A victory or are they just changing locatins?

I just heard the news...little detail was given.
Does anyone else have any info to add?

First I heard of it. Not that it changes anything to the Osama situation though :(

I think strategic. Its a partial pull-out from what I saw on the news. Heading south into rough terrain. They are gonna sit out the northern "alliance" in the hills according to one analyst. Dug in in the home terrain. Waiting for the N.A. to unravel as various warlords compete for power.

I bet they'll jump out of those hills if a western invasion force arrives! We are who they really wanna fight.

It could also be a trap or a feint. Its a mean chess game with more than two players.

The Taliban fought and then pulled back because they could not hold their position. There is no strategic advantage in retreating from a capital you have the ability to hold.

They don't want to fight at all. They want to be left alone, but that's not going to happen.

The Taliban stronghold of Kandahar is reportedly under seige as well.

[ 11-13-2001: Message edited by: Ronn_Bman ]</p>

The Taliban leader is now ordering his troops not to defect or desert and to follow the orders of their leaders. He is ordering them to regroup and fight back because it's becoming increasingly obvious even to the leadership that many Taliban forces aren't interested in being Taliban anymore.

Five weeks of bombing may not have been popular, but it has been effective in defeating the Taliban. This was always the intent. Osama Bin Laden has not been captured, but his ability to train and operate safely within Afghanistan has been effectively removed.

[ 11-13-2001: Message edited by: Ronn_Bman ]</p>

Have you seen the reports of the liberation of Kabul.

Men are flocking to the barber having their Taliban enforced beards shaved and abandoning turbins for caps, women no longer forced to be completely covered or escourted by men outside their homes, everyone flocking to see news reports on previously illegal television.

One MSNBC reporter said there had been some revenge killings of Taliban supporters, but those appeared to be in the minority.

I'm only happy because oppressed people in that side of the world have a chance to live again. More than what they and their allies did to the USA I hate the Taliban for their oppression of the Afghan people. Its a triumph for humanity in general to see suffering people freed and rejoicing.

I tried to post a note of thanks to you last night Ronn, for putting the information up here...I slept all day and played Wizardry 8 most of the night and missed the news...I got booted right before I hit the submit button though and was really late getting to bed so I put it off until now...Thank you!
I am happy that a sense of freedom has returned to the people in Afghanistan.
I'll keep praying for peace there. Its sad that there are outbreaks of violence between the formerly oppressed and their oppressors. They are brethren and they should be coming together to restore a sense of unity. Granted, the Taliban took their religious views to an extreme, but they should all try to come to terms with what they have gone through and try to make life something better for everyone. There is a happy medium between religion, freedom, and life.

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Ronn_Bman:
The Taliban leader is now ordering his troops not to defect or desert and to follow the orders of their leaders. He is ordering them to regroup and fight back because it's becoming increasingly obvious even to the leadership that many Taliban forces aren't interested in being Taliban anymore.

Five weeks of bombing may not have been popular, but it has been effective in defeating the Taliban. This was always the intent. Osama Bin Laden has not been captured, but his ability to train and operate safely within Afghanistan has been effectively removed.

[ 11-13-2001: Message edited by: Ronn_Bman ]<hr></blockquote>

Yes - it looks as though the bombing has been effective, so far. And it is difficult to know the real reasons for the Taliban withdrawal... but I suspect two things:

1. They know that most Afghani's detest them and could therefore not be relied upon for real support when they saw a chance for freedom.

2. They know that they are unlikely to be found in the hills of the south so they will have time to regroup and resupply themselves, whilst fighting guerilla warfare to keep the country unsettled, full of factions and ungovernable.

Yeah... I know I'm a pessimist! But I am pleased that it is working, even though I strongly disapprove of the civilian deaths and the interruption of desperately needed aid for people who were already living with hunger.

Though I must also say that the retaliatory killing of apparantly unarmed Taliban who had apparantly given themselves up, is something I found sickening.
The 'Northern Alliance' is only marginally better than the Taliban and is made up of differing factions who seem likely to divide the country among themselves.
The UN better get something set up fast, imo. I hope they do.