CNN: OBAMA CONSIDERS TALKING WITH TALIBAN
In a drastic shift from U.S. policies regarding the Taliban in the past, President Obama has announced that he is open to talking to the more moderate elements of the Taliban. Part of the success in Iraq has been attributed to reaching out to the Sunni militant groups there and there may be some use for this tactic in the war-torn country of Afghanistan. Some people argue that Obama’s negative opinion of the way the war in Afghanistan is going will prevent others from joining the Americans in their fight against terrorists in the area. Others argue that the situation between the United States and the Taliban is not ripe for negotiations. During his campaign, Obama emphasized his willingness to negotiate and meet with America’s enemies.
Question to the Blogosphere: Do you think Obama should engage moderate elements of the Taliban? Do you think the war in Afghanistan is not being won by the US? What are the advantages and disadvantages of engaging “terrorist” elements? When has the United States engaged with their opponents like this in the past? Has it worked?
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No its not right thing to do. Reason : there is no difference between hard and soft talibans.Here i think Pakistan is the main Culprit. We need to take strong action against pakistan. Pakistan is NOT sincere and reliable country. There leaders are making business on terrorism.Once Pakistan started working properly with proper leaders (I don’t see any good leaders in that country) then only we can see the peace on the earth.
I love Obama but I really hope he isn’t serious about talking to the Taliban’s. I’m from Afghanistan and know this–Taliban’s do not understand negotiating. They want to win or lose. Afghan’s are use to violence. You have to literally put a gun to a Taliban’s head and say – “are you going to surrender?” – if they don’t–you kill them and move on to the next target.. We (U.S) are looking at the world through an American lens.
Not torture–just kill them. These guys aren’t going to come out with the cure to cancer or be a loving husband to their wives..
Afghan’s only respect force..
Hey … I’ve got an idea. After all I am a registered Republican. Lets do nothing and hope the Taliban goes away. That, apparently, is the tried and true preferred method of the GOP these days. OR … is it just the preferred method of the right-wing extremists controlling the GOP?
Absolutely positively NO!!!!
I am female and these are the “wonderful” examples of humanity who behead little girls for walking to school, torture women to death and force women to walk around in 110 degree heat dressed head to toe in black (that is when they are allowed out of the house!)
NO!!!!! They are not interested in finding common ground and getting along with other people, they want to subjugate all of us (and let me tell you, bub, the first one of those fools who tries to put me in a burkha will be walking very funny with it wedged up his a**!!)
Republican’s throwing Tea Parties will be the least of your worries, Mr. Obama, I’m a feminist, we have heels, makeup, frilly drawers and good imaginations!!
Who in their right mind thinks that they can negotiate with terrorists and islamo-facist extremists? Obama is every bit the hard line leftist I was afraid he’d be.
Absolutely not. To say that a moderate Taliban government is better than the Taliban we have come to know through the subjugation and utter contempt for women’s right to exist is like saying the Nazi Vichy government in France or Italy is better and friendlier than the Nazi party of Eastern Europe just because they killed less Jews, intellectuals, gays, gypsies, rogue priests, etc., et al, ad infinitum. No! President Obama should not differentiate between the two and he should not believe the softened rhetoric. Once we leave Afghanistan, a more extreme Taliban will rise and by then Americans are going to be less supportive of sending in troops just to protect women. Let’s get the job done and get it done right, no matter how long it takes. Some governments, political ideologies, and oppressive religious movements really can’t change, nor can our policy against them.
Yes Obama should engage the Taliban and if he can arrange it peacefully, I will fall on my knees before him. There are NO winners in war. I can’t imagine any disadvantages to an attempt to bring about peaceful resolution to conflict; I can only imagine disastrous consequences from continuing with threats of retaliation or doing nothing. Through the history of time, many conflicts, big and small have been handled with diplomacy. I see no harm in trying and I wish our country every success. Conflict resolution begins with understanding and compassion, those who fail to comprehend the simplicity of that statement need to think about how they have or have not brought successful resolution to their own personal conflicts. It all boils down to differences of value; these CAN and SHOULD absolutely be resolved without bloodshed.
Isn’t it about time someone talked to the lunatics? Maybe, just maybe not talking has done all this damage, you know the old school stuff, shoot to kill and ask questions later. Gunslinger mentality, all that has done is fill graveyards full of US soldiers, much much to young to have died. Its old men sending young men to their deaths. To bad there is no heaven or hell, because the young dead belong in a heaven and the old men who send them belong in a hell. Maybe Karma does exist, we can hope.