The $680 billion US military funding bill that passed late last week saw its share of controversy over pet projects, attempts to block the Guantanamo Bay closure, and new curbs on aid to Pakistan.
Less talked about however was the $1.3 billion clause quietly slipped into the bill to support the “re-integration into Afghan society” of those Taliban which renounce violence.
What this ultimately means is that the US will be directly paying off elements of the Taliban seen as less ideological, something officials have been talking about for quite some time.
Sen. Levin is presenting it as a way to help “former Taliban fighters to protect their communities” but with the momentum going the Taliban’s way the supply of former Taliban is likely in short supply. In all likelihood much of the funding will go directly into the coffers of existing Taliban fighters in an attempt to convince them to switch sides.
If it's part of a strategy to involve Pashtuns in the Afghan govt. so that it has broad enough legitimacy to control the country more or less, it can help us leave sooner (see William Lind's columns on Afghanistan, and on 4th generation war in general). If your enemies can be bought I think it's actually moral to do so.
There's nothing moral about it. The money is being taken from Americans at gunpoint to give to our supposed enemy. Where's the morality?
Of course, this "enemy" consists of little more than tribal gangs that are resisting a foreign occupation. They pose no threat to America. To expect that they can be bribed and stay bought is the height of naivete.
just wondering what happens when the next extortion means are made present, like spending a majority of this money on ways to provoke a damino effect jeprodizing mankind. instead of spending it on machines that produce high efficiency pleasurable, marketable items. for example "a pair of sox". the simple things made present by peak technolgy of the day , just tooken for grantied or misguided by enrternal will for mass kaos. just giving money to people with blind intetions is a great way to pacify evil intentions. theres really no goal set, the writings on the wall for future generations.
Isn't this called Treason. Aiding and abedding the enemy. These are funds provided to purchase items of war to kill American soilders. They all need to be charged with Treason and hung from one of the big oak trees on the D.C. mall.
Yes it is Treason hang these creeps doing this
the Taliban will take the money – and keep on fighting NATO. They aren't up against a wall like the Sunnis were in Iraq. Pashtuns stay out of the government because they see Karzai as a traitor.
What idiot actually took time to write this article and I am slightly more stupid for reading and posting on it.
Put this the other way. If Taliban run out of ammo, there will be no one the Americans could fight. Then the recession hit Americans will demand Pentagon's war budget of $600 T+ be trimmed, thereby halting the assembly lines of military-industry.
This might sound wierd to you if you haven't heard of "Project for the New American Century" or PNAC.
PROJECT NEW AMERICA IS KINDA SELFISH DONT YOU THINK!!! . STILL SOUNDS LIKE A WAY TO JUSTIFY NUCLEAR SEGRATION. RECONIZING A SERIES OF APPLYED THEORIES TO BENEFIT MAN KIND, IS NOT ONLY FOR ONE COUNTRY TO RECONIZE IT, BUT FOR THE WHOLE WORLD TO REALIZE IT . FOR EVERY POSTIVE THERES A NEGATIVE WHY DO PEOPLE ONLY FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE AND CANT SEE PAST WHAT WILL COME OF THIS. FOR EXAMPLE A GROUP RECORDS RECORD . THIS HAS BEEN RECORDED AND NOW CAN BE PERFORMED IN MY LIVING OR WHERE EVER, ALL AT A PUSH OF BUTTON. NOT ONLY IS THIS POSTIVLY EFFICIENT BUT ITS PRICELESS!!!!!!!! YOU CAN VIEW IT TWO WAYS TAKE IT FOR GUARANTIED OR SEE THE INFINITE POSSIBILTIES TECHNOLGY HAS TO OFFER. "THE BLOCK AND TACKEL THEORY" POSITIVELY APPLIED
So now we pay the enemy to give up their arms and stop fighting American youth in uniform. I would think the Taliban would "take the money and run", and buy arms to kill American soldeirs.
So in retrospect, we are paying the Taliban to kill American soldeirs. Only a US Senator could come up with such a magnificent idea.
Sounds like a good deal for the Taliban.