Taliban reading the papers, offering wish list?

The latest statement/commentary on the Taliban’s Voice of Jihad English-language web site [click here for copy at Scribd.com] shows that the Taliban info-machine is reading the papers.

In painting the US as the bully in the neighborhood, not just in Afghanistan, the Taliban draw the eye to current news stories such as concerns about how information collected by private contractors in Pakistan and Afghanistan was being used:

…. [N]o one can say America wants peace in Afghanistan. They have hidden and long-term colonialist objectives, not only in Afghanistan but in the whole region. By using Afghanistan as outpost, Washington wants to follows its policy of expansionism, regime change and disintegration in the neighboring countries. No doubt, America has been flaring up racial discord and religious differences among the people in Afghanistan and the neighboring countries. CIA agents and black water operatives have been given task to destabilize the region as per the long-term American strategy. Those who express common cause with America, should know that Washington would never become their strategic friend. Rather it is a tactical ally which wants to use them against their own people for its colonialist objectives and then discard them as it has done this in the past …. The world still has to know that the war started under the name of terrorism is, in fact, an illegitimate war of neo-colonialism, being waged for subjugation of the Afghans and all free people.

The Taliban also allude to recent reports of incidents involving ISAF special forces in Afghanistan (like this and this). Note my highlights below:

There, innocent prisoners are tortured, killed by the Special Force and drowned in Helmand River and other rivers in Afghanistan during the night, with their hands being tied up, without any legal verdict of court. The Americans are committing gross violation of human rights in Afghanistan. However, no one, including the human rights advocacy entities all over the world, raise their fingers because all these are done under the name of promoting democracy and fighting terrorism.

However, even Amnesty International says that General McChrystal’s recent move to bring SF more clearly under ISAF control is a step in the right direction.

The latest Taliban screed also includes what might be considered a ‘wish list’ [emphasis below mine]:

If America really wants peace in Afghanistan, they should draw up a national strategy of reconciliation,; stop blind bombardment and night raids; release innocent prisoners and remove the blacks list, send black water and CIA agents back home from Afghanistan and close down all secret prisons in American military bases in Afghanistan which are run by intelligence teams of the Special Force.

What’s missing here is the Taliban’s standard condition that all foreign troops leave before any talks can happen, as well as a more recent call to pull some bad guys’ names from the UN’s blacklist.

Still, isn’t a wish list a good sign if you want to talk to the Taliban? But let’s not forget that the Taliban still say they’re not willing to lay down arms to show good faith.

Bottom line: So far, the Taliban info-machine has offered a lot of ‘want’ and not much firm or detailed ‘give.’

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2 Comments

  • Danny says:

    Wow somebody is stuck in the 80s confusing America for Russia. The jihadi trash talk makes them look really pathetic. losers all…

  • Isn’t the worrying aspect of this the similarity to Pres. Karzai’s recent comments on the U.S. in Afghanistan? Together with his embrace of Ahmedinejad during the Iranian presiden’ts recent visit, he seems to be suggesting that national reconciliation might give him other options, too.

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