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State Department: Taliban is not a terrorist organization

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  • The Taliban IS a terrorist organization

    Votes: 14 77.8%
  • The Taliban is NOT a terrorist organization

    Votes: 4 22.2%

  • Total voters
    18

Ockham

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Daily Caller said:
By Amanda Carey - The Daily Caller | Published: 11:39 AM 08/10/2010 | Updated: 1:42 AM 08/11/2010

A new State Department report designating terrorist organizations notably excludes one group: the Taliban. The U.S. has been fighting a war in Afghanistan for almost a decade aimed at “defeating the Taliban,” Taliban members repeatedly have threatened and killed American citizens and lawmakers have increased pressure on State to add the Taliban to the list.

Earlier this summer, a group of congressional Democrats sent a letter to Secretary of State Hilary Clinton urging her to begin the process of categorizing the Taliban as a terrorist group. In June, Sens. Charles Schumer and Kristen Gillibrand of New York and Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez of New Jersey proposed legislation that would immediately add the Taliban to the terrorist list.

Yet the State Department’s report (due on April 30 but released last week), did not include the Taliban with groups such as al-Qaida, Hamas and the Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA). To qualify, an organization must meet only three criteria: It must be foreign, it must engage in terrorist activity and its activity must threaten the security of the U.S. or its citizens.

“It is hard to imagine this agency can see fit to issue a report that doesn’t include the Taliban groups,” Fred Gedrich, a foreign policy analyst and former State Department employee, told The Daily Caller. “They have killed more Americans and conducted more terror attacks on innocent civilians during the past 12 months than any other terror group.“ LINK

How is it that the Taliban are left off? Simply oversight or is it purposeful?

Here's the State Department list released Aug 5th.

Country Reports on Terrorism 2009 Chapter 6. Terrorist Organizations
 
My guess is that it is purposeful. Excluding the Taliban from the list makes it easier for the U.S. to rationalize inviting the Taliban to participate in dialogue/negotiations/governance in Afghanistan.
 
My guess is that it is purposeful. Excluding the Taliban from the list makes it easier for the U.S. to rationalize inviting the Taliban to participate in dialogue/negotiations/governance in Afghanistan.

I agree with Don, the US wants to avoid the same mistake it made with Hamas, as well as with De-Baathification.
 
Doesnt matter either way. "Terrorist" is an absolutely meaningless word.
 
9 dead doctors and their families would disagree...
 
Actually, I can understand why the Taliban wasn't characterized as a terrorist organization. No report that I'm aware of ever indicated that the Taliban planned attacks against the U.S. prior to 9/11. They only acted as the governing body within Afghanastan and committed inhumane acts against their own people.

What they've done against U.S. and coalition forces since the War on Terror began is another story. But still, I'd classify them as a hostile governing body rather than a terrorist group only because their "reach" has never gone beyond Afghanistan and Pakistan, whereas Al Quaida has long had global.
 
Let me tell you what has really creeped me out before. Whenever Obama would say Tal i ban it sounded like a term of endearment. I never notice that when he talks about America or our troops.
I know, I probably am imagining it, but it still makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.
 
Actually, I can understand why the Taliban wasn't characterized as a terrorist organization. No report that I'm aware of ever indicated that the Taliban planned attacks against the U.S. prior to 9/11. They only acted as the governing body within Afghanastan and committed inhumane acts against their own people.

What they've done against U.S. and coalition forces since the War on Terror began is another story. But still, I'd classify them as a hostile governing body rather than a terrorist group only because their "reach" has never gone beyond Afghanistan and Pakistan, whereas Al Quaida has long had global.

If you are correct what the heck are we doing with 100K trying to wipe them out? There are a number of "hostile" governing bodies out there. Would it be O.K. for Obama to send troups all over the world to eradicate them?
 
Let me tell you what has really creeped me out before. Whenever Obama would say Tal i ban it sounded like a term of endearment. I never notice that when he talks about America or our troops.
I know, I probably am imagining it, but it still makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

Or you're probably an idiot and do really believe that Obama is actually using it as a term of endearment. The jury is still out on this and it could go either way. I'm not saying you're an idiot, but I don't really know. You know? Anything is possible in the age of secret Muslims.
 
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Let me tell you what has really creeped me out before. Whenever Obama would say Tal i ban it sounded like a term of endearment. I never notice that when he talks about America or our troops.
Oh jesus-freewheeling-christ, seriously? You have to be THAT partisan? That is extremely sad and I feel very sorry for you if that is your outlook.

I know, I probably am imagining it
Gee, what tipped you off?
 
Oh jesus-freewheeling-christ, seriously? You have to be THAT partisan? That is extremely sad and I feel very sorry for you if that is your outlook.


Gee, what tipped you off?

I was just being honest.
 
No, you weren't. And you damn well know it.

What do you have against me besides the fact I'm a Texas Conservative and you're a California Liberal?
I mean I know I live in a state that is pretty much thriving and you're state is bankrupt because of nutcase liberal ideas of regulations and high taxes but that seems like a stupid reason. What did I ever do to you?
 
What do you have against me besides the fact I'm a Texas Conservative and you're a California Liberal?
I mean I know I live in a state that is pretty much thriving and you're state is bankrupt because of nutcase liberal ideas of regulations and high taxes but that seems like a stupid reason. What did I ever do to you?

Please, if you are going to use disgusting vile language such as California Liberal take it down stairs.
 
What do you have against me besides the fact I'm a Texas Conservative and you're a Moderate Socialist?
Fixed your statement.

I dont like the fact that you bend over backwards to support someone you agree with and make the same effort to try and slander someone you dont. That reeks of partisan hackery and I find few things more damaging to our political discourse than someone who believes what side of the line you stand matters more than why you're there.

I mean I know I live in a state that is pretty much thriving and you're state is bankrupt because of nutcase liberal ideas of regulations and high taxes but that seems like a stupid reason. What did I ever do to you?
Gee, I wonder.
 
The Taliban are not terrorists. They are Afghanistan's former rulers, and are interested in regaining their power. While they may be pretty bad people, that doesn't excuse classifying them incorrectly. The Taliban are comparable to the resistance fighters who fought against Soviet occupation, and sometimes are even the same people. Unless we want to admit to supporting "terrorists" in the 80's, it would hypocritical to call the Taliban terrorists now. Trying to slap a terrorist label on all our enemies is lazy, sloppy and undermines our efforts to rally support against actual terrorists.
 
Doesnt matter either way. "Terrorist" is an absolutely meaningless word.

To a few meaningless people, perhaps.

Thankfully, those with any degree of expertise in politics know what it means.
 
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To a few meaningless people, perhaps.

Thankfully, those with any degree of expertise in politics know what it means.
No, it's ****ing meaningless.

Let me highlight why.

What is the definition of terrorism?

"the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes."

Under that label, you could say the US Army utilizes terrorism. It attacks and kills individuals it sees as impinging the spread of Democracy. The same definition could include police and politicians as well. Such a broad definition means the word is absolutely meaningless.
 
Let me tell you what has really creeped me out before. Whenever Obama would say Tal i ban it sounded like a term of endearment. I never notice that when he talks about America or our troops.
I know, I probably am imagining it, but it still makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

come on, you KNOW that's just absolutely nuts. you must have a vivid imagination.
 
To a few meaningless people, perhaps.

Thankfully, those with any degree of expertise in politics know what it means.

I dont know...stoning little girls because they dare to read and the women that dare to teach them, raping women for fun as long as they are infidels, killing women that commit adultery, indiscriminately slaughering men women and children in the name of a cause, slaughtering 9 doctors on a humanitarian mission, destroying any semblance of culture...those all seem kinda terroristy to me...
 
My guess is that it is purposeful. Excluding the Taliban from the list makes it easier for the U.S. to rationalize inviting the Taliban to participate in dialogue/negotiations/governance in Afghanistan.

Don....*sigh*...nevermind. :roll:
 
You cannot make "peace" with a world-wide terrorist organization that uses barbaric methods of torture and execution to sway villagers.

Mr. President, the Taliban could care less about your ability to throw hoops, yack-yack with rich leftists in D.C. or your banal attempts at "diplomacy." The Taliban sees YOU as an infidel ... the same way he views America, the West and Israel. Your "Hussein" middle name simply infuriates them as you are a turncoat to Islam. [ Mr. Obama is neither Muslim or Christian, but is an unbeleiver ].

The Taliban must simply be *killed*. *Dead.* This means killing as many as possible on any given day.

Islamofascism, like Nazism, cannot be dealt with diplomatically, only from the end of an M-16 weilded by an expertly trained infantryman.
 
You cannot make "peace" with a world-wide terrorist organization that uses barbaric methods of torture and execution to sway villagers.

Mr. President, the Taliban could care less about your ability to throw hoops, yack-yack with rich leftists in D.C. or your banal attempts at "diplomacy." The Taliban sees YOU as an infidel ... the same way he views America, the West and Israel. Your "Hussein" middle name simply infuriates them as you are a turncoat to Islam. [ Mr. Obama is neither Muslim or Christian, but is an unbeleiver ].

The Taliban must simply be *killed*. *Dead.* This means killing as many as possible on any given day.

Islamofascism, like Nazism, cannot be dealt with diplomatically, only from the end of an M-16 weilded by an expertly trained infantryman.

You  do not know much do you?

When have the Taliban been a world wide terrorist organization? Do even know who the Taliban, and AQ are? 

Do you know the demographics of the Taliban, vs the demographics of AQ?


Perhaps some indepth reading is in order as you are truely lacking
 
Our president is a Muslim. Of course he doesn't consider the Tallies a terrorist orginization.

We're going to slowly, but surely, start seeing other groups, like Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood being dropped from the terrorist list.
 
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