By FITSNews || Here we go again …
At a time when the war in Afghanistan is at a low ebb (despite a dramatic escalation in American involvment), U.S. spinmeisters are praising the capture of a “top Taliban militant” as a major victory in the war on terror(ism).
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, alleged to be the top Taliban military commander in Afghanistan, has been captured in Karachi, Pakistan – where it seems most of these terrorist types have been hanging out.
America hailed the capture of Mullah Baradar as a “crucial intelligence breakthrough,” similar to the “crucial intelligence breakthrough” that came in 2007 when another Taliban leader was busted.
Pardon our pessimism, but blah blah blah blah blah … BLAH!
We’ve heard all this crap before.
In fact, the following throwaway sentence from the BBC’s reporting of Baradar’s capture illustrates the fundamental problem:
… following Mullah Obaidullah’s arrest in the city of Quetta in 2007, Mullah Baradar emerged as the man in charge of the Taliban’s insurgency in Afghanistan.
See that?
You catch one of these bastards and another one pops up. In fact, things in Afghanistan have deteriorated dramatically since Mullah Obaidullah’s capture three years ago – which is one reason for America’s ramped up military presence in the region.
So … whatever happened to that last “crucial intelligence breakthrough?”
Also, no word yet on when the administration of Barack Obama plans to read Baradar his Miranda rights … you know, since enemy combatants are now given access to American justice.
Again, is this any way to fight a friggin’ war?
By countryboy February 16, 2010 at 1:43 pm
And our troops are fighting with a handicap due to the rules of engagement they are forced to adhere to, while the enemy can fight with no rules whatsoever.
By smart Kid Grant February 16, 2010 at 1:50 pm
mullah is a title, not a name. It means Muslim teacher or leader… look things up before you go on a rant about it…
By Pat Hendrix February 16, 2010 at 3:51 pm
Dude, if you think they are fighting with limited rules of engagement, like in Iraq, you don’t know anything about Afghanistan. It’s a free fire zone. Talk to some guys fighting in these operations.
In any event, only fits could piss on this news. Reminds me of the disappointment over the hostage taking in the Indian Ocean. Seriously, what’s the war you’re looking for? Nukes? Come on, this ain’t the redo of Red Dawn.
By dirtbogger February 16, 2010 at 3:56 pm
They want to hurry up and get that pipeline built
By Ed February 16, 2010 at 5:21 pm
Catching these big players is a new way to keep score in this “new” war. In Vietnam, the military leaders kept score with body counts. Yet, no matter how many we killed to give us the illusion of winning, more and more kept coming.
New leaders will always spring up to fight the invaders. To believe otherwise would put you in the camp of fools, alongside Bush and Obama.
By countryboy February 16, 2010 at 6:42 pm
Pat Hendrix – I didn’t pull that statement out of my ass, I got it from an AP story. Granted if the troops are in say the mountains and no civilians are near, it probably is a “free fire zone” as you call it. But when fighting near civilians, it is a different ball game for our people. This is especially true when our troops are fighting near civilians and need air support. Get a clue “Dude”.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_afghan_rigid_rules;_ylt=AuvvlJdZ3RkLQMRz5FkrLEes0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNlMGNnaTZlBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwMjE2L2FmZ2hhbmlzdGFuX3RhbGliYW4EY2NvZGUDbW9zdHBvcHVsYXIEY3BvcwMxBHBvcwM1BHB0A2hvbWVfY29rZQRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3J5BHNsawNyZWxhdGVk
By Catherine February 16, 2010 at 7:12 pm
My husbands FOB has been hit with multiple rockets for the last three days. And the powers that be won’t let the soldiers retaliate. So they are sitting ducks without the power to defend themselves. The current administration won’t withdraw the troops, AND the troops can’t defend themselves. Its complete bullshit.
By Liberty For Me February 16, 2010 at 10:40 pm
Fits….glad you are starting to get that this is all bullshit.
Really “billions” of dollars to fight these guys??…They are lucky to have sandals with no holes.This is about the same thing it is always about..MONEY and control.These politicians who say they bleed for the soldiers..Do you believe that they really care??Do you think Lindsey really makes speeches from his heart???PLEASE
By Mike at the beach February 17, 2010 at 12:51 am
Pat-
Your info is just dated…McChrystal dramatically clamped down of ROE months ago in order to reduce civilian casualties. He’s a specops guy and he knows that every baby or grandma we whack is good for two or three Tali or AQ recruits. “Free fire zones” are no more…
As for poo-pooing Baradar’s capture, two things:
Grabbing him was a real coup; period. Sure someone else will pop up (what, you thought they would quit?), but each time the replacement is a little less capable, a little experienced, and a little more leery of catching a Hellfire from a Predator drone on his way to the john. Further, the fact that ISI actually helped the Agency and grabbed this bastard in Pakistan is HUGE. Cooperation like that hasn’t happened much to date- it represents a real policy shift by Pakistan and may just swing this crappy little war our way.
By Ynotfirst February 17, 2010 at 7:22 am
And all this time I had been told Al Queda was ” the enemy”
By countryboy February 17, 2010 at 9:25 am
Ynotfirst- first of all, happy for you that you came out of that coma you must have been in since 2001. You apparently missed the fact that after 9/11 we asked the Taliban (that controlled Afghanistan) to give up Al Queda and when they refused, they both became our enemy and we have fought BOTH ever since.