Mullah Omar May Go Free

newsmax ^ | Nov. 25, 2001 | ap

[classygreeneyedblonde]

If Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar is captured as a result of a U.S. victory in the Afghan war, there's a chance he will be set free, America's top diplomat in the region admitted Sunday

He is one of those cases that will have to be looked at individually," said U.S. Ambassasdor Kenton Keith, spokesman for the Allied Coalition, in an interview with "Meet the Press" host Tim Russert

When Russert asked point blank whether the U.S. might deliberately "not apprehend Omar - someone who has in fact allowed Osama bin Laden to stay in Afghanistan all these years," Keith said

As I say, (there's) a case-by-case basis for examining and questioning these people. I'm sure that Omar is one of those who will be investigated thoroughly and I expect that he will be brought to justice

When asked to clarify what he meant by "brought to justice," Keith said, "It depends. It's an Afghan - Afghan situation. In the end this battle with the Taliban is an internal Afghan matter. Afghans have to solve it. They are looking at it on a case-by-case basis, we are told

Ambassador Keith also declined to speculate on whether Omar was a likely candidate for trial by a U.S. military tribunal as part of a plan announced by President Bush two weeks ago

It's an option for the president (but) he has not said he is going to use it," he told Russert.

[Doe Eyes]

From: Testimony of Ambassador Kenton Keith

Prior to taking up my current positions, I was a career Foreign Service Officer with the United States Information Agency. Much of my career was spent in the Middle East, including my appointment by President Bush in 1992 to be U.S. Ambassador to Qatar. Following that assignment, I headed USIA's area office that supervised all the agency's operations in the Near East and South Asia.

[tbeatty]

Relax. Just like all the Taliban Afghan's are freed (and some join the NA), Omar is an Afghan. It is in our interest that Afghanistan take care of him, not us. Afghanistan has a number of options: 1) Try him and execute him according to Islamic Law. 2) extradite him to us 3) exile him to another country 4) set him free.

I think #1 will be the overwhelming favorite. They need local political support to make this happen though. I think #2 is very unpalatable to Afghan's. #4 is also not very probable because of the trouble he could create. #3 is probably the second most likely scenario.

This is all assuming they take him alive. I suspect that he won't be.

[Dan Day]

You just lost a vote for sure now Mr. Bush!..

EVERYONE CALM DOWN, PLEASE

Note carefully what the guy actually said, versus the "spin" that THE REPORTER decided to put on it.

All he actually said was, "we'll look at each case individually." Period. That's diplomat-speak for "no comment, we don't want to tip our hand just yet".

It's only the reporter who decided to spin that into "so there's a chance we might decide to let him go, since you didn't flat-out say that he'd be hanged."

So, you may wonder, why would Keith not simply say, "he's a dead man" when asked? Because that only drives Omar and his follows further underground. Instead, speak more softly and let them think they might be treated as simple POWs, who could go home after the war's over, and perhaps they'll surrender, or at least relax and let down their guard a bit.

Relax, people... Keith did *NOT* say that we were going to let Omar off the hook. He just said that we'd "look at his case individually". Indeed we will...

[Eccl 10:2]

While insane on the surface, don't discount the possibility that this is one of those selective pieces of DIS-information that W and Rumsfeld mentioned earlier. "Sure, Omar, come on out. We won't hurt you! (Got him in your sights, Corporal? Fire when ready...)"

[Dengar01]

This Kenton Keith guy sounds like a bath house boy. Only concerned about his next date with his boyfriend. That's why we don't need a bunch of pansys running this gov't. They say stupid things and care more of their sick perverted desires than the good of the nation.

[Sabertooth]

Please tell me how Omar and OBL are related? It was Atef's daughter that OBL's son married, not Omar's.

True about OBL's son. However, I've also read (don't have the source at the moment, sorry) that OBL married one of Mullah Omar's daughters.

I suppose it's possible that some reporter confused the two, but I've seen this several places.

Tricky thing, polygamy.

[mlocher]

LOL!!! --- i will try not to sneeze when i am near him

[Mulder]

Much of my career was spent in the Middle East, including my appointment by President Bush in 1992 to be U.S. Ambassador to Qatar

Undoubtedly another brilliant (sacrasm) appointment by poppy Bush. Bill Reilly, David Souter, and now this guy.

[horsewhispersc]

Bottom Line is, We Will All Have To Sit Back Wait and See, will we not? ; )

[Native American Female Vet]

"When asked to clarify what he meant by "brought to justice," Keith said, "It depends. It's an Afghan - Afghan situation."

Afghan-Afghan Situation??!!!!

"In the end this battle with the Taliban is an internal Afghan matter. Afghans have to solve it. They are looking at it on a case-by-case basis, we are told "

Afghan internal matter??!!!!

[HP8753]

Spectre Gunship---AC-130...Operation Ventilated Turban should cure the problem of what to do with Mullah Omar.

[unamused]

Not to worry, this is just a state department lackey talking out of turn.

Actually, he might be telling the truth. I'm sure the NA will examine his case, on a "case by case" basis, and then execute him.

Ya' gotta' know, the fix is in...

[schaketo]

Anyone see Jack Nickolson in the "Shining" when he sticks his head through the partially open door and states .... Omy ain't goin' nowhere. Doublespeak - pure and simple. In your mind replace Jack's mug with a Green Beret peeking in the flap of the Ohm's main tent.

[Syncro]

Hay, some prettty good replies here, I think this is prettty much worked out now...

What bothers me is all of those Talibaners "defecting" to the NA...now how do they know if they are serious or are just saying "I bin Fighting (bin Fighting...a distant relative of bin (heavy) Laden) against you for years, but now that you're gonna kill me , can I be on your side?"

[MeekOneGOP]

If he is allowed to go free there will be the biggest outcry of injustice in this country never heard before. . .

I agree:

But I think that Team Bush will take care of business! ! !

[MeekOneGOP]

PS: Thanks for the post, you ClassyGreenEyedBlonde, you! ;-)

[spycatcher]

We can't show any mercy on them

[EggsAckley]

Afghan-Afghan Situation??!!!!

Precisely. I may be mistaken, but aren't most of the Taliban Pakistanis?

I actually don't believe Omar will get out of this alive.
Besides, Santa promised ME his glass eye for Christmas,
and we all know that Santa doesn't lie. ;o)