NATO's Afghan plan 'a sign of failure'...so says the Taliban

news.smh.com.au...


According to the Taliban, NATO's plan to begin to draw down its troops in anticipation of handing over (almost completely) control to local Afghan police and armed forces by 2014 is a "sign of failure" for the U.S. Government.

What it really is, is a sign of the failure of the Taliban's futile insurgency...although they continue to inflict random civilian and military casualties. NATO forces can now fairly confidently predict the pace at which they can:

1) Continue to increase the (relative) control of the security situation in the Country.
2) Train up and supply sufficient number of Afghan police, army and security forces to maintain control
3) Transfer combat and police control to these native forces

The Taliban are like some athletes who do not know when to retire. They had their shot...they murdered and terrorized the Afghan people while they had it - and then decided to try to export their brand of mayhem (bad call). They were ousted. Their time is past...thank God.

It is actually pretty funny. They lose the war, mount a puny resistance afterwards (and not a resistance that has the support of the people - is only in support of themselves)...and then when the victors say that soon it will be time to leave, and let the Afghan people run their Country again, they claim this as a victory.

Even the Taliban has spin doctors apparently.

When I hear stories like this I can't help but wonder if it's just propaganda, designed to make us want to languish in this quagmire indefinitely.
One of the reasons I say this is because for me, personally, and I'm sure for others as well, this elicits an emotional response in me. I don't want to 'lose', I don't want to them to 'win'.
A sure fire way to circumvent critical thinking on a subject is to present it in such a way as to make one process it on an emotional level.

reply to post by jlv70


I think you are right.

Also, likely, they are trying to build confidence...and a sense of purpose...in their followers, who they routinely send to their senseless deaths (in ridiculous un-winnable attacks on NATO bases, or homicide bombings). They can try to convey to these people that, although they will have sacrificed their lives to "the cause", at least they are on the winning side.

The Taliban leadership are sick and bloodthirsty savages...