quote:
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 ]
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.