Obama administration: Only 5 percent of the Taliban is incorrigible

Conservative Cabbie

I'm sorry, but this sounds like the usual Biden rubbish that normally emanates from that part of Biden's anatomy that most of us use for siting on. How do they know this? Did they conduct a poll of the Taliban?

I can just imagine the question:

Mr Taliban, Are you

A) Incorrigible
B) Uncertain of your incorrigibility
C) Just in it for the money?

This man is a complete moron. And yet we were led to believe that Sarah Palin was going to be bad as a VP. Compared to gaffe-a-day Biden, she's an intellectual savant.

Susan Hill

Where in God`s name did he get this ridiculous cake-slicing load of b..cks,, erm, statistics ? He truly thinks only 5% are hardcore ? He needs to wake up and smell the coffee, as he would say.

THX1138

Cabbie I know it's be hard to get round your partisan dislike for the guy but did you ever consider that he does have access to much better Info than you.

The intelligence probably came from the ISI.

Good post on this from Newsnight's Diplomatic Editor Mark Urban's blog.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/newsnight/markurban/2008/12/pakistans_dept_for_reconciling.html

I for one hope Biden's right.

porkbelly

Hair Plug Joe is trying to put a positive spin on the ugly "national unity government" his boss is going to force on the Karzai regime, and thereby the unfortunate Afghan people. Perhaps the Taliban will settle for only implementing 5% sharia law? Those Marine helicopter pilots had better start practising lifting Americans off the Embassy roof asap.

strapworld

Typical Liberal nonsense. Talk like this will lead to a massive defeat of our and their troops.

The Taliban will take this as a sign that America wants OUT and will act accordingly. What happened to us 100 years ago and the Russians is now facing the Americans and us again.

The result will be that WE will end the special relationship once and for all.

Max Kaye

Hmmm... A proposal: Shoot 5% of the Taliban.

If that doesn't work, shoot a further 5%, and so on, until it does.

Conservative Cabbie

THX

"I know it's be hard to get round your partisan dislike for the guy but did you ever consider that he does have access to much better Info than you"

Good point. I'm sure you felt the same about George Bush.

THX1138

Cabbie

"Good point. I'm sure you felt the same about George Bush."

Yep you're right of course but I do remember having warm thoughts about him when he stood on the rubble of World Trade Centre with his bull horn. Didn't last long though.

You should bookmark Mark Urban's blog, he knows his foreign affairs & defence onions, it's always worth a read

Alf Tupper

Con Cab.

That was rather well played old bean.

Ted Foan

So, Biden is to be belived, after pouring $billions into Afghanistan and watched most of it disappear in corruption, the USA is going to...well, pour $billions into buying off the "70%" and watch it disappear into what? Buying more weapons from Iran, China, etc?

Verity

"Ted Foan" - obviously a regular poster in these parts with a foany name: "So, Biden is to be belived, after pouring $billions into Afghanistan and watched most of it disappear in corruption...".

The Vice President of the United States has the power to "pour billions into Afghanistan"???????? Gosh, I don't know about you, but I'm awed.

Who knew?

Hugh

THX1138: "did you ever consider that he does have access to much better Info than you."
The experience of the last few years would seem to suggest that "much better info" probably overstates it.
You'll also notice he says "in my view", not "intelligence tells us". If you link through he is basing this assessment "numerous [can't count 'em] visits to the region".
So, perhaps he's basing this on much better info, but it looks very much like he's making it up.

THX1138

Max I think we have tried that Afghanistan before without much success.

Can I suggest you read The Flashman Papers or for a more contemporary account watch Ross Kemp in Afghanistan.

Unfortunatley the Afghans are very good at killing too.

David

"And yet we were led to believe that Sarah Palin was going to be bad as a VP. "

The only people being led to believe anything were those convinced she was good. Everyone else had the evidence of their own eyes and ears.

Not that I hold much of a torch for Biden either.

Verity

Max Kaye - A light, elegant solution, to be sure.

Ronnie

Another addition to the long list of politicians who talk utter and deadly nonsense about a land and people they know nothing about.

Should Biden go ahead of John Reid now or is 'back in six months without a shot fired' still the best?

David

Biden says anything that comes into his head. He makes up anything he doesn't know, which is almost everything. He keeps us on tenterhooks waiting for the next gem. To think there were people who warned us that if McCain became president Palin was a heartbeat away from becoming president!

JS

OK boys and girls. i am 56 and have lived in the usa my whole life. i've listened to this plagurist(sp?)(he lifted an English socialist paper right?) for a long time; too long. "open mouth, insert foot". joe biden shoots from the hip every time, he can never be trusted to say anything having a basis in fact. sorry THX, i believe you are giving him the benefit of doubt, and that's admirable, but this cat is way off the charts. obama and him will continue to cowtow to George Soros and the rest of the ruling Democrat radicals...we are doomed. BTW, obama's snub of Brown was despicable. i am totally ashamed that the PM of our most loyal trusted friends was treated in such a manner

THX1138

JS - You lost me at George Soros.

js

sorry THX, i just don't like or trust the man. call me nuts but i believe GS is the defacto leader of the Dem Party and is pulling the strings on this administration and is bent on rearranging the world order. that said, my GS comment in the previous post can probably be viewed as misplaced.

THX1138

JS No worries you seem like a cool guy wingnut lite.- Soros just seems to be a wingnut bogeyman- I read a lot of climate change sites and I read loon comments about how Soros want's to bring down world capitalism, cause he finances Real Climate- He runs a huge hedge fund and makes huge amount and a lot of it to charity.

You should be worrying about Rush L and what he is doing to your great party.

Charlie

I question how much the West knows what is actually happening in Afghanistan. The discussions amongst the Taliban is occurring amongst small groups in rooms in remote areas it is not occurring in seminars open to the public or party political conferences. The only way the West knows what is being said in these meetings is if someone tells us. Human intelligence takes years to develop. The vast majority of information from the ISI and/or Afghan authorities is going to be presented in a manner to suit their own purposes. The days when we had ICS officers who spoke all the languages, undestood all the tribal and family allegiances based upon 20 years of experience of living in the area, are long gone.