This past weekend, President Obama expressed an openness to talking to so-called “moderate” members of the Taliban. Unfortunately, the President to reach out to these “moderates” will fail. The Afghan insurgency is being run by Taliban leaders who are loyal to Mullah Mohammed Omar. Most of these leaders are on the US Military’s list of most wanted terrorists in Afghanistan. If there is such a thing as a moderate member of the Taliban, such a person is not in control of anything within the movement.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai spoke positively of Mr. Obama’s comments because he has been trying this himself. Karzai has failed to make any progress, despite his repeated offers over the past several years to engage with “moderates”.
Taliban expert, Waheed Mozhdah said, “Obama’s comments resemble a dream more than reality.” Mozhdah asks, “Where are the so-called moderate Taliban? Who are the moderate Taliban” I’ll answer him, they don’t exist!
Another Afghan analyst, Qaseem Akhgar says “’Moderate Taliban’ is like ‘Moderate killer’. Is there such a thing?” I guess a “moderate” Taliban member will only blind a woman for learning to read, as opposed to stoning her to death. Or, maybe, he’s the guy who only wants to enslave the infidels as opposed to beheading them.
The Taliban are very rigid in their demands. They have repeatedly said that they will not negotiate until their principal demand has been met. And what is that principal demand – the expulsion of all foreign troops, especially Western forces, from Afghanistan. So far, Mullah Omar has given us no reason to doubt him. When he says he won’t negotiate, I’m inclined to believe him.
Maybe the President’s decision to reach out to these “moderates” is aimed at appeasing our European allies. They seemed to be increasingly disillusioned with the conflict in Afghanistan. Of course, with the exception of the British, the Canadians and the Dutch, the rest of the NATO allies have done virtually nothing to aid our efforts in the conflict.
A repeated theme here at RSP over the past several weeks has been the projection of weakness by the current administration. With this new attempt to negotiate with zealots who desire to kill all of the infidels, the President has done it once again. As opposed to showing American strength and resolve to Islamic extremists, Mr. Obama wants to have tea with those who would slit his throat just for being a Christian.
This whole plan of talking to Mullah Omar’s disciples reminds me of another US foreign policy dilemma about 30 years ago. Back then, an American President decided to let another Muslim holy man take power. This holy man was named Ayatollah Khomeini. That US President decided that the Ayatollah could be trusted because he was a man of God. Unfortunately, this was a decision that still haunts us over thirty years later. Much to my disappointment, it appears that John McCain was right, Barack Obama was running for Jimmy Carter’s second term.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai spoke positively of Mr. Obama’s comments because he has been trying this himself. Karzai has failed to make any progress, despite his repeated offers over the past several years to engage with “moderates”.
Taliban expert, Waheed Mozhdah said, “Obama’s comments resemble a dream more than reality.” Mozhdah asks, “Where are the so-called moderate Taliban? Who are the moderate Taliban” I’ll answer him, they don’t exist!
Another Afghan analyst, Qaseem Akhgar says “’Moderate Taliban’ is like ‘Moderate killer’. Is there such a thing?” I guess a “moderate” Taliban member will only blind a woman for learning to read, as opposed to stoning her to death. Or, maybe, he’s the guy who only wants to enslave the infidels as opposed to beheading them.
The Taliban are very rigid in their demands. They have repeatedly said that they will not negotiate until their principal demand has been met. And what is that principal demand – the expulsion of all foreign troops, especially Western forces, from Afghanistan. So far, Mullah Omar has given us no reason to doubt him. When he says he won’t negotiate, I’m inclined to believe him.
Maybe the President’s decision to reach out to these “moderates” is aimed at appeasing our European allies. They seemed to be increasingly disillusioned with the conflict in Afghanistan. Of course, with the exception of the British, the Canadians and the Dutch, the rest of the NATO allies have done virtually nothing to aid our efforts in the conflict.
A repeated theme here at RSP over the past several weeks has been the projection of weakness by the current administration. With this new attempt to negotiate with zealots who desire to kill all of the infidels, the President has done it once again. As opposed to showing American strength and resolve to Islamic extremists, Mr. Obama wants to have tea with those who would slit his throat just for being a Christian.
This whole plan of talking to Mullah Omar’s disciples reminds me of another US foreign policy dilemma about 30 years ago. Back then, an American President decided to let another Muslim holy man take power. This holy man was named Ayatollah Khomeini. That US President decided that the Ayatollah could be trusted because he was a man of God. Unfortunately, this was a decision that still haunts us over thirty years later. Much to my disappointment, it appears that John McCain was right, Barack Obama was running for Jimmy Carter’s second term.
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