What an IO goldmine for the Taliban……ending a war takes two just as a Tango does. By saying we are done it provides an opponent with victory. There is no other way to spin it. Now the questioning begins (as it should have. Lack of intelligence on Pashtu culture is the root cause of this war. If we had understood Pashtunwalli and the meaning of sanctuary we would have understood Omar's obligation to bin Laden. We didn't because it is not found in the classified enclaves of the intelligence
community….it is found on the many websites regarding Pashtuns and Afghanistan though.)
In Afghanistan, President Obama signals end to the war
WASHINGTON — Speaking to a war-weary nation from the epicenter of the fight against terrorism, President Obama signaled the end of what he called “a decade under the dark cloud of war.”
“This time of war began in Afghanistan, and this is where it will end,” Obama said before a backdrop of armored military vehicles and a draped U.S. flag at the Bagram air base.
Obama's address to the nation capped a surprise visit that coincided with the anniversary of the death of Osama bin Laden, a mission that has become an unexpected focal point in his campaign for reelection.
PHOTOS: Obama makes unannounced visit to Afghanistan
Phi Beta Iota: What DefDog forgets is that the Taliban offered to give up Bin Laden, but the Bush-Cheney regime refused that offer. Below are a few headlines to that effect. In retrospect, we now realize that the Taliban's demand for proof was one that Cheney could not accept because Cheney knew with precision that 9/11 was a controlled false flag operation for which Bin Laden was a patsy. Who would have thought we would one day consider the Taliban more honorable (at the time) than our own Administration? The core point is valid: the US went into Afghanistan ignorant, and leaves Afghanistan just as ignorant. The same was true of Viet-Nam. The ideologues in policy dismissed the educated views of the intelligence community in both instances. What we consider important is that between AF-IQ and Libya, this may well be the last tolerated invasion of any country by the US acting unilaterally. Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, and Venezuela — and many others, are now not only in a position to slam down on US acting up, but highly motivated to do so. The era of US carpetbagging is coming to an end, but the USG will be the last to realize this, and will destroy is domestic economy as a final desperate action.
See Also:
Al-Jazeera: Taliban offered to give up bin Laden before 9/11
Bush rejects Taliban offer to hand Bin Laden over
US Refusal of 2001 Taliban Offer Gave bin Laden a Free Pass
Book Reviews:
Empire, Sorrows, Hubris, Blowback (226)
Impeachment & Treason (123)
