Taliban vow to fight US troop surge in Afghanistan

BBC News ^ | 12/2/09 | BBC

[NormsRevenge]

The Taliban say they will step up their fight in Afghanistan, after pledges by the US and its allies to send large reinforcements to the country.

A Taliban commander told the BBC that if more US troops came, more would die.

US President Barack Obama, announcing a long-awaited strategy on Tuesday, said another 30,000 American troops would be deployed quickly in Afghanistan.

Defence Secretary Robert Gates told the US Congress that curbing the Taliban was essential for regional security.

Speaking to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Mr Gates stressed that the US goal in Afghanistan and Pakistan was to defeat the al-Qaeda network - and to do that, the Taliban must be pushed back.

"Failure in Afghanistan would mean a Taliban takeover of much, if not most, of the country and likely a renewed civil war," he said.

"Taliban-ruled areas could in short order become, once again, a sanctuary for al-Qaeda as well as a staging area for resurgent militant groups on the offensive in Pakistan."

He said the first of the new US troops could hit the ground in Afghanistan in two to three weeks.

"Beginning to transfer security responsibility to the Afghans in summer 2011 is critical - and, in my view achievable," he said.

Senator John McCain, the senior Republican on the committee, said he backed Mr Obama's decision to deploy more troops but not the announcement of an "arbitrary date" for their withdrawal.

[NormsRevenge]

A Taliban militant brandishes a rocket lancher in Kandahar a few weeks before the start of the US-led invasion in 2001. The Taliban has vowed to step up resistance and fight against the extra 30,000 American troops US President Barack Obama has ordered to Afghanistan, a spokesman said. (AFP/File/Banaras Khan)

[NormsRevenge]

VIDEO - US Marines driving along the Bhuji Bhast Pass in remote southwest Afghanistan dodge improvised explosive devices at every turn in what is effectively a Taliban corridor. Duration: 02:39 (AFPTV / US Marines handout/C. Truscott)

[Puppage]

Taliban vow to fight US troop surge in Afghanistan

Well, they only have to do that until July 2011.

[NormsRevenge]

British soldiers conduct a patrol outside Kandahar Air Field in 2006. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says US allies are ready to send at least 5,000 reinforcements to Afghanistan after President Barack Obama's decision to begin a troop surge. (AFP/File/John D Mchugh)

[fortheDeclaration]

and likely a renewed civil war," he said.

That is coming as soon as we pull out, no matter when we pullout.

[doodad]

We need to start by choking their supply and dealing harshly with the suppliers. I suspect Iran and that 0 will do nothing.

[Cobra64]

"Hey Sasha I know that guy... we went to school together!"

[Pistolshot]

We could end this TOMORROW with one threat if we weren't so damn PC.

"All your villages, men, women, children, your crops, and cattle will be rained on with pig fat, pig blood and pig entrails if you don't give up the Taliban or Al Queda in your region."

[dashing doofus]

Or, they can just dig in and hide until then. If they hide, and violence declines, Obama will read a speech from his ObamaPrompter and claim that his plan was brilliant and it worked.

But then the Taliban will be back running things.

[subterfuge]

A Taliban commander told the BBC that if more US troops came, more would die.

Was the Tall-ee-bon (obama's pronunciation) commander in the BBC studios with the reporters, or is he one of them?

[CommerceComet]

Or, they can just dig in and hide until then.

Or they could go on vacation in Somalia or the Sudan until then and kill a bunch of unarmed Christian infidels.

[FrankR]

"...Tall-ee-bon (obama's pronunciation) ..."

Well, if anyone knows the native pronounciation, it's barrack HUSSEIN obama...ummm, mmmm, mmmmm.

After all, islam is "one of the world's great religions"...from his lips to our ears.

[dashing doofus]

Yes. Our Stooge Commander in Chief has given many options to our advesaries.

Maybe next he will announce when and where the Marines will begin their patrols. He apparently wants to make this a fair fight, and after 18 rounds (months) the fight will end no matter what.

[dashing doofus]

Minor point of clarification: From Axelrod’s lips, to Obama’s Teleprompter, to Obama’s lips, and then to our ears.

[org.whodat]

Well, they only have to do that until July 2011, then we will have victory, piece with dignity, well at least the roof tops are not very high when the helicopter lift off comes.

[org.whodat]

Or they could go on vacation in Somalia or the Sudan until then and kill a bunch of unarmed Christian infidels.

Cheap vacation rates and a lot of vacant rooms in Dubai and thousands of targets of opportunity. And they can ski, and the food will not give them the runs.

[RedwM]

Obama put a target on our troops backs with his timeline. If you’re an Afghan cop or anyone that cooperated with us in any way is your life gonna be worth spit once we leave. We can’t leave until we kill every taliban and al queda. Do you think that’s gonna happen? Bad move Obie

[tongue-tied]

While I appreciate your analogy, I'd settle for unencumbered ROE.

Scrap the stupid Miranda Rights, scrap the can't fire upon unless fired upon, scrap the cannot attack mosques without direct attacks BS.

If there is evidence of weapons in mosques, destroy them.
If you feel threatened, and cannot see "all of their hands" then fire.
If you are fired upon from a village, destroy it.
And damned sure quit reading rights to battlefield combatants. Kill them.