Russia allying with the Taliban

news.yahoo.com...

Oh what a whacky ironic twist...its a natural......
Looks like the US may be hoist by its own petard....
What would the alliance look like im not sure...and aren't the Taliban Terrorists?
maybe not......
Sure does change the Afghanistan game a bit if its true...
Snippet from article:
U.S. intelligence officials looking for answers to that puzzle have found evidence of the most shocking aspect of the Kunduz offensive by far — Russia’s training, arming and support of elements of the Afghan Taliban, Islamic extremists who in many cases were members or are descendants of Moscow’s erstwhile enemy, the Afghan mujahideen.

a reply to: bandersnatch
While I at the present moment I may not find the thread, I remember a thread on ATS where the USA was saying it sees the Taliban in Afghanistan not as an enemy, but as a partner. Not so extreme anymore huh?

Here you go:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Taliban is a local word for "student".

US & USSR, or at least the men who call most literal shots in the establishments thereof, have been playing good cop bad cop with Afghanistan for a minute because:

China is more peopled than both combined and mightier in many respects, and its shotcaller caste like opium, which is made in Afhanistan. Wars ensure continued high production and drug pyramid stability.
Afghanis let this happen because USSR & US are alleged ذمّي. Which shotcallers may or may not be.

Is that not widely known by now? How many years and costs of war?

originally posted by: bandersnatch
news.yahoo.com...

Oh what a whacky ironic twist...its a natural......
Looks like the US may be hoist by its own petard....
What would the alliance look like im not sure...and aren't the Taliban Terrorists?
maybe not......
Sure does change the Afghanistan game a bit if its true...
n.

It's extremely down doubtful there is much help Russia can give the Taliban

They have played an ineffective hit and run game for nearly 15yrs

Russia could gift them at best outdated ammo and mines from there aging Soviet stock piles but it is extremely doubtful Russia can muster anything more than just propaganda and intelligence since its own forces are mothballed outdated and overworked just in minor skirmishes in Syria and Ukraine

All this is seriously impacting Russia's forces they're at the very limits of there capabilities, Russia cannot afford to sustain a full scale war let alone supply a bunch cavemen that ability

Its just serving as a dig at the west nothing more People who think this is significant or game changing really do need to pull there head out the sand and realize Russia isn't a superpower or a major military

It has the GDP of Italy and 90% of its military is outdated Soviet stock

Well, I think Russia is trying to rekindle its power by strengthening its ties with N. Africa and the Middle East.

This could be a real game changer.....I think you underestimate what the Taliban could do with a small supply of grails...

Russia has had ties with the Taliban for a long time. There is a major drug pipeline coming from Afghanistan and pumping heroin into Russia, as well as other CIS states. This, of course, is not officially sanctioned by Russia's government, but there is a lot of money tied up in this pipeline, as well as the other direction, from Russia to Afghanistan, which supplies weapons and military equipment.

The weapon and drug trade between Russia and the Taliban has going on for ages. It's common knowledge, despite the whole Taliban rising up against Soviet occupiers thing.

“When the Russians can poke a stick in the eye of the United States and NATO and the costs aren’t perceived as too high, they will do so because, frankly, it makes them feel good,” Simes told Yahoo News.

This, right here, is what pisses me off. Goddamn American arrogance. It "makes them feel good" - what BS is that? Do Americans really, honestly believe that Russia is doing things that the US doesn't like purely because they get a kick out of it?

As a non-American I find American media hopelessly biased and filled with misinformation, propagating the whole "USA is the greatest" mentality. Of course, every country's media is biased, but at least we don't have the ridiculous idea that our country is God's gift to the world shoved down our throats. Are Americans aware of what their media is doing?

Russia is not doing things just to annoy America for christ's sake. They do actually have a strategy. They do actually have reasons for doing the things they do and I assure you, their actions do not revolve entirely around the US.

I mean seriously, doesn't it occur to you guys that the reason Russia has a lot of dealings with Central Asia and the Middle East is because of their geographical location and all the trade routes? Look at a map.

And the Taliban are primarily focused on Afghanistan. They don't want the Islamic State.


Of course, every time someone objects to something that Americans believe....

a reply to: bandersnatch

ISIL are killing more Taliban than the US coalition did in a decade, that's why there's a common ground. The Taliban didn't do 9/11.

a reply to: Volchitsa

This^. You get it, good post!

It would make sense that Russia would side with the taliban, as America is Al-Qaeda. Al-Qaeda stands for database, or literally in this use 'database of operatives the CIA used in the Afghan War against Russia'. America is Al-Qaeda and Bin Laden and you say Russia is the taliban, it would make sense.

a reply to: tortureforlife

Al-Qaeda means 'the base'... and that base is crumbling...

a reply to: tortureforlife

It would make sense that Russia would side with the taliban, as America is Al-Qaeda.

No the US isn't Al Qaeda, but feel free to show us the evidence to back your claim.

Al-Qaeda stands for database, or literally in this use 'database of operatives the CIA used in the Afghan War against Russia'.

No it stands for foundation or can be used to mean base...it has nothing to do with database.

Al-Qaeda (/ælˈkaɪdə/ or /ˌælkɑːˈiːdə/; Arabic: القاعدة‎ al-qāʿidah, Arabic: [ælqɑːʕɪdɐ], translation: "The Base", "The Foundation" or "The Fundament" and alternatively spelled al-Qaida, al-Qæda

en.wikipedia.org...

But I guess it's easier to just say that Al Qaeda is the US than it is to do any research.

This puts in a different perspective the Kunduz incident with the MSF's hospital.

a reply to: TritonTaranis

Not according to Stratfor analysis. They say it is rapidly developing in military capacities for years. They sell the old Soviet stuff to Africa and the Middle East.

a reply to: bandersnatch

Talk about pre-war propaganda. That is just pure silly of them to say. I almost laughed when I seen that headline.

Its true the ISIL are the enemies of both.......
I can see Russia turning the trick as we did to them.....
The Taliban would appreciate the arms.....and they've got dope to sell probably.....would be easy for the FSB to penetrate .............

Well lets not forget who funded and armed the Taliban.
It was Ronald Reagan remember? Remember Ronald Reagan whom brought up the freedom fighters to the white house?
Its rather comical to see today's politicians deny that they had supported them but they did.

originally posted by: wisvol
Taliban is a local word for "student".

US & USSR, or at least the men who call most literal shots in the establishments thereof, have been playing good cop bad cop with Afghanistan for a minute because:

China is more peopled than both combined and mightier in many respects, and its shotcaller caste like opium, which is made in Afhanistan. Wars ensure continued high production and drug pyramid stability.
Afghanis let this happen because USSR & US are alleged ذمّي. Which shotcallers may or may not be.

Is that not widely known by now? How many years and costs of war?

You have a new point there. China and opium? Interesting. Sounds believable, but could you elaborate and perhaps find some sources (even if they are not MSM)?

a reply to: Kokatsi

Gladly.

link

England admittedly starts the whole business, then relies on the colonies to carry on. Opium is highly addictive and the chemical basis for a lot of US pharmaceuticals. The good stuff is shipped to China anyway.

You said sources plural. Britannica is a good start.

Edit to add: who is who's sub in a drug deal? the one with the paper or the one with the drugs? Yea.

Ever heard of the Khun Sa?
Golden triangle?
China has lots of opium sources close to home....
Hong Kong used to be the world opium trade center....
Now maybe not so much.....