December 5, 2009
The Taliban's Response to Obama Afghanistan Policy
President Obama's speech this week to the nation about his "plan" for the war in Afghanistan doesn't please very many in this country. Apparently, it doesn't impress the enemy either.
It took a day to get the translation done, but the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban) now has a response. It is a warning for America: Get ready to die.
Here is the Obama "plan" as outlined Tuesday evening:
1. Rather than 40,000 troops surged to the war zone as his general recommends, Obama will "dribble" in 30,000 over the next twelve months. Why only 30,000? We weren't told.2. As soon as the 30,000 extra troops are finally on the ground in Afghanistan next year, Obama intends to begin withdrawing them. Why? Because he says so.
Obama's plan to increase troop levels in Afghanistan has withering support from dithering Democrats like Nancy Pelosi and Anna Eshoo, and certainly not from foaming-at-the-mouth antiwar groups like Code Pink. Many Republicans fret that the "plan" is yet another half-gassed, half-a****-war à la Bush-1 and Bush-2.
The non-profit counterterrorism organization "Nine-Eleven Finding Answers" Foundation (NEFA Foundation) has obtained, translated, and transcribed a statement from the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, which has been issued in response to President Obama's directive on the Afghanistan war.
The unsigned statement is chillingly insightful and threatening. Full text here.
Here are some excerpts:
The essence of the strategy shows that the needs and wants of the American people have been overlooked during the framing of this strategy and it has been formulated under the pressure of (Army) Generals in the Pentagon, the American Neo-conservatives and the wealthiest few in America and for the protection of their interests. Hence it is a strategy of colonialism....He wants to lessen the sensitivities of the Afghans about the surge of 30,000 troops through the ploy of ostensibly starting troops' withdrawal in 2011. He also intends to decrease the opposition of the American public (to the troops surge) and encourage his international Allies to send more troops. But this stratagem will not pay off.1. The reinforcement will result in (their) fatalities....2. Throughout the history of Afghanistan, the Afghans have not been subjugated through deceits, ploys, materials power, troop reinforcement and military might of the foreigners. Therefore, the reinforcement of the American troops and other tactics will not have impact on the status quo. But the reinforcements will provide better opportunities for the Mujahedeen to launch offensives. On the other hand, it will deepen the crisis of the American economy which is already in shambles.3. Obama's assertion to increase and train more soldiers and police for the Kabul Administration is pointless and not result-oriented....4. We neither have bases in Pakistan nor do we need such bases outside Afghanistan. We have control over vast swathes of land in the country and do not face any problem about our activities and residence...5. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has frequently said that we have no intention of harming any one. Therefore, the presence of foreign invading forces in Afghanistan has nothing to do with the security of the world. Obama sometimes calls this war, a war of necessity; sometimes he calls it a war for the defense of the West and some times, a war being waged for the security of the world.They raise the issue of our residing in Pakistan in order to distract the attention (of the world) from our capability and strong resistance in Afghanistan...."6. The Mujahedeen of the Islamic Emirate have worked out a vast strategy and prepared for strong resistance ....The Mujahedeen have high morale and complete readiness and believe that Obama's new strategy will fail like it did previously. It will face fiasco.We deem it necessary to remind the American rulers if you persist in your aggressive policy, America will end up being disintegrated itself, instead of maintaining the occupation in Afghanistan....We want to point out that the Muslim people of Afghanistan want to lay down their lives and properties willingly but are never ready to give up their faith and freedom.... you must wait a more severe reaction in the years to come.
It does seem our enemies in Afghanistan understand us much better than we understand them.
The English-language website of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan announces that the following has happened in the past forty-eight hours in Afghanistan:
Twelve U.S. soldiers were killed yesterday when two U.S. military tanks were ambushed near the Zormandah area of Khugiano district.
Three soldiers were killed in a surprise attack on a NATO patrol near the capital of Murghab district in Badghis province.
Eighteen Afghan and foreign soldiers were killed and "dozens" injured in Kandahar as they searched a home for suspects in a previous bombing incident.
Jane Jamison is publisher of the conservative news and commentary blog, uncoverage.net.