Posted on 05/15/2010 3:15:39 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
RIYADH (AFP) – An "inept" United States cannot fix Afghanistan's problems and should simply focus on "chasing the terrorists" there, former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki al-Faisal said on Saturday.
The ex-ambassador to the United States also challenged Washington to produce results in just-started Middle East peace talks, and accused US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton of undermining efforts to make the region nuclear-free.
In a speech in Riyadh before diplomats, Turki said US-led NATO troops had irrevocably alienated the Afghan people and had no hope of rebuilding the country.
"What Afghanistan needs now is a shift from nation-building to effectively countering terrorists," Turki told the Arab News conference.
US President Barack Obama "should not be misdirected into believing that he can fix Afghanistan's ills by military means."
"Hunt down the terrorists on both sides of the Afghan-Pakistan border, arrest them or kill them, and get out, and let the Afghan people deal with their problems.
"As long as GI boots remain on Afghan soil, they remain targets of resistance for the Afghan people and ideological mercenaries."
Turki, who has long served a central role in Saudi-Afghan relations, scolded Washington's handling of relations with Kabul.
"The inept way in which this administration has dealt with President (Hamid) Karzai beggars disbelief and amazement.
"Both sides are now filled with resentment and a sour taste in their mouths," he said. "How can they both get out of that situation? I don't know."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Saudi Arabia's former intelligence chief Prince Turki al-Faisal delivers a speech during a conference in Riyadh. An "inept" United States cannot fix Afghanistan's problems and should simply focus on "chasing the terrorists" there, Turki said. (AFP/Hamad Olayan)
Wow - I agree with this guy.
Afghan shepards guide their sheep in the front of Camp Masoom Ghar in Panjwa'i district some 29km (18 miles) south-west of Kandahar City May 15, 2010. REUTERS/Nikola Solic (AFGHANISTAN - Tags: CONFLICT SOCIETY ANIMALS)
He’s right.
[The ex-ambassador to the United States also challenged Washington to produce results in just-started Middle East peace talks. . .]
“Results” aren’t the goal. The goal is the illusion of process.
Nuke firmly. Check for remaining moslems. Repeat
Once you have no more moslems. You have no more problem.
Uhm, I thought that the last time we left the Afghan’s alone to handle their own problems gave us AQ and Bin Laden. Seems to me the learned “prince” should focus on his wing-nut countrymen who fund AQ and STFU.
And exactly what have the Saudis ever accomplished in their entire history on this planet? When the oil runs out, they will have to revert to goat buggery as their only contribution to humankind.
Obama bows to this message.
Spot on.
Geeze. Truth is truth, no matter where it comes from.
When we first went to Afghanistan to chase out the Taliban - the Afghani's loved us - loved Americans since we helped get the Russians out - and they hated the Taliban who had taken over their country, destroyed the infrastructure and took them back to the stone age.
That first year, we kicked the Talibans butt - but after Tora Bora, when we stupidly let OBL escape, things started to unravel and have gotten worse each year.
With obyummer's new ROE of engagement he hung around our troops necks last year - resulting in big increase of losses of OUR SOLDIERS - which the admin even admitted ahead of time would happen under the new rules of engagement - things have really slid.
What needs to be done now is exactly what the Prince says - chase the Taliban out and let the Afghanis rebuild their country - however they want it.
Instead, we are now making treasonous deals with the Taliban, ceding whole provinces back to them, offering them big bucks - under the table - and getting ready to put in even stricter rules on our troops, guaranteed to kill more of OUR soldiers.
We have a Muslim sympathizer in the WH - it's killing our soldiers.
If a stray goat or a stray cow wanders into your camp - ummm - red meat!
Probably right. We should let the Afghanistan people "fix" their own Country. It is for sure that obama couldn't fix a burned-out light bulb without help and $7,000 of our money.
Generally the saudis are wealthy desert roaming goat lovers. Other than that, I believe they have their perspectives. Just what ever have they done for civilization?
What have they done? What have they DONE? ... They pump hundreds of millions into the gambling cities around the world, and keep ground crews busy servicing their many private jets. And you ask what have they done for civilization!
I agree
Ummm, actually , WE trained and equipped OBL against the Russians. Then we deserted the Afghanis and left them to the Taliban takeover. We should have ousted the Taliban then before deserting them.
That is the main reason we've had such a hard time this time - they don't trust us us not to pull out and leave them at the mercy of Taliban revenge if they help us. (Wonder why they don't trust us? Would we pull out and leave them to the Taliban???
See my next post for a live link of something we are now doing...
Why don’t the Afghanis trust us and cooperate more?
Why do they think we’ll pull out and leave them at the mercy of Taliban revenge?
Maybe because we’re famous for it?
Maybe because we’ve started it again?
(AND left the Taliban weapons and supplies, bases, bullets, mortars and missiles that they are killing our soldiers with?
Where’s the outrage? (What a slap in the face to our soldiers)
the truth
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WamBeYQeRvE
Not one more of their lives are worth loosing trying to help these people of making the move from the 16th century existence all the way to the 21st where we live.(You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.)
Bush was wrong.
Both of these wars should have been about revenge, taking out those that promoted, instituted, rewarded, celebrated and funded 911, while sending a message stating, “If you mess with the Bull you get the horn.”
All of the above could have been accomplished with out one single boot on the ground with minimal loss of our troops. We have the technology and the means, but sadly not the will.
The new commander in chief is denying pay increases to our troops while giving millions to HAMAS, billions to Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Let Japan, South Korea, Germany and the long list of others stand up to the plate and defend themselves.(don't worry about Israel, they have our backs, sadly we no longer have theirs.)
Bring all our troops home, protect our borders from the invaders and our enemies, both foriegn and domestic.
Not one more American Service Person should shed blood defending or saving any nation that is not willing to stand up and save themselves.
BTT, should make interesting conversation.
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