During the Arab Spring, the Obama government knowingly handed over much of North Africa to Islamic fundamentalists -- in the name of democracy, of course. U.S. analysts warned that there were strong connections between the Libyan rebels fighting the Qaddafi regime and al-Qaeda, and intelligence agencies -- along with the government of neighboring Chad -- expressed concern that with Qaddafi gone, al-Qaedi would likely establish new bases in the southern deserts of Libya. Like the White House cared. In Egypt, the government that replaced Hosni Mubarak, thanks to U.S. intervention, is run by the Muslim Brotherhood, the organization that gave birth to both al-Qaeda and Hamas. Now it appears we will supply arms to the Syrian rebels, who also have strong ties with al-Qaeda -- the latest chapter in Obama's never-ending quest to help turn over as much of the Middle East to radical Islam as possible.
Last week, when Afghanistan's Taliban made peace overtures, the White House was thrilled. Perhaps Afghanistan could be made to go the way of Egypt and Libya and, soon, Syria! Of course this will be a bit more complicated. As of this month, 3,231 coalition soldiers have died in twelve years of fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. Of those, over 2,100 were Americans. In addition, there is a fairly stable and popular government in place in Kabul, run by one Hamid Karzai, who is no one's fool, least of all the American government's. And the other complication for the Obama administration is the fact that the Taliban are -- well, they are the Taliban. They are committed to ousting Karzai, regaining control of Aghanistan and, in a broader sense, the destruction of Israel and the infidel West. Case in point, a week after professing peaceful intentions, the Taliban launched suicide attacks in Kabul's Green Zone today, using land cruisers that resembled official vehicles, as well as fake badges and vehicle passes, in an attempt to destroy the presidential palace, defense ministry and the Ariana Hotel, which also happens to be the local headquarters of the CIA. The bombers didn't quite reach their targets, and there was about a half-hour of gunfire during which at least five people were killed. The Taliban proudly claimed responsibility for the assault. Last week, the two-faced Taliban had claimed to be interested in peace -- all the while no doubt planning today's attack on the heart of the Afghan government. When they opened up their office in Doha, Qatar, they put up a sign identifying it as the "Political Office of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan" and flew the black and white flag which had been their standard while they ruled over Afghanistan. Understandably, President Karzai was incensed, not least because the Obama administration had assured him that the Taliban office would only be used for peace negotiations -- not propaganda. Obviously the Taliban were acting as though there was a legitimate alternative government to the one he headed. The furor persuaded Qatar authorities to remove the flagpole, and the Taliban took down the sign. You see they are trying to act like reasonable human beings in hopes of getting the United States to pressure the Karzai government into accepting them as partners in the governance of Afghanistan. But they know, and Obama knows, and presumably Karzai knows, that it's all a sham. This week the U.S. special enjoy, James Dobbins, is over there trying to negotiate with all parties, including Afghanistan's High Peace Council, to meet in Qatar and forge some sort of peace. One has to wonder if the Taliban will launch suicide attacks on this peace conference, if it ever takes place. That would certainly be in character. The Taliban arose in northern Pakistan following the withdrawal of Russian forces from Afghanistan in 1990. They soon established control over Pashtun areas in both Pakistan and Afghanistan and in 1996 took Kabul and overthrew the regime of President Burhanuddin Rabbani. By 1998 they controlled 90% of the country.They enforced an extremely austere version of Sharia law and were regularly accused of human rights violations. They provided sanctuary for Osama Bin Laden and the al-Qaeda movement responsible for the 9/11 attacks on the United States. The Taliban regime fell in December 2001 to coalition forces, but its leader, Mullah Omar, evaded captive, as did Osama Bin Laden. Since then the Taliban has been engaged in a war of terror against the government and people of Afghanistan. Last year alone they killed 1,800 Afghan police and over 900 Afghan National Army soldiers. It boggles the mind that the White House would actually believe that the Taliban would peaceably coexist with the present Afghan government. And it would surprise me if Hamid Karzai thinks he can trust the Obama crowd, considering what it has wrought throughout the region. And most of all it would really surprise me if the people of Afghanistan have any interest in returning to life under the iron fist of the Taliban, the same bunch that once beheaded seventeen people who attended a party where music was played. Especially Afghan women, who were required to wear the burqa in public, were not allowed to work, and were not allowed to get an education past age eight. They were flogged or executed for violating Taliban law, and, according to Amnesty International, 80% of their marriages were forced. Over 2100 Americans didn't die just to root al-Qaeda out of Afghanistan, but to defeat the Taliban and keep the Afghan people free from it's tyranny. If we bring the Taliban back into power then we have betrayed the supreme sacrifice of those brave soldiers. When asked if he thought the Taliban were committed to peace talks, Envoy Dobbins replied, "I genuinely don't know." I know. |
The Taliban Won't Change
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