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Subscribe to RSSUpdated at 5:20 a.m. ET: KABUL - Gunmen shot dead a top Afghan peace negotiator in the capital Kabul on Sunday, police said, dealing a massive blow to the country's attempts to negotiate a peace deal with Taliban insurgents.
Maulvi Arsala Rahmani was one of the most senior members on Afghanistan's High Peace Council, set up by President Hamid Karzai two years ago to open talks with insurgents.
"He (Rahmani) was stuck in heavy traffic when another car beside him opened fire," said General Mohammad Zahir, head of the investigations unit for Kabul police.
Massoud Hossaini / AFP - Getty Images
Arsalan Rahmani's death on Sunday was seen as a major blow to Karzai's U.S.-backed peace efforts.
Rahmani, one of about 70 influential Afghans and former Taliban appointed by Karzai to try to reconcile with the insurgents, was on his way to a meeting with lawmakers and other officials in a government-run media center in the heavily barricaded diplomatic center of Kabul.
"His driver did not immediately realise that Rahmani had been killed," police official Zahir told Reuters, adding that no one had been arrested in connection with the shooting.
No group took responsibility for the attack.
'Frustrated': Dad of Taliban prisoner Bowe Bergdahl takes matters into own hands
Rahmani was essential to the peace process, a BBC News producer in Kabul quoted an Afghan legislator as saying.
"(The) killing of Rahmani is the work of those who are against Peace Process. Rahmani was the backbone of (the) peace process," BBC News producer Bilal Sarwary quoted MP Mirwais Yasini as saying in a tweet.
Rahmani served as minister of higher education during the Taliban regime, which ruled Afghanistan for five years and sheltered al-Qaida before being driven out of power in the U.S.-led invasion in late 2001. He was one of several former members of the Taliban who were removed from a U.N. blacklist in July 2011. The decision by a U.N. committee eliminated a travel ban and an assets freeze against Rahmani and the others -- a move seen as key to promoting the peace effort.
Afghan president says civilian deaths could render US pact 'meaningless'
NATO in Afghanistan condenmed the killing.
"The only possible aim of this attack is to intimidate those, who like Rahmani, want to help make Afghanistan a better place for its citizens and the region," it said in a statement. "This attack is clear evidence that those who oppose the legitimate government of Afghanistan have absolutely no interest in supporting the peace process on any level but through murder, thuggery, and intimidation."
The head of the peace council and former Afghan president, Burhanuddin Rabbani, was assassinated by a suicide bomber last year.
In separate news, U.K. officials announced that two British servicemen were shot by members of the Afghan police force
The Ministry of Defence said the two had been providing security near a base in the Lashkar Gah in Helmand province.
Reuters, The Associated Press and msnbc.com staff contributed to this report.
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Former Taliban turned peace keeper sounds a little fishy to me.
The man died for the peace keeping project. EVERYONE has the ability to turn their lives around. They may never be able to right the wrongs of their past, but they can attempt to change their future. I applaud the man for standing up for peace and I have great sympathy for his family. I'm not saying he's a saint or a hero, but it is sad that his former comrades would gun him down when he's trying to re-unite his country and countrymen. It's another tragedy for an already war-torn region of the world.
I keep asking the same question...'why' do we continue to be in AFG? I'd like someone to explain what our 'strategic objective' is for being there. I understand why we went in year's ago, but not now. We spend billions of dollars on a corrupt government; kill our young men and women, and for what? We could accomplish the same thing by putting drones over the country when we needed to, if necessary. It's useless to try to change AFG into a country like ours.....let them be and fight/kill themselves.
Exactly, he was just looking for a bigger handout from the U.S. gov....once a taliban always a taliban, he'd sell you down the river for a few sheckles and smile at you the whole time...hope they kil a dozen more of them...then maybe our gov. will figure out that karzai is just another tribal leader with his hand open for alms...
When NATO leaves, the theocracy will be in power iwithn a week. This is all just a waste of time and lives.
OK, we will be somewhere in the Middle East from now until the World ends by "fire". Bush/Cheney in the Secret Energy Meeting circa 2001 agreed with the Oil Companies that they would go into Iraq and stay either there or AFG or both to protect the Saudi's, UAE and all other OIL NATIONS there forever. This would protect their interests and allow the price of OIL to rise 2-300% quickly and for the duration. Your Grandchildren's-Grandchildren will still be paying for this...unless of course the "fire" comes from Iran/India/Pakistan/Russia or N. Korea.
Understand now?
I actually agree with most of that. The oil agreement is true
After 11 years and spending billions and losing so many soldiers, this is the net result. Last year, Rabbani was blown up.
Right from the beginning, it was wrong to have the backstabbing Pakis as allies on war on terror!
The major militant faction battling NATO forces is Paki Haqqani network.
Meh..........they ARE ALREADY in power......you see, we're "negotiating" and "hashing things out" with them.........as we leave with our tail between our legs. The Taliban are just waiting in the wings for the final "bow out." Some "victory", eh???
Oh well, off with my Misses for her Mother's day. No doubt there will be more "peace negotiators" picked off by the time we reconvene, Softdude.
The Talebans of course will kill anyone who wants real peace.The Talebans blew up Buddhist statues ,mass murdered their fellow Muslims in enormous quantities,made non Muslims where types of badges,harbored Bin Laden and many more atrocities when they were in power. Like other Islamic terrorist groups there is no negotiating with them.They must be hunted down.arrested and killed. And kept permanently on the run so they never get even close to power again.They,along with Iran.hezbollah.alquida and other Islamic terrorist groups are a threat to world peace and stability.Fortunately Obama realizes this and has made arrangements to keep a U.S presence there indefinitely.The stakes are too high to do anything else.Like the nazis there is no expiration date for their elimination.The fight must continue and be expanded.Anyone who thinks Obama is soft on terrorism has a hole in his head.He see it as clearly as anyone.This is a worldwide fight and must be seen as such!!
"I understand why we went in year's ago, but not now."
It's a back door to Iran who has lately emerged as a nuclear concern. Minerals to a lesser extent. A type of aid in the form of jobs to many nationalities. It may be a filthy business but a projection of US interests.
corruption at it's finest!! duh, they want American bucks, need i say anymore......
I don't know why we deal with Pakistan either. We could just call them a hostile nation harboring terrorist and attack the terrorist from a military base built in Afghanistan. Even those in Pakistan since the declaration by Bush in 2001 was that we will hunt you down wherever you may hide and any nation harboring terrorist is a hostile nation.
They could raze the top of Tora Bora for an airfield/military base and fly in supplies. If our military cannot defend a military base in Afghanistan it's time to demote the generals and get some smarter ones with new ideas to defend it. With the terrorist mind set a military base there would be an attraction like a dead animal to flies. They could not resist and any Afghans anywhere near it would be shot as a spy. No Afghans even for security since Afghan security is an oxymoron.
BIG OIL - 'nuf said.
Phenomenal112
I don't think it's so improbable. Anwar Sadat comes to mind here! Or even Manachem Begin!
I am beginning to believe that this is not about politics, religion, money, or oil anymore. It is just about killing. Any reason will do...It's Sunday...time to kill somebody. If they are not killing British or American service men and women, they are killing each other. They just like to kill...Sure they are pretty good at coming up with excuses...They burned out Holy book, they are teach ani-Islam in the military, we are infidels, whatever....These people don't want peace because they don't have any idea what it feels like or looks like. They are tribal warriors and want us out so they can get on with the Shiite and Sunni killing fields. I think we should ablige them and just frickin leave....We are not going to change the minds and hearts of these deadbeats of humanity.
I only had to read the headline to reinforce my opinion that we should, at this point, leave the Afghan people on their own. They are obviously not interested in joining the rest of the world in the 21st century. Hell, they don't want to come out of the Dark Ages, because that was the height of Muslim power and influence across the world. All they want to do is kill everyone in their country who isn't a Muslim. That's it. That's their entire world view and their one and only goal in their miserable, pathetic lives. Kill. Kill. Kill. You're not Muslim. Kill. You're not Afghan. Kill. You're not Taliban. Kill. You're not a member of MY tribe. Kill. You grew melons this year instead of opium poppies. Kill. Your cousin dissed my cousin 250 years ago. Kill. These people are barely even human, barely above the status of caveman. I say let them kill each other for a while instead of us. They have absolutely zero appreciation for the efforts we have made to try to modernize their country. They could not possibly care less about schools, hospitals, roads or even clean drinking water. They are a bunch of 10th century savages whose only goal in life is to kill or die in service to Allah. If it weren't for the fact that they are the only buffer between Pakistan trucking loads of nukes into Iran, I'd say let them all rot.
There will always be a faction in every tribe that does not want peace. During times of peace people get real jobs, not just military and defense contractors. Why should more lives and money be spent in this war? Answer is easy--unemployment would go through the ceiling if the armies are sent home and defense contractors had to let their legions of WMD makers go.
Bring the troops home and let's rebuild this country.
How ironic.
I agree about the Iraq, Afghanistan and big oil connections. It's because of those connections that we must reach a point where we require NO foreign energy supplies. This is a matter of top national security, the sooner we reach energy independence the sooner we can walk away from rat holes like Afghanistan..... We can't fix their problems so we should just let them drown in their sea of religious hate.
Proof positive to all bleeding hearts, you can not talk to murderers. The biggest mistake the US made was trying to have a politically correct war. Can't be done and the gloves should have come off years ago. Now it is time to just start eradicating the Taliban and their followers. They should not be granted human rights since they do not give human rights to their innocent victims.
No one "claimed responsibility". Yeah, right !!!
So much for the Obama Administration meeting with the Taliban envoy in Cheeecago next month for "Peace talks".
So what, there are plenty more useless people where he came from. Peace negotiator my-ass.
These are the same peaceful Taliban to whom Obama is in the midst of negotiating America's surrender. What a great CIC we have in the Oval Office. HE is sp adept at selling out America.
"clear evidence that those who oppose the legitimate government of Afghanistan have absolutely no interest in supporting the peace process"
Is that supposed to be news? Haven't we known this all along?
so someone blows up, and it's a blow to the entire peace process...a bad ? job
America will be bankrupt and totaly broken unless we get the hell out of places like Afgahnistan and start minding our own business. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO PISS AWAY MONEY AND LIVES ON GARBAGE DUMPS LIKE THIS.
If the old Soviet Union could not pacify Afghanistan, how the heck will the United States succeed?? Let's see. the Mongols, Persian, Romans, Alexander the Great, Greek and others failed. We are losing an entire generation to this reckless venture. When we leave, the tribes will go back to doing what they know best "killing each other".
GBA
Obama/Biden 2012
End This Senseless War, Now
This is "peace negotiation", Taliban-style.
"This attack is clear evidence that those who oppose the legitimate government of Afghanistan have absolutely no interest in supporting the peace process on any level but through murder, thuggery, and intimidation."
Ahhhhhhhh gee you think so.....Obama will be crushed
I have done something extraordinary. Faster than light travel is now a reality. The key is not to speed ourselves up, but rather to slow light down. There are side effects. Let history take note, the first human trial was accomplished today, July 5th, 2107 in the country of New U.S. Finally, our country will be able to overtake the North Koreans.
The Taliban do not want peace because peace under the current government would only come through a power sharing arrangement. The Taliban do not want to share power with anyone, they want total control over the country and will kill anyone who tries to prevent them from achieving that. Any former Taliban that they see as a threat to their plans to once again takeover will end up like this guy, dead. Negotiating with them is a pointless exercise. They may make agreements to share power, but they will have no intention of honoring those agreements. Their religion not only allows for them to lie, it encourages them to lie to and deceive the "infidels" in order to achieve their goals. Once they get a foothold in the government, they will rapidly push everyone else out through intimidation and assassination until they have achieved total control. They will then once again use that control to institute a government based on their warped view of Islam, subjugating and/or killing anyone who does not toe the line. There is only one way there will ever be peace with the Taliban and that is when there is no more Taliban remaining. Unfortunately, there is no way for there to be any kind of peaceful coexistence with these fanatics.
Sure, right, ahhuh...
You said (and more):
The Taliban offered to put Bin Laden on trial - even put him in custody and sent to a third-party country for trial - but, noooo, we wanted war. A decade and more of useless war.
We wouldn't be bombing and killing people in Pakistan right now if we had had the evidence to present in trial, or the belief in justice over warfare.
We wouldn't have displaced millions of people in Afghanistan, killed and maimed thousands if we didn't prefer war.
Iraq - no wmd, it was a LIE, a pretext to cover a policy. Saddam even offered to go into exile before we invaded but NO, Bush knew in his gut that this would be a pushover. It took us years and years of bombing and killing and murder and torture and the displacement of millions to get to where we are now in Iraq - NOWHERE. Iraq is a mess and they will be infighting there for years.
More? Yep lots more...
The fact you think we could trust the Taliban to put bin Laden on trial is laughable.
And perhaps we're using Predator drone attacks in Pakistan because a) we can't invade their semi-autonomous tribal regions without starting a full-scale war and b) Pakistan is not interested in doing the dirty work themselves of arresting individuals responsible for suicide bombings, gunning down of politicians, etc....
I realize that simply stating "US policy is evil; we are the root of all problems" is a nice, simple way of rationalizing everything that's wrong with the world today. But it really is a juvenile way of thinking.
@J.P
I guess I missed something! Where did you get this info?
JS SD You're talking a lot but you're not saying anything... Telll us something about something you know - like the ice in the canals of MArs.
Hussein - I guess you need reading comprehension lesson then.
JS+ krazymop - right on- don't let the dhimmi get you down.
The level of intellect is abysmally low. It's "aim for the bottom" all the way.
J.P.....What the hell are you talking about?
The taliban will always be there, they will eventually control the whole region...You cannot kil off an ideology.
To win in Afgahnistan, Paki militant areas have to be erased to ground.
Or else, it is better to withdraw.
One can't win half-hearted battles and that too with wrong allies like Pakistan.
JP must be starring in a new Twilight Zone saga called "living in a parallel world".
The reason Bush did not want to allow the Taliban to put Osama bin Laden on trial is because they had no evidence that OBL was guilty of 9/11. They could prove other acts of terrorism against OBL but not 9/11. Now keep in mind that this is 10 years after 9/11 and they still have no evidence OBL was behind it.
Pick one
http://www.google.com/search?q=fbi+no+evidence+bin+laden+9%2F11&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client
For those like COYOTEHUNTER that doesn't understand where J.P. is como9ng from, take a look at this article from ABC news.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=80482&page=1#.T6_fuMUu6_J
Bush said: "There's no need to discuss it," Bush said. "We know he's guilty. Just turn him over. … There's nothing to negotiate about. They're harboring a terrorist and they need to turn him over."
Yet 10 years later the FBI has no solid proof that OBL was responsible for 9/11 and does not have those charges on his wanted poster. Now he was proven guilty of other crimes of terrorism so his death was warranted. Even Dick Cheney admitted that there was no case against OBL of the 9/11 attack.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjxbhPl973g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnRulXOLQzE
I agree...They don't want peace...but I don't think there is any "because" anymore. They just like to kill--It is their national sport. It is what they do best. Let's just limit the slaughter by taking our young men and women out of the feed lot and put them on our southern border.
It was all bluff and talk, these negotiations took place because on one hand they (the Taliban) were worried about a war, but on the other hand they didn't want to deliver OBL. After months of negotiations, the Taliban were still denying that Al Qaeda (not just OBL) was a terrorist group at all, in other words the so-called "negotiations" were getting nowhere. (I'm not sure how many audio files and videos (and documents) from Al Qaeda you would need to watch to convince you that they are indeed a terrorist group)
You keep blabbing about Bush, but you ignore the fact that Clinton was offered OBL on a silver platter, but refused to bring him to the U.S. for trial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qgKAsfp_lc
Al Qaeda was/is responsible not only for the 9/11 attacks (i.e. not only claimed by Al Qaeda, but all the hijackers were Al Qaeda members), but also for numerous other terrorist attacks in other countries. Osama Bin Laden was Al Qaeda's leader, do the math. If you are looking for the actual mastermind of 9/11 tho, if I am not mistaken that would be Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. However OBL was the leader, provided financial support, and selected the hijackers.
So just make sure this is clear: Osama Bin Laden: Al Qaeda Leader - Khalid Sheikh Mohammed: Al Qaeda member, and 9/11 mastermind (the one who made the actual plans for the attacks).
Either way if you really believe that your own governement would commit such atrocities against its own citizens, you should be scared s***less, and you sure as heck shouldn't be here talking about an "inside job", considering if they did what you accuse them of, it would incredibly easy for them to take you (and all the other conspiracy theorists) into custody and make you disappear quietly. In fact maybe you should go live in areas ruled by the Taliban, surely you would be much safer then here considering.
Anna, tell it to the FBI. I'm sure if you have proof they would be happy to hear it since they have never found any solid evidence that Osama bin Laden was responsible for 9/11. In fact if the FBI does know who was responsible for 9/11 they aren't telling anyone.
But if you're parroting the BS you've heard on FAUX news....then never mind.
JD you are right the taliban will not relinquish I ounce of power....ever.
well so much for peace, bring the troops home.
There will never be peace in this country, they have been fighting each other for centuries and democracy to them is just a word - so why are we there then? When we leave they will continue the tradition of killing each other. However, our presence has, more or less, polarized many clans into American haters. I don't believe that our goal of "winning the hearts and minds" of Afghans is working as we think. Most Afghans are only waiting for the time when we leave - we just use the words of the "slogan" to make ourselves feel better and as an American propaganda tool used to placate the American public.....while we dump billions of US dollars into corrupt Afghan hands - Karzi (sp?) and his merry band of criminals!
Americans we need to demand that we get out of Afgan and take our solders and our money with us.
and so much for war...conquest doesn't work does it?
No wars at least for a decade either.
Let Shiites and Sunnis battle themselves in Iran and Syria.
Don't permit Bushes, McCains, Liebermanns to dance much on these along with Saudis, oil companies and their lobbyists.
It's terrible that those who wish to seek peace are murdered or have to live in fear.
That is the history of followers of Islamic cult!
Wait a minute here! I just read an article that states Islam is a peaceful religion or religion of peace. With Rahmani being the former Taliban Minister of Education, I wonder why he "conformed" and changed allegiance to the Kabul Regime? Oh yeah, Karzai used to be some "associated" with that group also. I have my doubts that they were truly seeking peace when the "unnamed group" that shot him in a traffic jam. Besides, how did the driver not know his passenger was shot? I do believe a rifle or even a pistol makes loud sounds when discharged. Wonder what happens to the "peace process" when the US pulls out and the $$Billions dry up?Wonder who the next Taliban Minister of Education will be?
Islam is a peaceful religion. That is why muslims are pieces of @!$%#!!!!
Not all Muslims are pieces of sh*t dbeckerny. I'm friends with two Muslims and they are the nicest friends I have. That's like me saying ALL Americans a dumba**es-Not true. One person or a group of people you come across does NOT represent the entire population.
...And yes, I'm American.
Well you better tell your friends to tell their fellow Muslims to stop perpetuating the stereotype. I along with most of America is sick and tired of hearing about all this senseless killing in Muslim countries.
@dbeckerny So sick of in fact that you STILL read the article AND took the time to comment on it? Troll alert.
@dbeckerny- You're one of the reasons people all over the world hate us. I am an Italian American and one of the coolest, most honest, and caring AMERICANS I have ever met is a Moroccan Islamist. He not only disagrees with Islamic fundamentalism, but vocalizes this view. To say KylieLovesIsshisan should tell their friends to tell other Muslims to stop perpetuation the stereotype is the most ludicrous, ignorant, and racist thing you could say. Do you really think our Muslim brothers (And yes they are our brothers and sisters as are all peoples), can just walk into a Taliban, or Al-Qaeda and say stop? Do you think I walk into a arien nation clubhouse and say "stop it! that's bad!" lol I mean really are you that ignorant? We are all brothers and sisters of humanity, and your view-point is a warped as that of the those who wish to stop the peace process and destroy the united states. Do you not realize you've got the same attitude as them?
The irony of this statement is legendary.
Maybe you should tell your friends to tell you to stop living the stereotype that all Americans hate all Muslims.
HEY! - like Obama has said : "Islam is not the enemy of America".
Must be that the problem is that America IS the enemy of Islam.
Two differant things.
Dhimmi education: read the Koran, the Hadith , and the Surrah.
Then get back to us and tell us how peaceful it all is.
Duuuhhhh! Maybe it is time to get out. I can tell you from personal experience we are doing nothing there except trying to stay alive.
The UN and The World's Banks want the Western Countries in there making war to hasten the New World Order by bringing the Western Countries to their knees.. That's what War Making is doing to the Countries of the world..
Anything is possible.. Could be, the CIA was behind it..
To end the war, simply nuke the taliban and then there will be peace.
Explain how a nuclear attack will bring about peace.
Also, how do you propose getting all the Taliban in one location for this? Or do you intend to litter the planet with nuclear fallout?
Is there anybody in there? Just nod if you can here me.
Mike- there was an occurrance about 65 years ago called "World War Two". That lasted 4 years and ended when we nuclear bombed two cities in Japan. It's true - it really happened. So, you see, it really does work.
There were some other types of nukes invented in the sixties called "neutron bombs" that became unpopular with the libs and Communists because they would kill just organic types of thing like plants and people, but had very little fallout. The were considered "inhuman" because they would leave the buildings and infrastructure mostly intact.
The argument was that it was OK to shoot, burn, blow up, crush, flood, drown, and cut up people, but not leave their building intact.
I know history doesn't have much relevance for liberals, because nothing can ever be learned from it, but you might want to do a little reading to get up to speed. Reality is fascinating.
Rit
You must understand japan is a country. We nuked them when the war was already almost won. A country can be beaten into submission. The Jihad movement is spread over a wide region...not just one country. Also some of that region also has nukes. Do you want your children being the victims of nuclear retaliation?
So that's your rebuttal?
Aside from your childish sarcasm, did you have a point?
We dropped bombs on a single country in very specific locations. Do tell how that same strategy would work when terrorism is spread throughout the planet. Maybe you want to live surrounded by nuclear fallout and global mutations, but not me.
But thank you for reducing your comment to nothing more than blind political hate. Just shows you have nothing substantial to say.
It's too bad that eforts at trying to bring peace in Afghanistan are being stymied. Of course, American troops there for over 10 years aren't helping, not that we've done much to stabilize anything anyway.
Time to bring the troops home!
My condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Rahmani. It is a shame that the Taliban members are so evil that they have no use for peace.
Unfortunately, it seems that the Taliban is no different than any other gang. They kill those deemed to be a threat to them. If one of their leaders does get killed or arrested, there's a whole line of others waiting to step into his/her place.
I also offer my condolences to Mr. Rahmani's family and friends. Surely he knew his mission was dangerous, and he was a courageous man. May he rest in peace.
I seriously doubt that anyone in that part of the world is looking for peace. There are too many important issues to that lead to conflict, such as whether one is a Sunni or one is a Shiite. Whether your wife smells better than your camel also comes to mind. Their mindset is stuck in the middle ages. The only modern things they find acceptable are AK47's, RPG's and miscellaneous explosives. Their mentality is: I and my brother, against my cousin, I and my cousin against a stranger. My prescription is to start a higher fiber diet, have an occaisonal hot dog & beer and stop wrapping yourselves head to toe in hot, sweaty robes and head wraps. Start a new friendship with a Christain person. Start a new friendship with a Jewish person. Rent a DVD. The world is a better place than what the Mullahs and Imams have been brain washing you into believing.
If you're talking only about fundamentalists, I agree with you, but the people are victims of the fundamentalists. BTW, the robes aren't hot....they actually keep them cool and protected from the intense sunlight. Its about air-flow. That's something I learned recently but something a lot of people don't really know. I understand the frustration we all have with Islam and I used to be just like dbeckerny and others that have the attitude of "Kill them all and let Allah sort them out" but this is ignorant. The men, women, and children who are innocent of the atrocities of this "holy war" and who've been struck down in the streets of their home don't deserve the hatred we place upon them. They have no say in what the insurgents do. They are victims. Religious fundamentalism exists in every part of the world, but the majority who live where it is at it's worst are not there by choice. It's not so easy to go rent a dvd, get a hotdog, and make friends with a christian, in a land where such things could get you killed. Trust me I understand your frustration and I even understand the hatred dbeckerny has for these people because I was the same. It's a false hate and only serves to hurt ourselves. The peace-keepers must be defended and not condemned. On that note, I believe we ARE wasting our time with the current peace-making strategy. I don't know what the answer is but I dont think abandoning the people is the answer. Before we can resolve the conflict we must understand the position of both sides. I'm not a christian (or member of any organized religion) but if you are you should know that Jesus said "Love thy enemy". I'm not sure if it can ever work, but I know that hatred only begets more hated.
You can't negotiate with terrorists. The only way there will be peace and freedom in Afghanistan is if the Taliban and the other radical Islamic terrorists are defeated. When the Taliban surrender, then there will be peace.
The only way for there to be peace in the Middle East and Northern Africa is when the people desire it. They have no frame of reference...Their frame of reference is a culture of war....With whomever...
Whats this tell you about dealing with terrorists? President Obama. Another failed foreign policy.
Why don't you and Holden just give them guns, We know how good that worked for you in Mexico...
That's how your who 3.5 years have been fast and furious with out any plans..
First off, his name is Holder. At least have enough respect to spell his name right if you're going to attack him.
Secondly, we can all ask the Reagan administration how well the whole selling arms to Iran worked out. We have a knack of selling arms to our future enemies. It allows the war machine to keep on rolling.
Lastly, people that can only find blame for one political party, are doomed to repeat the failures of the past.
Holder fits his name perfectly as a holder of documents supoenoed by Congress he still has yet to release. How far up the totem pole will the knowledge of the Fast and Foolish boondoggle go.
Hey genius, the Afgan war has been going on for 10 years, and Mr. Obama has been President for 3.5 and he has set a time table for withdrawal. Hate much?
obama making a deal with the Afganistan Gov. to keep our troops in their country untill 2024 sure isn't helping bring peace to the Afganistan people.
Anybody else want to negotiate?
and in separate news afgan police murder two British soldiers. No one in that cesspool supports the peace process on any level, they haven't for thousands of years why would they start now. Time to leave and let them get back to killing each other
Islam has only existed since 622 CE. Again the people who do these things do not represent the populous and yes they are to blame. The people are not. They are victims of this endless war
I am referencing the tribal warfare, not islam. Their culture of constant warfare amongst themselves and their neighbors is how things have been going in that part of the world long before islam. So if the people aren't to blame what is?
I agree with you but it is those who are in power who are to blame. I understand your point but it is like the saying the jews are responsible for their own genocide in WW2. Trust me I get it...I believed the same for most of my life. And the youths that are joining the ranks of the insurgents are not always willing. Many are forced into that life (especially the suicide bombers) through threats against their families. Others get brainwashed or forced into the life by poverty. The insurgents, when not threatening their families, will sometimes offer support for their families in exchange for their loyalty.
Actually, it is nothing even remotely close to that
@Thomas Jefferson-1952876's; They were!
Once again, why are we wasting time and lives on trying to negotitate peace with these muslim idiots. Find the idiots, send in the drones, and wack them with a great big stick. I don't care if you aim at a mosque or not. Thats probably where they are holding up. It's all of this song and dance that gives them a chance to keep up their campaign. Of course Osama Obama is in the middle of his campaign also. We can't make our friends unhappy now can we.
Quick, someone call the Pentagon! There's someone who knows how to win this war! All you need to do is "find the idiots" and "wack [sic] them with a big stick!" It's so simple! How could we not have thought of that!
Better yet...Just leave...
Here's just another ongoing lesson our current administration just don't seem to get when it comes to our enemies.
It's their way or no way!
90%-95% OF ALL THE CONFLICTS ON THIS PLANET TODAY INVOLVE MUSLIMS FIGHTING NON-MUSLIMS OR EACH OTHER!
Over the last 1400 years, 270 million "non-believers" were murdered by Muslim jihadists. Islam destroyed the Christian Middle East and Christian North Africa. It is estimatedthat upwards of 60 million Christians were slaughtered during this conquest. Also, half the Hindu civilization was annihilated and 80 million Hindus murdered.Islamic jihad also destroyed over 10 million Buddhists.
Islam is an anti-civilization cult par excellence. It destroyed every civilization it touched and brought misery, poverty, ignorance and war in every country that it invaded!
"In the name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate"
Now go out in the name of Allah and kill Jews, Christians, Buddhists and Hindus!
Hey Obama! Why don't you have another negotiation with the Muslim Brotherhood and while you're at it, appoint one of their members to Homeland Security.
Oh, that's right. YOU ALREADY DID!
"Hey Obama! Why don't you have another negotiation with the Muslim Brotherhood and while you're at it, appoint one of their members to Homeland Security."
What is the name of the Muslim Brotherhood member who is an employee at DHS?
Mohamed Elibiary.
Secretary Napolitano named the devout Muslim Mohamed Elibiary to the Homeland Security Advisory Council (Department of Homeland Security).
Mohamed Elibiary was one of the speakers at a December 2004 conference in Dallas entitled "A Tribute to the Great Islamic Visionary," the Ayatollah Khomeini, leader of Iran and the violent Muslim global revolution to install a universal caliphate.
Tired of Afganistan ? The Middle East in general ? Maybe we could give Vietnam another try ?
Afganistan is lost. Obama tucks tail and runs and all we leave behind is soil stained by the blood of our finest young men and women. Where is the leadership here? Third world politics by a third world socialist president is leading us to third world status.
What is your proposal on how to "win" the war? And do you have any idea whatsoever what the word "socialist" means?
Obama did not start this war. Neither did Bush...the hatred for America by extremists has existed since WW2. Also he has not tucked his tail. If he did we would not have gotten bin-laden.
Should have killed Kazai, turd you can't flush. F=ck Afghanistan, stop wasting our money for a worthless/ineffective cause. Their country, their people and their problem, NOT AMERICA'S
Get it now! The Taliban don't want peace. In fact, no terrorist group does.
The war isn't ment to be won.. The Western Wold wants to control the production of Drugs.. They are competing with China and Russia and the Other countries for their share of the Market Place..
It's also to let other powers like China and Russia know that we are in their neighborhood, so don't try and pull a fast one.
It is like throwing a poodle into a pit bull fight and ordering it to referee. The poodle isn't going to come out very healthy--as we haven't. Time to either put our pit bull in the ring....Or GET THE HELL OUT OF THE ARENA.
Apparently they never heard or believed the term, "You can't shoot the messenger". Let them fight it out and deal with the last man standing. He will be powerful enough to control the country. Control is what you want isn't it. Without control you have Somalia. Get out of there and let them have their country back.
Afghanistan: an open sewer with borders and an airport, populated by gap-toothed ranting lunatics with weapons and nothing else to do but kill their neighbors. Let them all die at each others' hands. Nobody will miss them. They serve no purpose. When it's all over, bring in a fleet of D8 Caterpillars and set the blades to ground level, start on the east side and floor it until you hit the other end. Then plant trees, fence it off with razor wire and an alligator filled moat, and leave it be. Allow nobody in or out. Perhaps something resembling humans will evolve over time. But then, there are already too many of them on this planet. In the meanwhile, trees will grow and contribute valuable oxygen to the world, perhaps enough to offset the South American rain forest losses, so some good may come out of Afghanistan after all.
Has nobody else been paying attention? The Taliban does NOT want peace. They want complete control of the opium trade and all the addicts that go with it. They only use 'peace talks' as a time to reorganize, dig in and rearm themselves. Start the carpet bombing and, just like in Vietnam, if civilians get in the way, "Sin loi ma noi." (Sorry about that sh1t.)
because vietnam went so well....
Because of the politicans they chickened out and tried to run the war in Vietnam, Non Vets do not know squat about the military just like the one we have in office now.. But the News media does not help either.. They seem to be more for the other side rather than the troops.... Vote for Colin Powell,, maybe we will get a person in office who understands War>
@Mathuin - Excuse ME ??? The Taliban cut down the opium poppies in 2000 and 2001, which cut off the Bush family's Heroin Empire at the knees, which is why we sacrificed thousands of American lives to be strongarm thugs to protect their drug dealership. The Taliban is OPPOSED to the Afghan drug trade, NOT in favor of it. Of course they are not going to stop fighting the invaders of their country using their country to make and sell heroin. Remember how the Brits forced opium on the Chinese? We're doing the same thing now with Heroin in Afghanistan. Plain and simple.