Horizon
11-17-2008, 03:25 PM
President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan has offered to provide security for the Taleban's reclusive leader, Mullah Omar, if he agrees to peace talks.
Mr Karzai made the offer despite the multi-million dollar bounty offered for the militant leader's capture by the United States.
He said that if the US and other Western countries disagreed, they could either leave the country or remove him.
There was no immediate response to Mr Karzai's offer from the militants.
Mullah Omar escaped capture when the Taleban were ousted from power in 2001.
Correspondents say there is a growing international debate about whether to negotiate with the Taleban as the insurgents make gains in Afghanistan.
Speaking at a news conference in the Afghan capital Kabul, Mr Karzai said:
"If I hear from him [Mullah Omar] that he is willing to come to Afghanistan or to negotiate for peace... I, as the president of Afghanistan, will go to any length to provide him [with] protection.
"If I say I want protection for Mullah Omar, then the international community has two choices: remove me, or leave if they disagree. And both are good.
"If I am removed in the cause of peace for Afghanistan by force by them, then I'll be very happy. But if they disagree they can leave. But we are not in that stage yet."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7732301.stm
No one picked the article?? I recognize the man has grandeur to say remove me; I think he is honest, but maybe not the right man to rule Afghanistan, even if one government could rule Afghanistan ever.It must be extraordinary difficult to be the President and have people confidence when your foreign allies kills civilians by dozen, indiscriminately, when your government of compromises entice corruption at state scale.
One gonna say that fighting an insurgency collateral fatalities may happen, I would say yes, but not every two weeks with 20 to 40 killed by...mistake.
What about the use of F/A-18 Hornets and other multi-role fighter jets for close air support, I don't think this type of combat platform is adapted to COIN operations, or chasing tangos on foot...for this work you don't need MACH speed, but you need very good visibility, low speed and patience, like the AV 10 Bronco; the US used COIN aircrafts in Vietnam, with success, but in this war the US has no methods.
This war will not be win by massive superior technology, but by the side who has the most will, motivation, and warrior spirit; the coalition spirit is down, with false ideas like the lacks of military hardware, not enough troops, and so on.Everyday soldiers are filled with debilitating feelings, this armor will protect you better, don't engage until you have CAS, helos, reinforcements, be wise, don't go out it's risky etc.Talibans just act, they do war without MEDEVAC, body armor, TVs, Playstation, they are efficient with what they have on hands, no access to high-tec weaponry? no problem DIY lethal weapons, they die? another one rise and continue the fight, something to loose? not much, what can be more exiting that fighting in your own country to repulse the invaders, add it high spirit and religion fervor and you have that explosing mix, who ruins our dreams of a "pacified" Afghanistan.
Mr Karzai made the offer despite the multi-million dollar bounty offered for the militant leader's capture by the United States.
He said that if the US and other Western countries disagreed, they could either leave the country or remove him.
There was no immediate response to Mr Karzai's offer from the militants.
Mullah Omar escaped capture when the Taleban were ousted from power in 2001.
Correspondents say there is a growing international debate about whether to negotiate with the Taleban as the insurgents make gains in Afghanistan.
Speaking at a news conference in the Afghan capital Kabul, Mr Karzai said:
"If I hear from him [Mullah Omar] that he is willing to come to Afghanistan or to negotiate for peace... I, as the president of Afghanistan, will go to any length to provide him [with] protection.
"If I say I want protection for Mullah Omar, then the international community has two choices: remove me, or leave if they disagree. And both are good.
"If I am removed in the cause of peace for Afghanistan by force by them, then I'll be very happy. But if they disagree they can leave. But we are not in that stage yet."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7732301.stm
No one picked the article?? I recognize the man has grandeur to say remove me; I think he is honest, but maybe not the right man to rule Afghanistan, even if one government could rule Afghanistan ever.It must be extraordinary difficult to be the President and have people confidence when your foreign allies kills civilians by dozen, indiscriminately, when your government of compromises entice corruption at state scale.
One gonna say that fighting an insurgency collateral fatalities may happen, I would say yes, but not every two weeks with 20 to 40 killed by...mistake.
What about the use of F/A-18 Hornets and other multi-role fighter jets for close air support, I don't think this type of combat platform is adapted to COIN operations, or chasing tangos on foot...for this work you don't need MACH speed, but you need very good visibility, low speed and patience, like the AV 10 Bronco; the US used COIN aircrafts in Vietnam, with success, but in this war the US has no methods.
This war will not be win by massive superior technology, but by the side who has the most will, motivation, and warrior spirit; the coalition spirit is down, with false ideas like the lacks of military hardware, not enough troops, and so on.Everyday soldiers are filled with debilitating feelings, this armor will protect you better, don't engage until you have CAS, helos, reinforcements, be wise, don't go out it's risky etc.Talibans just act, they do war without MEDEVAC, body armor, TVs, Playstation, they are efficient with what they have on hands, no access to high-tec weaponry? no problem DIY lethal weapons, they die? another one rise and continue the fight, something to loose? not much, what can be more exiting that fighting in your own country to repulse the invaders, add it high spirit and religion fervor and you have that explosing mix, who ruins our dreams of a "pacified" Afghanistan.