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Taliban to West: We Mean You No Harm

Group may be trying to sway Afghanistan strategy debate

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 8, 2009 11:00 AM CDT

(Newser) – With the US debating what to do in Afghanistan, the Taliban has announced it poses no threat to the West. “We did not have any agenda to harm other countries, including Europe, nor do we have such agenda today,” said a statement posted on Taliban websites. The group warned, however, that it was ready for a “prolonged war” if the West persisted in trying to “turn the country of the proud and pious Afghans into a colony.”

The statement may be a sign that the Taliban is reconsidering its relationship with al-Qaeda, or it may simply be an attempt to muddy the waters in the strategy debate over Afghanistan, the Guardian speculates. The statement added that those now being killed or displaced in Afghanistan "were not involved in the (9/11) events of New York."

U.S. forces speak with a local villager, during a joint Afghan-U.S. patrol in an area frequented by Taliban militants, in Nawa district, Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, Monday, Sept. 28, 2009.
U.S. forces speak with a local villager, during a joint Afghan-U.S. patrol in an area frequented by Taliban militants, in Nawa district, Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, Monday, Sept. 28, 2009.   (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)
Richard Bassett, the UN's chief Taliban watcher, believes Mullah Omar, seen in this file photo, would never allow al-Qaeda free rein again in Afghanistan because he blames them for provoking the war.
Richard Bassett, the UN's chief Taliban watcher, believes Mullah Omar, seen in this file photo, would never allow al-Qaeda free rein again in Afghanistan because he blames them for provoking the war.   (AP Photo/File)
New Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud, left, sits with his comrade Waliur Rehman during his meeting with media in Sararogha of Pakistani tribal area of South Waziristan, OCt. 4, 2009.
New Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud, left, sits with his comrade Waliur Rehman during his meeting with media in Sararogha of Pakistani tribal area of South Waziristan, OCt. 4, 2009.   (AP Photo/Ishtiaq Mehsud)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 4 comments
tran_tor
Oct 9, 2009 12:49 PM CDT
Genocide, ethnic cleansing, destruction of the Budda's at Bamyan, destruction of schools, destruction of art, museums, beatings, murders, ethnic police... all before harboring and helping bin laden attack the US. The Taliban are foreign to Afghanistan, and are not much more than thugs, bullies, an murders. And like most bullies, cry uncle when met with someone strong enough to stand up to them.
Enoughie
Oct 8, 2009 9:11 AM CDT
Yeah.. that 9/11 thing.. that was just a joke.. who knew that harboring terrorists could lead to a terror attack. I believe the US gave them an ultimatum in 2001 to hand over Osama and his friends, whatever happened to that? Oh, and as Islamic extremists, they have a duty to lie to the unbelievers (that's us, by the way...), so their credibility is not very high in my book.
Cprizzle
Oct 8, 2009 8:52 AM CDT
"And if you don't believe we don't mean your harm, we'll leave a roadside bomb for your troops."
Politics • US • World

 
Afghanistan • Taliban • al-Qaeda • Afghanistan war • 9/11 attacks

 
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