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Ear to the Ground

Biden Talks Afghanistan in NATO Huddle

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Posted on Mar 10, 2009
ENTER_ALT_TEXT
AP photo / Virginia Mayo

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden speaks as NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer looks on during a media conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday.

Vice President Joe Biden held forth at a NATO meeting in Brussels on Tuesday, reinforcing President Barack Obama’s message from last weekend about a slight shift in foreign policy with regard to Afghanistan and urging NATO to be vigilant about the threat of attacks from extremist groups harbored by Afghanistan and Pakistan.

AP via Yahoo News:

Biden told the allies the United States was open to talks with Taliban moderates as part of a new approach, echoing comments made by President Barack Obama over the weekend.

“It is worth engaging and determining whether or not there are those who are willing to participate in a secure and stable Afghan state,” Biden said.

Biden solicited ideas from European allies during a one-day round of talks at NATO and EU headquarters on amending a troubled military strategy in Afghanistan and bringing more allies on board to fight the Taliban-led insurgency.

Biden told NATO’s top decision-making body that the situation in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan was worsening, adding, “The deteriorating situation in the region poses a security threat from our respect not just to the United States, but to every single nation around this table.”

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Tony Wicher's avatar

By Tony Wicher, March 11, 2009 at 11:56 pm Link to this comment

Re tropicgirl, March 11 at 1:42 pm #

“Those whose ears perked up are right.  The Pakistani ambassador has been on television for the last several months predicting that “some people” (US) will soon try to take apart their country by causing unrest or over-reporting unrest. Amy Goodman has done a wonderful job, as usual, with this.”

    x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x

tropicgirl,

There are criminal forces that are causing conflict and instablility in Afghanistan and Pakistan that come from within our military forces and intelligence apparatus. These forces have been in our government for decades, operating in secrecy outside the constitutional chain of command. The question in my mind is whether the Obama administration can get this criminal gang under control.   
    x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=

“If the US can’t take this democracy down by media campaign, then no doubt it will be behind the (soon to be) terror attacks. Thats what Betray US does best.

The ambassador continues to reiterate that, althought not fancy or pretty, Pakistan is a democracy, dearly loved and cared for by its people. They have fought for their democracy and believe strongly in their independence. They have no more violence that any other middle eastern countries.

Just like Venezuela, but with a not-so-strong leader, this country knows that its on “the list”. Either “puppet-up” or get destroyed.”

    x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x

tropicgirl,

There is corruption in high places, yes, but
It is a mistake to view the entire U.S. government as a criminal enterprise. It is like a cancer that must be cut out, but we have to do it without killing the patient.

    x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x

“I am really going to appreciate seeing Biden and the United States get their butts kicked out of Afghanistan. I hope it happens in the most shameful way. Obama, Biden, Clinton, the “new” Rice (bad as the old one) are such ignorant, childish amateurs. They are going to get stung bigtime. And they deserve it so very royally. The audacity of it all just doesn’t penetrate their thick, neo-lib skulls.”

        x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x

tropicgirl,

So, you hope Obama fails? You sound just like Rush Limbaugh.

“Any idiot knows the last troops left in Iraq will get beheaded or worse. What did you think would happen at the end of an occupation? Flowers and kisses goodby? Thanks for the occupation? What we really need is residual troops from Israel to get in there and be the last holdouts. Get me the popcorn, daddy!

      x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x

Yup, just like Rush. You should go on his show. You could make beautiful music together. Obama is getting out of Iraq. Every troop will be out of there by Jan 2012. I know you hope the last
troops will be beheaded and you can hardly wait to watch. I for one am hoping that Obama will be able to accomplish a careful and responsible withdrawal from Iraq, without beheadings. But then I don’t relish the sight of American soldier’s blood as much as you do.

Report this

By Sepharad, March 11, 2009 at 1:47 pm Link to this comment

coloradokarl, yeah, war sucks, but so does the Taliban. I find it hard to even look at the confining, blinding, head-lowering burkhas the women have to wear as they huddle together (photo inside yesterday’s NYTimes), and have to wonder what could possibly be right about some macho religious group that thinks girls should not be educated (and throws acid in their faces if they try to attend school). If you don’t like the way they run things, escape if you can or toe the mark or die. I’m not saying we should be the ones who try to change this disgusting bunch, but not all is sweetness and light in Dar al Islam either.

Report this
tropicgirl's avatar

By tropicgirl, March 11, 2009 at 9:42 am Link to this comment

Those whose ears perked up are right.  The Pakistani ambassador has been on television for the last several months predicting that “some people” (US) will soon try to take apart their country by causing unrest or over-reporting unrest. Amy Goodman has done a wonderful job, as usual, with this.

If the US can’t take this democracy down by media campaign, then no doubt it will be behind the (soon to be) terror attacks. Thats what Betray US does best.

The ambassador continues to reiterate that, althought not fancy or pretty, Pakistan is a democracy, dearly loved and cared for by its people. They have fought for their democracy and believe strongly in their independence. They have no more violence that any other middle eastern countries.

Just like Venezuela, but with a not-so-strong leader, this country knows that its on “the list”. Either “puppet-up” or get destroyed.

I am really going to appreciate seeing Biden and the United States get their butts kicked out of Afghanistan. I hope it happens in the most shameful way. Obama, Biden, Clinton, the “new” Rice (bad as the old one) are such ignorant, childish amateurs. They are going to get stung bigtime. And they deserve it so very royally. The audacity of it all just doesn’t penetrate their thick, neo-lib skulls.

Any idiot knows the last troops left in Iraq will get beheaded or worse. What did you think would happen at the end of an occupation? Flowers and kisses goodby? Thanks for the occupation? What we really need is residual troops from Israel to get in there and be the last holdouts. Get me the popcorn, daddy!

Hey Biden, hows that worldwide bailout going? No one wants to play with the US and Britain anymore? What a shame. Can’t imagine why.

Report this

By NYCartist, March 11, 2009 at 8:29 am Link to this comment

I heard the soundbite on DemocracyNow this morning, in the headlines.  Thanks for having the text. 

A RED flag went up for me while I was listening, and now confirmed by reading the text:

“Afghanistan and Pakistan”....increasingly, the word “Pakistan” keeps slipping in alongside “Afghanistan”.  Are we being softened up to widen the war?  There are unmanned drones/missiles sent into Pakistan villages on at least 4 occasions since Obama took office(source: http://www.Guardian.co.uk articles and http://www.democracynow.org)  Why are the missiles (a continued Bush policy, illegal) being sent on Fridays or Sundays? (news coverage days guaranteed for low coverage?)  There are also US “advisers” in Pakistan (which is an echo of Vietnam prior to mid1960s US military escalation).  Scary stuff. Why no debate in Congress on these policies in Afghanistan and also, now, Pakistan?

DemocracyNow had a good interview yesterday with a woman who was from Kabul, came to US as a child, with her parents, and after Sept. 11, 2001 went back to Afghanistan.  She said that “more troops mean more people dead” to the people in Afghanistan.

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By cocostar, March 11, 2009 at 6:15 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Did they finally figure out that the Taliban financial supporters may have come with the hijackers from Saudi Arabia?

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By coloradokarl, March 10, 2009 at 5:08 pm Link to this comment

I just heard Biden speak to the possibility of sitting down with some of the Taliban,  Maybe. Low and behold a response from Taliban leaders!! although a Defiant NO !  A response none the less. It warmed my heart. WAR SUCKS !!!

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By geronimo, March 10, 2009 at 4:14 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Simply amazing that, as the number of invading troops increases in someone else’s homeland, the security situation there invariably deteriorates,  which brings in more invaders, even less security, etc. etc. etc.  And the answer is?  Troops out now!

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