Taliban's Mullah Omar Encourages NATO to Abandon Afghanistan

Who says the Taliban doesn't read the daily news from the West? Apparently Mullah Omar, the leader of the Taliban has seen how Canada is threatening to limit support of the Afghan operations if other NATO allies don't step up to the plate in the south. Omar has also noticed how Germany, France and Britain have all dragged their feet in making any kind of effort to live up to their commitments or go beyond them. It's important to realize one thing - Mullah Omar is not a dumb individual. He knows their is a rift at NATO right now and he seized on this opportunity to reach out to the citizens of NATO countries to plant the seed that NATO should leave Afghanistan. Here is what the Taliban leader said:

"This is our right to defend our country. We are not a threat to other countries. But we have to use our rights when our country is occupied by foreign forces," Mujahid quoted Omar as saying. "We want the people of other countries to pressure their governments not to send troops to Afghanistan."

Get that? He is playing the victim with the world. Well, guess what Omar? It ain't YOUR country either. And one other thing, NATO forces are in Afghanistan with the complete approval and more specifically upon the request of the Afghanistan government. So, you one-eyed jackass, YOU are the "foreign force" in Afghanistan.

Now, this is the point in time when NATO countries have a choice:

1. They can choose to use the deceit of this Taliban leader and lay claim to the fact that the Taliban have no desire to harm anyone and then remove forces from Afghanistan

2. NATO countries can respond to the taunting and condescension of this buffoon with an increase in troops immediately and go after his hairy ass, big time.

I want to be hopeful but I'm not going to hold my breath. I think the U.S. is committed and I think Canada will be too although they won't bring more troops - the ball is in the court of the Europeans. And the world is waiting to see what they do.

Here's the full story.

Mullah Omar: Taliban no Threat to US

KABUL, Afghanistan - The reclusive leader of the Taliban said Monday the Islamic militia is not a threat to other countries and he called on citizens of NATO nations to pressure their governments to withdraw troops from Afghanistan.
Mullah Omar also said the U.S. military has failed in Afghanistan and that is why the Pentagon is pressuring other NATO countries to send more troops, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid quoted Omar as saying. Mujahid has spoken on behalf of Omar previously, though the validity of his statements could not be verified.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has been pushing NATO countries to increase their troop levels in Afghanistan. Last week Gates said he fears NATO may become a "two-tiered alliance," with "some allies willing to fight and die to protect people's security, and others who are not."
Of the 42,000 total NATO troops in Afghanistan, about 14,000 are American. The United States has another 13,000 operating separately hunting terrorists and training Afghan forces.
Omar's comments about not being a threat to NATO countries could be seen as an effort to distinguish the Taliban militia from al-Qaida, which operates in the same Afghanistan-Pakistan region as the Taliban militants.