Fighting Words

Mullah Omar, the reclusive Taliban leader, has issued statements on a Taliban website to journalists and government officials. He has declined talks with President Hamid Karzai and has urged Afghans to cease relations to his "stooge" administration.

Omar's message comes about a week before President Barack Obama will most likely announce an increase of thousands more troops to Afghanistan. Even though he plans to send more troops, Obama is, as stated by The White House, focusing on eventual U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Omar insists in a statement on the website that foreign troops are losing the war.

"Ground realities in our beloved country indicate that the invaders are about to escape."

Omar was leader of the Taliban regime that was toppled by a U.S. led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. He has not been seen since. Afghan officials claim he has been hiding out in Pakistan.

Chief spokesman for the NATO-led force in Afghanistan acknowledges the Taliban have gained momentum in their insurgency. Canadian Brig. Gen. Eric Tremblay states, "We need to neutralize locally some of those initiative to slow them down." He also said the militants are aware of the progress made in the country with international support, so they are trying to undermine the government.

The Taliban leader said there would be no negotiations that would prolong or legitimize the presence of foreign forces in the country.

"Those who have occupied our country and taken our people hostage, want to use the stratagem of negotiation like they used the drama of elections for some time in order to achieve their colonialist objectives, " he states. "However, the people of Afghanistan will not agree to negotiation which prolongs and legitimizes the invaders' military presence."

His message implored Afghans to reject the Karzai government whose re-election was albeit rife with vote-rigging, and thus allowed Karzai in for a second term by default.

"I hope you will continue your legitimate jihad (holy war) and struggle in the way of realizing your Islamic aspirations...and break off all relations with the stooge Kabul administration," Omar stated.

Source: The Associated Press
www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hvWEqwq3CrRvaQCmt21MfoYhjZJQD9C6NKI80
www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-afghan-taliban26-2009nov26,0,5252210.story