Amazing news story if its true:
ananova.com
Taliban 'ready to consider bin Laden extradition to neutral country'
The Taliban has discussed conditions for the possible extradition of Osama bin Laden.
A Pakistan government source says the Afghan leaders will consider extraditing bin Laden only to a country other than the US.
The conditions, including international recognition of the Taliban government, were discussed by Islamic clerks in a meeting with a Pakistan delegation but no final agreement has been reached.
Another condition was lifting of UN sanctions imposed to press the Taliban to hand over bin Laden.
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There are many ways to fight your enemy with "hot war" being one possibility. I don't doubt there's ample opportunity to use the US military in our efforts and I don't believe we can avoid doing so. I do believe that military action is not our ONLY course of action.
Many of these countries people speak of on this thread (Aghanistan, Pakistan, India etc) are more than willing to advance THEIR cause. They see this as an unprecendented opportunity to get many of the things they need (as evidenced in the above quote from the article). This means economic aid, forgiveness of debts and better status accorded to them on the World stage.
The US must enlist the aid of a "negotiator" preferrably an Islamic nation(s) that can act in the best interests of ALL people while continuing with a military buildup as a "Plan B". We must show our resolve - that is to say, we understand the price we're going to pay to get those people involved if all other means are exhausted. Perhaps we may require several "small" military actions to express that sentiment - and those should be well planned and thoughout. My biggest fear is that our troops are sent into this region and are attacked by weapons of mass destruction (biological, chemical and/or nuclear). Then where will we be?
Another point - in case we're all "gung-ho" about going in there and grabbing these terrorists:
feminist.org
"Eric Robert Rudolph, and all possible accomplices, suspected lethal bomber of the New Woman All Women's Health Clinic, in Birmingham, AL, the Northside Family Planning clinic in Atlanta, GA, the 1996 Olympic Park, and the gay and lesbian nightclub in Atlanta has not been apprehended, as well as Slepian's assailant(s) is still on the loose."
From my memory and all the research I've done over the last few days, I can find no account of his capture so I must assume he is still "at large". If we can't catch terrorists in our own country where the police and other authorities have "free" range over the land and for the most part, the communities are cooperative - how does anyone expect us to go into a foreign land with "hostile" inhabitants, little if any cooperation and capture not just one man but an entire organization of ARMED and DANGEROUS people?
The only answer I can find is that we'd have to invade and conquer that land. Possible? Sure. But at what cost? And will that guarantee us of our ultimate prize? Possibly but no guarantee. Sounds like a risky proposition to me....
I think the show of patriotism and desire for revenge is great to a degree. I feel that willingly entering into this environment expecting a "cake walk" is down right ridiculous. Let's stand back and really assess the situation here folks - then formulate a plan that includes military action as well as diplomatic and economic strategies.
An invasion and occupation of Afghanistan MIGHT get us to our ultimate goal but it may not. For all those who are advocating the use of military action, you must agree that this scenario is the most extreme. And that our resolve must be willing to reach that far side of extreme. If as many have stated this is what we need - I ask just one question - what if these actions do not bring us to our desired goal - what then? What do you say to the families of those who died in the process.....did they die for nothing?
Regards,
Peter J Strifas |
