Obama hints at talks with Taleban

[dt3]

Maybe Clinton would know how to deal with them but then she is not in charge.

Yeah, because women in that area of the world are held in such high esteem

 

[flipx]

Some of you have really narrow minds, and should have more faith in your newly elected President. He has only just gone into office, and you are predicting his failure already pretty much. Fucking mental.

 

[Strauss]

The U.S. saw fit to work with the Talaban in the past (Charlie Wilson's War). There is force and there is negotiation also known as diplomacy (something the Bush Admin had no interest in). There is no reason not to talk to them, althoug I'm not suggesting talks will work, but again why not?

A little inaccurate there, they weren't the Taliban during the occupation of Afghanistan by the Soviets.

BTW, there is no such thing as a "moderate" Taliban leader. By definition and based upon their organizational belief system, a leader can't be moderate.

Just another example of the manipulation of the English language to appear enlightened. Hey, why not state that we are going to talk with "progressive" Taliban leaders. :24:

 

[Alien Allen]

Yeah, because women in that area of the world are held in such high esteem

good point but I was commenting based on if she was the President. She would send somebody over there and it would be a man. She is way smarter than the Anointed One.

 

[KpAtch3s]

Some of you have really narrow minds, and should have more faith in your newly elected President. He has only just gone into office, and you are predicting his failure already pretty much. Fucking mental.

Perhaps there's a lack of faith because there's a lack of experience on his part. Yes I predict failure of his entire term, not just his attempt to talk with terrorists.

 

[flipx]

Not according to what I've read, and heard. Entitled to your opinion though.

 

[Dana]

I don't know if anyone has done this yet but it's Taliban.

 

[Minor Axis]

Some of you have really narrow minds, and should have more faith in your newly elected President. He has only just gone into office, and you are predicting his failure already pretty much. Fucking mental.

As you know I have not predicted Obama's failure. While the future is not preordained, the chances are about 1000% better than if McCain/(barf) Palin had won.

 

[Alien Allen]

As you know I have not predicted Obama's failure. While the future is not preordained, the chances are about 1000% better than if McCain/(barf) Palin had won.

Time will tell but your boy is not off to a good start. The fact he even thinks there is such a thing as a moderate Taliban speaks to his ignorance. There is no such thing. One can not be in the Taliban if they are moderate.

 

[Minor Axis]

Time will tell but your boy is not off to a good start. The fact he even thinks there is such a thing as a moderate Taliban speaks to his ignorance. There is no such thing. One can not be in the Taliban if they are moderate.

I don't begrude you your opinion, however when it comes to diplomacy historically it's possible to deal with shady characters. I'm saying it's not stupid to try but it's stupid not to try when the alternative is bloodshed. If it does not work out sure we can continue to fight the war on terrorism into the foreseeable future, np.

 

[Alien Allen]

an interesting read

Facing Reality in Afghanistan: Talking with the Taliban - TIME

They are on a religious mission. There are no common grounds to negotiate with them on. Let them have Afghanistan back and try to prop up others in the region to maintain control of the borders. And if they start up AQ camps then just bomb the shit out of them. No chicken shit crap like with Clinton when he would not take out OBL.

You will get none of this from the Anointed One though.

 

[flipx]

Obama and Biden seem to think they can reach out to "moderates" in the Taliban.
Good luck with that.
The Taliban scoffed at the very idea this week:

Afghanistan's Taliban on Tuesday turned down as illogical U.S. President Barack Obama's bid to reach out to moderate elements of the insurgents, saying the exit of foreign troops was the only solution for ending the war.

Obama, in an interview with the New York Times, expressed an openness to adapting tactics in Afghanistan that had been used in Iraq to reach out to moderate elements there.

"This does not require any response or reaction for this is illogical," Qari Mohammad Yousuf, a purported spokesman for the insurgent group, told Reuters when asked if its top leader Mullah Mohammad Omar would make any comment about Obama's proposal.

"The Taliban are united, have one leader, one aim, one policy...I do not know why they are talking about moderate Taliban and what it means?"

"If it means those who are not fighting and are sitting in their homes, then talking to them is meaningless.
​

I'm not quite sure who those "moderate" Taliban members are. Are they the "insurgents" who only throw acid in the faces of girls trying to attend school on odd-numbered Tuesdays?
I can think of many activities that would be more likely to succeed than trying to find moderate, reasonable terorrists in the Taliban.
If they were reasonable they wouldn't be in the Taliban.
Gina Cobb on March 12, 2009 at 04:06 AM

 

[Alien Allen]

What is the source for that Flip??

 

[flipx]

Haha...

Source found here!

 

[Minor Axis]

an interesting read

Facing Reality in Afghanistan: Talking with the Taliban - TIME

They are on a religious mission. There are no common grounds to negotiate with them on. Let them have Afghanistan back and try to prop up others in the region to maintain control of the borders. And if they start up AQ camps then just bomb the shit out of them. No chicken shit crap like with Clinton when he would not take out OBL.

You will get none of this from the Anointed One though.

You're referring to Obama? I disagree and I don't get you. What makes you think he's an unreasoning pacifist? And are you saying that it's wrong to try diplomacy, that a fight to the death is preferred? Diplomacy is always worth a shot along with the chance to live and let live. And if the Taliban want no part of that, then let the shooting begin... better yet nuke'm. (if only our scientists, or maybe I should say China's scientists could just come up with a non-polluting nuke.)

 

[Alien Allen]

You're referring to Obama? I disagree and I don't get you. What makes you think he's an unreasoning pacifist? And are you saying that it's wrong to try diplomacy, that a fight to the death is preferred? Diplomacy is always worth a shot along with the chance to live and let live. And if the Taliban want no part of that, then let the shooting begin... better yet nuke'm. (if only our scientists, or maybe I should say China's scientists could just come up with a non-polluting nuke.)

Of course you do not get me. I have that effect on people :24:

I am not a blood thirsty neocon. I am all for having dialogue. My point is that there is no such thing as a moderate Taliban. Period. There could be moderate Mulsims but they are not in the Taliban. Because being moderate automatically excludes one from being a member.

Now be honest with yourself. You would find fault if a republican had contacts and then bombed the shit out of them. You would say they did not talk long enough.

The Taliban is one group that will EVER be friendly with the west. They are the most hard core Muslims there are. They may not pose a direct threat but clearly they are a breading ground for Islamic extremism.

 

[flipx]

"Because being moderate automatically excludes one from being a member."

Where did you get that from? The Taliban isn't a club, that you can join and leave whenever you wish. That's how you are making it out to be, with this statement mainly. Here is a definition for "moderate" in political terms on Wikipedia:

In politics and religion, a moderate is an individual who holds an intermediate position between two viewpoints, neither to be extreme or radical by those applying the term. The word "moderate" can also be used as an adjective describing such a position.

Obviously there are other terms, and definitions for the word "moderate". So, my point is that there could, and obviously are moderate Taliban. Just like, as I said before, you can class people as being moderate Christians, and so on. It's the same principle.

 

[Alien Allen]

"Because being moderate automatically excludes one from being a member."

Where did you get that from? The Taliban isn't a club, that you can join and leave whenever you wish. That's how you are making it out to be, with this statement mainly. Here is a definition for "moderate" in political terms on Wikipedia:



Obviously there are other terms, and definitions for the word "moderate". So, my point is that there could, and obviously are moderate Taliban. Just like, as I said before, you can class people as being moderate Christians, and so on. It's the same principle.

one is a member of a religion are they not? That was what I meant. And the Taliban is based on the strictest leaning of the Muslim faith. Do you know what the Taliban is?? There is no room for moderates in that group.

 

[flipx]

one is a member of a religion are they not? That was what I meant. And the Taliban is based on the strictest leaning of the Muslim faith. Do you know what the Taliban is?? There is no room for moderates in that group.

Nope, but I get what you meant. You're seriously asking me if I know what the Taliban is? *sighs*
There is no president, or leader of the Taliban, they are scattered over a vast amount of land. People who have been raised to follow the Taliban, have obviously had a change of view, or opinions in some sort of way. Or they do not agree with what the Taliban does, but they do not have the courage to speak up, or act upon leaving the Taliban. So they're still known as being a part of it, but they're aren't really in a sense. There are many possibilities for these people to become a 'moderate' of the Taliban, try and open your mind and think about it a bit.
If US and British soldiers are talking with these moderates of the Taliban, then they must exist in my opinion. Each to their own though.

 

[Alien Allen]

Nope, but I get what you meant. You're seriously asking me if I know what the Taliban is? *sighs*
There is no president, or leader of the Taliban, they are scattered over a vast amount of land. People who have been raised to follow the Taliban, have obviously had a change of view, or opinions in some sort of way. Or they do not agree with what the Taliban does, but they do not have the courage to speak up, or act upon leaving the Taliban. So they're still known as being a part of it, but they're aren't really in a sense. There are many possibilities for these people to become a 'moderate' of the Taliban, try and open your mind and think about it a bit.
If US and British soldiers are talking with these moderates of the Taliban, then they must exist in my opinion. Each to their own though.

My mind is open Flip. I know it appears otherwise. But the Taliban consists of those who have the strictest interpretation of Sharia Law ever seen in the Muslim world. They have a hatred for the West. The only way working with moderates who no longer are Taliban will work is if they over throw the Taliban and rid the region of that evil which treats women like dog meat. If that is your end game then I am all for it. But if your thinking these moderates can convince the Taliban to ease up in their practices I see that as a non starter.