-> On 04 Jan 09  16:17:28, Richard Webb got back to Dan Ceppa 
-> Re: American Taliban!

 DC> Worse was Bush calling for a Crusade after 9/11  I'm sure that went 
 DC> over well with even friendly Moslem nations. 

 RW> Yah, a lot of freight behind choice of words we use.  Lots
 RW> of baggage along with that word when conversing with folks
 RW> from that part of the world.

I knew it would be a long affair as soon as I heard hum utter those words.  
 
 DC> The problem with that period in Afghanistan is that US aid ended
 DC> just as soon as the Russians left.  How diferen would it be had US
 DC> aid continued to flow to help build Afgani infrastructure?  

 RW> ONe can only wonder.  An outcome 180 degrees from what we
 RW> have now maybe?  Speculation does us no good at this point,
 RW> we can only go from where we are.

True, but we need to understand how we got to where we are now.  
 
 RW> of lookin' out for #1. 
 
 DC> It's a typical mid eastern tenent.  They have no problems taking
 DC> others  money if it suits their purpose.  They will perform what is
 DC> expected of  them only if it suits them.  Westerners think they
 DC> bought their  loyalty.  They haven't come close.  

 RW> We helped buiold it, now we need to help dismantle it.  US,
 RW> with a little help from some Drunken Europeans back in the
 RW> last century.  Actions always have consequences.

Overall, Afghanistan is relatively mono-ethnic when compared to 
other countries in the region.  They are also extremely xenophobic.  

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