all four (including he House seat in CA), McChrystal will get the 40,000. If they lose only two, he’ll get 20,000.
Mike K (2cf494) — 10/29/2009 @ 3:28 pmDoes the National Organization of Women (NOW) embrace Obama’s infatuation with the Taliban?
ropelight (73157f) — 10/29/2009 @ 3:34 pmLet me point out to all you neocon skeptics that Obama will be obtaining assurances from the Taliban that they will not again take up arms against the Afghan people or re-align with al Qaeda. It’s unfortunate that neocon Bush didn’t think of this. Too busy liberating Iraqis, I suppose.
The Taliban were so impressed with Obama’s initiative that, according to Obama’s Arabic interpreters, several were heard to mutter: you are are the people we’ve been waiting for.
Terry Gain (4045b4) — 10/29/2009 @ 3:50 pmGibbs makes McClelland look competent. Gibbs is not even remotely as adept at lying as his masters.
JD (1206f2) — 10/29/2009 @ 4:38 pmThe Taliban were so impressed with Obama’s initiative that, according to Obama’s Arabic interpreters, several were heard to mutter: you are are the people we’ve been waiting for.
The Obama Bible:
Bradley J. Fikes, C. O.R. (a18ddc) — 10/29/2009 @ 4:40 pmThe Taliban said it
I believe it
That settles it!
Terry: If I couldn’t see the sarcasm just dripping from your words,
AD - RtR/OS! (c561b5) — 10/29/2009 @ 4:51 pmI would advise you to put down the bong, and check yourself into a rehab facility –
a very long-term rehab facility!
Why are Arabic interpreter needed to understand what the Taliban are saying?
AD - RtR/OS! (c561b5) — 10/29/2009 @ 4:53 pmThey don’t speak Arabic in Afghanistan…
I think they speak Austrian.
I will not be surprised in the least when this administration reassures us that the Taliban are just misunderstood.
Dana (e9ba20) — 10/29/2009 @ 4:54 pmMeanwhile, the Obama administration’s diplomatic approach to Iran has utterly failed.
So much for those wiz kids.
SPQR (26be8b) — 10/29/2009 @ 5:24 pmWhen are we going to start seeing these uber-powerful super-brilliant foreign policy and diplomatic skills?
Gibbs should invite them over for kahwah if they are just misunderstood.
JD (2efd28) — 10/29/2009 @ 5:33 pmFeckless cowards, but ginormous narcissists at the same time; quite a two – fer of idiocy. I hope McChristal resigns on the spot if his request is refused – they’ll be forced to defend their cowardice for the rest of their administration if he does.
Dmac (a964d5) — 10/29/2009 @ 5:56 pmWhen will his press lackeys get around to his ranting campaign promises to “get tough” on the Taliban, and that Boosh was “taking his eye off the ball” by our war in Iraq? I’d say never at this pace. Quislings, all of them.
Dmac (a964d5) — 10/29/2009 @ 5:58 pmLots and lots of young people voted for Obama. People get the government they deserve. People getting the government they deserve is called a consequence. Too bad for all you responsible folks who have grandchildren. I don’t. And another 10 years max will do it.
glenn (757adc) — 10/29/2009 @ 6:00 pmhang in there, Mr. glenn you should have a cupcake today
haoppyfeet (f62c43) — 10/29/2009 @ 6:04 pmthat was me
happyfeet (f62c43) — 10/29/2009 @ 6:05 pmThey day is going to come when the ‘progressives’ call 9-11 and get the UN’s answering machine, which doesn’t work.
Brooks (5bcf3a) — 10/29/2009 @ 6:12 pm“They’re not the same type of group,” said Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary.”
Gibbs is a distasteful person whose continual condescension and arrogance seems to personify this WH administration.
So when he deigns to enlightens the ignorant that these Taliban are not the same type of group, I am assuming that these Taliban are the special kind of Taliban who will doubtlessly renounce violence…and begin to respect women as equals…and never again condemn to death another innocent little girl who dares to flee a fire without her headgear. That must the group Gibbs is referring to.
Dana (e9ba20) — 10/29/2009 @ 6:17 pmJust like Hamas!
Dmac (a964d5) — 10/29/2009 @ 6:35 pm>We are broke, We are in 170 countries overseas , We have no buisness interfering in other countries affairs, Bin Laden is a C.I.A.creation , 9-11 was a false flag operation organized under the auspices of PNAC, Obama and Bush are both controlled by the same cabal, Dr. Ron Paul is my president. Any questions?
Sailfished (b32b4e) — 10/29/2009 @ 8:25 pmIsn’t it painful to cram so much stupid in one place, sailman
narciso (3dda22) — 10/29/2009 @ 9:08 pmEither that Sailfished was full-on snark or an escaped loon from the same loony-bin that blu escaped from, only worserer.
John Hitchcock (3fd153) — 10/29/2009 @ 9:17 pmArtsy Dana, you think this new Taliban will let their girlies wear these?
John Hitchcock (3fd153) — 10/29/2009 @ 9:20 pmWhoa!
Terry and sailfished: Meet each other and rent a conference room at the Days Inn and make sure your FedEx Office account is up-to-date. The newsletter will fly off the folding table like a pig with wings. Mr. Glenn will keep the ruffians away.
Ag80 (815bcd) — 10/29/2009 @ 9:32 pmMaybe Artsy Dana had to clean the oven. A woman’s gotta do what a woman’s gotta do. I guess I’ll have to wait until she’s done doing her chores before I get my answer.
John Hitchcock (3fd153) — 10/29/2009 @ 9:37 pmHas Terry Gain never heard of Neville Chamberlain?
I remember “blu”! Ah, so many entertaining freaks that have either left us or been banned. *sigh*
Does glenn think that we should just sit back and say, “Oh well; you order shit, you eat shit”? Sorry, buddy; I didn’t vote for him. The guy at the next table ordered this shit, and I ain’t eatin’ it!
Icy Texan (a6752a) — 10/29/2009 @ 9:44 pmTerry and sailfished: Meet each other and rent a conference room at the Days Inn and make sure your FedEx Office account is up-to-date.
Comment by Ag80 — 10/29/2009 @ 9:32 pm
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Has Terry Gain never heard of Neville Chamberlain?
Comment by Icy Texan — 10/29/2009 @ 9:44 pm
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Good grief. It’s one thing not to recognize sarcasm but did you two skip also over comments 10 and 11, as well.
Terry Gain (4045b4) — 10/30/2009 @ 5:04 amTerry, Your timing was just wrong.
PCD (1d8b6d) — 10/30/2009 @ 5:50 amThey will allow the Taliban to take over the country and Pakistan will slide into the radical Islamist orbit, just as Turkey is doing. Eventually, we may have to flatten Pakistan with the cooperation of India. This is how the world slides back to world war. We had a consensus for 50 years on how to avoid war by remaining strong. The Democratic Party began to slide out of this consensus about 1975 and has been cooperating with our enemies since 1979. Fortunately, the USSR was already on the path to implosion by then but Reagan gave them the push that prevented their recovery.
India is an ally, in spite of Obama’s efforts. They, like Israel, may have to take action without us. The world will be a far more dangerous place by the end of Obama’s presidency.
Mike K (2cf494) — 10/30/2009 @ 5:57 amWhy would you deal with people who think so little of a nations history (because they are not part of that history)they would destroy ancient Buddas?
Zelsdorf Ragshaft III (57cae1) — 10/30/2009 @ 6:07 amMike K
well, about 80 years ago we learned again the wages of weakness in the face of agression. We had an armistace that probably would have either ensured the peace or at the very least made any subsequent war very short. But then we refused to enforce it and instead got a long and bloody war. six years and several million dead jews later, we resolved “never again.” But never is a long time and our nation doesn’t have the best memory, so i guess we will have another world war and another couple million dead jews. sigh.
9-11 could have been a blessing in disguise: a warning before our enemies become even more dangerous. now it seems we are willing to let the country that gave rise to the modern suicide bomb movement get nukes. And we have a left that is shockingly ignorant of history.
I mean, for instance, liberals often say, “iran would never nuke isreal, because that would be suicidal.” you know because we can’t think of any time when a crazy muslim has acted when it was suicidal.
Or here is one from the president. He said, more or less, no nation can dominate another. And his liberal chorus claims over and over “you can’t force democracy.” never mind that we usulaly aren’t contemplating forcing democracy, my first retort usually is “tell that to germany and japan.”
But japan is different! is the typical response. yes it is. japan was a theocratic dictatorship, held together by religious fanaticism and defended by a military that promotes suicide attacks. this is of course much differnt from Iran.
A.W. (e7d72e) — 10/30/2009 @ 6:10 amTerry, Your timing was just wrong.
Comment by PCD — 10/30/2009 @ 5:50 am
Quite right PCD. I should have waited until after the MSM spins this as the most brilliant decision in the history of warfare.
Terry Gain (4045b4) — 10/30/2009 @ 7:16 amActually, when the news anchors announce the surrender in Afghanistan, they should all be wearing white flag lapel pins.
PCD (1d8b6d) — 10/30/2009 @ 7:25 am