BBC: Al Qaeda claims they control most of Afghanistan

[tomfodw]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3642910.stm

Al-Qaeda deputy says US lying low

Osama Bin Laden's deputy has said Islamic fighters are in control of much of Afghanistan, in a new video aired on the Arabic TV station, al-Jazeera.

Wearing a white turban and with a machine gun at his side, Ayman al-Zawahri said US forces were lying low and not confronting the "mujahideen".

In the message lasting several minutes, Zawahri said that "east and south Afghanistan have become an open arena for mujahideen". "The enemy are limited to their capitals," said the bespectacled former Egyptian surgeon, who is believed to be Bin Laden's spiritual adviser. "The Americans are hiding in their trenches and refuse to come out to face the mujahideen, as the mujahideen shell them, fire on them and cut roads off around them. Their defence is only to bomb from the air," he said, adding that America was wasting its money "kicking up dust".

"In Kabul, the Americans and peacekeeping forces are hiding from the shells of the mujahideen and expect martyrdom attacks at every moment," he added.

[WillyT]

1. That's What I've Been Sensing For Some Time Now !!!

We run Kabul, and that's about it.

And * is running on his war record...

:wtf:

[grannylib]

3. He's claiming they have captured 75% of the main force of al Qaeda

and has nothing to back it up, as usual. Just a bald lie out there masquerading as "leadership." Or no, wait, maybe this is "honor and integrity." Or hmmm, maybe this is "decisiveness." It's pretty decisive to make up a flagrant lie and present it as a fact, right?? If you lead, you lead, so what if it's in the Wrong direction??
What will they think of next??

[silverpatronus]

7. he couldn't capture 75% of the main force of al-qaeda if he tried.

they'd just recruit more. THAT is what this administration does not understand about terrorists: they're like cockroaches. kill one, a thousand more come out of nowhere. clean your apartment and they vanish.

[tomfodw]

16. They've eliminated about 2/3...

...of identified Al Qaeda leaders from before 9-11, but since then many more have sprung up to replace the dead or captured leaders.

Someone described Al Qaeda as a terrorist operating system as much as an organization. Basically, George W. Bush is Al Qaeda's vice-president in charge of marketing, and he's doing a wonderful job in spreading its market share in the Islamic world.

[Ilsa]

6. "We run Kabal..."

"...but only during the daytime," is what I've heard.

[mom cat]

12. And in Iraq, the US controls the Green Zone. eom

[tandot]

2. But...but...W is so strong on terrorism

That incompetent moron was side-tracked by his little Iraq crusade which has turned into a huge quagmire instead of focusing on terrorists.

Well, he kinda focused on terrorists: He created more of them since his Iraq crusade.

[BiggJawn]

4. Karzai: Mayor of Kabul.

And then, only about 6 square blocks of it and a corridor to the airport.

Looks like that region of Eastern Afghanistan and Western Pakistan called "Talibanistan" is expanding....

Great fucking JOB, George!

"Smoke 'em out" my ASS!

[TreasonousBastard]

5. But...

the world is such a safer place with Saddam gone.

[TX-RAT]

8. Horse Shit

Then he needs to take a walk down main street, wearing his white turban and machine gun. Instead of hiding out and only speaking through video cameras.

[WillyT]

9. Unfortunately... He's Smarter Than That !!! - Remember, We Trained Him...

we armed him, and he was our buddy as long as he was pointing those weapons at Russians. He was a frickin Mujahadeen hero, don'tcha know??? Now he's pointin those weapons at us.

Known as blowback in the 'intelligence game'.

:shrug:

[tom_paine]

10. The saddest part is that Bushevik claims vs. Bin Laden claims

are equally suspect.

I cannot believe I am saying that, and if you'd have told me that things would get so Soviet in Amerika (I would also be pissed at spelling it with a 'k') that an al-Qaeda claim was as untrustowrthy as a Bushevik claim, I'd have laughed.

But there you have it. The Busheviks say one thing, al-Qaeda says another, and the truth is undiscernable due to the lack of a Free Press here in Amerika.

[BattyDem]

11. But ...

How can that be? I saw the commercial during the Olympics ... Afghanistan is now a Democracy, thanks to Bush*! :eyes:

[hurley]

17. .

[Kathy in Cambridge]

19. Hmmmm

you don't believe that Afghanistan is a mess? Have you been there? My nephew is there right now.

[The_Casual_Observer]

13. Sad thing is had we stuck with Afghanistan

we probably would be doing just as badly there as we are in Iraq.
The Russians already did all this in the 80's to no avail. It was only a matter of time until the occupiers were driven out. The "mujahideen" unlike the US military have a will to win against all odds.

[acmavm]

14. And if I recall correctly, Putin tried to warn us about that.

.

[indepat]

15. It's a shame we had to pull forces out of Afghanistan before the job was

done: But there was a much bigger fish to fry.

[arbusto_baboso]

18. "When you're wounded and lay on Afghanistan's plains....'

"And the women come out to cut up your remains,
Just roll to your rifle and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldier."
Kipling

The British Empire couldn't keep 'em subdued, and the Soviet Union failed, too. WTF made us think WE could succeed there?