Ahamad Said, 14 April 2009

on: In Search of Moderate Taliban, by Martin Gerner

The philosophy and history of the Taliban suggests that bringing the hard core Taliban leadership into negotiations is the height of stupidity. First of all, the Taliban leadership understands that the Europeans will cut and run - even as they refuse to place their combat soldiers in combat. Secondly, the media has hyped the history of conflict in Afghanistan. No invader has ever subdued the Afghanistan people when, in fact, the people of Afghanistan don't want the Taliban to return to power (ABC/BBC poll). The Taliban will not change their basic philosophy, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand this. The Taliban will continue to fight because, in the long run, they don't believe that NATO has the will to win - and they are probably right.