Taliban Writes Letter to Congress

'Your military leaders are lying,' states missive
By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 8, 2010 2:00 AM CST
Updated Nov 8, 2010 6:25 AM CST
Taliban Writes Letter to Congress
An Afghan girl watches as US Marines walk by.   (AP Photo/Dusan Vranic)

In a brazen bid to squeeze the US out of Afghanistan, the Taliban has written its first "open letter" to Congress detailing why America "can't win" the war. Letter author and Taliban spokesman Qari Mohammad Yousaf Ahmadi called on Congress to send a fact-finding mission to Afghanistan. The letter, sent to US media outlets, is an indication of how much attention the Taliban pays to American current affairs, including the fallout from the midterm elections, notes the Wall Street Journal. It presents "another side of the coin" of the Afghan war, "different from the one which is submitted to you by your generals," the letter states.

Instead of "pondering over their mistakes, your military officers are bent on continuing the war," the lengthy letter adds. "They irresponsibly give you distorted information about a losing war, trying to conceal from you their failures." Much of the 2,300-word letter reiterates points the Taliban has made repeatedly, blaming the coalition government for continuing violence and denying the Taliban played any role in 9/11. There was no immediate response from congressional leaders. It wasn't clear if the open letter was sent to members of Congress, or simply to the media.
(More Taliban stories.)

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