Afghan Taliban victory predicted in letter

[bemildred]

Source: LAT

Reporting from Kabul, Afghanistan, and New Delhi—

A message released Monday allegedly written by the leader of the Afghan Taliban predicted imminent victory as more foreign troops die and Taliban fighters better understand NATO tactics, acquire more weaponry, shoot down more aircraft and kill more senior officials.

The lengthy statement signed by Mullah Mohammed Omar, the movement's reclusive, one-eyed leader, follows President Obama's announcement in June that 10,000 American troops will leave this year.

The U.S. drawdown is part of an accelerated withdrawal by foreign troops ahead of a 2014 deadline for transferring security to the Afghans.

"All these give us good news of an imminent victory and a bright future," the letter said.



Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-afghan-taliban-20110830,0,917596.story

[brooklynite]

1. Well if it's in a LETTER...

..it MUST be accurate.

[xchrom]

2. Recommend

[bemildred]

4. I don't remember hearing from Mullah Omar lately.

Propaganda of the word never seemed to be his cup of tea.

Given the other piece about how Karzai sold us out for talking to the Taliban, and the cross border attacks, and the "spike" in violence this month, I start to wonder if something is up?

[GSLevel9]

3. will the final US soldiers leave via helicopter from the roof of the embassy in Kabul? nt

[ieoeja]

6. FYI: that Vietnam photo showed a South Vietnamese soldier boarding a South Vietnamese helicopter on

... the roof of a building *near* the American embassy. North Vietnam pulled back to allow Marines into Saigon to evacuate foreign nationals hours earlier. Just like the Marines have done in dozens of countries over more than a century.

And if you ever get a chance to look at the famous photo of the helicopter being pushed off the deck of the aircraft carrier, you can see the South Vietnamese flag and Vietnamese writing on the helicopter. What you will not see is the US flag (though I think there is some English lettering).

[GSLevel9]

8. thanks for the thoughtful response.

I'm going to go google it because I love learning new tidbits about history.

[placton]

5. it may take decades

but the Taliban will win - sorry, for all those dead people, babies, women, kids and other innocents

[RaleighNCDUer]

7. The Taliban will only be defeated when the people of Agfhanistan

rise up against them. They were close to ready to when we invaded, as is evidenced by how quickly they fell from power. But our occupation, with the raids, bombings and drone attacks, has done more to recruit for the Taliban than anything the Taliban itself could do.

After WW2, we didn't install 'our guy' to run Germany. We opened the country up to general election with the one caveat that no former Nazi officials could run. The formed their own government.

Had we done the same in Afghanistan, not installed Karzai but allowed elections for any non-Taliban contenders, we'd be in a whole different place today. But we didn't. The Taliban will eventually take over again. And one day, maybe a few years, maybe a generation from now, they will be overthrown.

We're delaying the inevitable.