Taliban claim Nato ‘defeat’ in 13-year Afghan war
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KABUL: The Taliban responded scornfully Monday to the formal end of Nato's war in Afghanistan, describing the US-led mission as a “fire of barbarism and cruelty” that had drowned the country “in a pool of blood”.
The insurgent group issued the statement in English a day after Nato marked the closure of its combat mission with a low-key ceremony in Kabul, arranged in secret due to the threat of Taliban attack.
“We consider this step a clear indication of their defeat and disappointment,” the Taliban said. “America, its invading allies ... along with all international arrogant organisations have been handed a clear-cut defeat in this lopsided war.”
The Taliban, who ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, have fought a resilient insurgency against Nato and Afghan forces for 13 years, with violence now at record levels nationwide.
The United Nations said civilian casualties hit a new high this year with about 10,000 non-combatants killed or wounded — 75 per cent of them by the Taliban.
On January 1 Nato's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) combat mission will be replaced by a “training and support” mission. About 12,500 Nato troops will stay on in Afghanistan.
The Taliban statement said the group would fight on “for the establishment of a pure Islamic system by expelling the remaining invading forces unconditionally”.
President Ashraf Ghani has said he is open to peace talks, but the Taliban said it would “continue its Jihad and struggle so long as a single foreigner remains in Afghanistan in a military uniform”.
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Comments (43) Closed
Dec 29, 2014 01:01pm
They also claimed that they are actually Talibaat .......not Taliban!!!
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Dec 29, 2014 01:02pm
Meanwhile in American senate "Ok this chapter is closed, lets open another venue to test our latest systems, missiles, drones"
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Dec 29, 2014 01:06pm
Afghanistan deaths over last few decades:
1979 - 1988 over 940000
1990 - 2001 400000
2001 - 2014 80000
Nothing will change these people will carry on fighting and killing. Where there is tribal systems in place this is what happens. Just look at Africa and Middle East the same mess due to tribal systems.
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Dec 29, 2014 01:33pm
This chaps were bombed, blasted, pilloried, flattened, crisped, smashed to smitterins by warthogs and c130s and barbecued by hellfire missles and 2000 lb. bombs and yet they claim victory. If nothing else you must chuckle at their sense of humour for claiming victory.
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Dec 29, 2014 01:50pm
Then who won here? Taliban should clarify.
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Dec 29, 2014 01:52pm
A secret ceremony to mark the end of NATO combat mission due to the threat of Taliban attack. That's defeat alright!
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Dec 29, 2014 02:01pm
Period
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Dec 29, 2014 02:07pm
The tone of this article is quite neutral
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Dec 29, 2014 02:43pm
Where are American empty claims and rhetoric that they would root out Talibanization and bring a stable democracy in Afghanistan. Instead it had gained momentum in the world over and the democratic condition is deplorably nascent. The situation is worst ever. Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar rightly said that the whole world is suffering from the repercussions of american flawed and selfish policies.
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Dec 29, 2014 02:51pm
Well to be honest. The US never won the war.. Not in Afghanistan. Not in Iraq. Terrorism has multiplied and suicide attacks etc have just gotten worse. And now you have a horrifying terrorist organisation that has arisen -ISIS.
They never defeated the Taliban, they just made it a whole lot worse.
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Dec 29, 2014 02:59pm
@Droned sorry! The senate is out for recess. Don't know where u got all that from.
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Dec 29, 2014 03:48pm
so be it!!
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Dec 29, 2014 03:58pm
What did US and its ally achieved in this war ? Taliban will occupy Afghanistan again as it was in 1996 .But in this war Pakistan is a great looser .
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Dec 29, 2014 04:21pm
How long can they fight the flies? After all the latest weapons cannot be denigrated by using them against annoying flies like the Taliban.
Anyway, Taliban in Pakistan is bad for Pakistan, Taliban in Afghanistan is bad for that country. We should wipe them out without foreign helps.
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Dec 29, 2014 04:33pm
"civilian casualties hit a new high this year with about 10,000 non-combatants killed or wounded — 75 per cent of them by the Taliban" such a shame
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Dec 29, 2014 04:36pm
Does Obama know why they attacked Afganistan?
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Dec 29, 2014 04:36pm
Taliban too will be defeated one day. For no one can stand the test of time.
But in all seriousness, it's high time these extremists are defeated. But wars will never defeat them. It's going to take time, a lot of education and a bit of bloodshed (unfortunately) to wipe this.
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Dec 29, 2014 04:44pm
A spent force.
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Dec 29, 2014 05:34pm
The only actual war in the history of NATO the biggest war machine, against a rag tag force, ended in defeat.
Lesson for India don't mess in Afghanistan.
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Dec 29, 2014 06:01pm
They can gloat as much as they like the fact is that taliban has no chance to come into power this time because the country that lodged them into power in 90's is unwilling to do so this time. At the most they can share power if they promise to behave. The myth about their kind of Islamic Sharia is broken beyond repair. They have been exposed as to what they are. The successful election of 2014 elections in Afghanistan is the clear rejection of their population of them. Ashraf Ghani seem to be a much sane person than this misguided group. The rest is history.
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Dec 29, 2014 06:10pm
Surely, their claim cannot be challenged by NATO who is leaving a bigger mess than before. The saddest part is that the civil war would continue as Taliban has refused to come to negotiating table being in the position of strength. Now, much depends on Pakistan whether it takes the committed position with Afghan govt or otherwise.
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Dec 29, 2014 06:15pm
The list is Long, Alexander passed through and did not stay, Mongols rushed through and did not occupy, British tried 3 times and got defeated, Soviet Union tried and got defeated, US tried and got defeated-all super powers of their day. General Zia ul Haq said that to the Russian foreign minister when he met him first time after their invasion of Afghanistan. 'You will lose, if you read the history of that country then you would have not made this mistake, No invader ever wins in Afghanistan!
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Dec 29, 2014 06:18pm
And what have the Taliban won, exactly?
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Dec 29, 2014 06:19pm
@saifullah Mahsud would you consider the British withdrawal from India with pomp and pageantry a victory?
American finished the mission. They got bin Ladin, and prevented any major attacks on their country.
Secondly, Bin Ladin always believed that The americans were paper tigers and afraid to fight. He was wrong. Last, but not the least to govern a contract for almost ten years and not loose more than 2,000 soldiers shows just how much they know about fighting.
The Taliban are finished. Mulla Umer has not been seen in public for a long time. He us the one who had to hide in caves. Their ideology of establishing a pure islamic state is in tatters. What is the point of creating a pure Islamic state if it can be overrun by a Christian army at will?
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Dec 29, 2014 06:28pm
Haha ... The same way they have defeated Russians. Keep getting kicked until the opposition has lost interest and claim victory thereafter.
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Dec 29, 2014 06:32pm
Taliban are worse than the US; but they do deserve one another. The Afghan and Pakistan nation must now themselves wipe them out. But it will take real and genuine resolve.
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Dec 29, 2014 07:55pm
Unfortunately Taliban gets it exactly right
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Dec 29, 2014 08:27pm
The Taliban are the worst. Their 15th century mentality will not last. The afghan people have rejected the Taliban. The elections have proven that the afghan people want a stable, peaceful, educated and modern country.
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Dec 29, 2014 08:37pm
@Gaz - Agree but arent USA/NATO responsible for most of these deaths?
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Dec 29, 2014 08:39pm
@sanjeev -Does anyone know?
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Dec 29, 2014 08:41pm
NATO/USA have other goals in mind now-starting with Russia so why tie up their man-power and fire-power in a place where they arent making any headway.
Taliban may not have won this war but NATO and the gang have certainly lost.
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Dec 29, 2014 10:05pm
I agree with Taliban. It need to change the mind set you can,t win war with only force.
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Dec 29, 2014 10:43pm
Talibans are fool if they think america didn't get what they wanted.They wanted to destabilize the whole region including Pakistan and spread chaos like Isis. I think they exactly got what they wanted.
People are fools if they think Americans came for Afghanistan.
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Dec 29, 2014 11:29pm
I don't think they lost. But, they didn't win. The situation is still volatile and everything can implode as quickly as it did in Iraq when ISIS marched on the soldiers trained by the US army.
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Dec 30, 2014 12:20am
US policy toward elimination of terrorism is cause of creations of terrorism.
We can see in vetnaum' USSR since 1964 .. Afghanistan ..Iraq.. Somalia....
Everywhere US failed to achieve their objective .... I think US is danger for the world peace and security...
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Dec 30, 2014 12:59am
its pretty embarrassing for a super power to be defeated and humiliated by a bunch of dudes in flip-flops and AK47's and tablecloth covers for helmets..Hahah
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Dec 30, 2014 01:24am
The main responsibility of defending their land is of Afghanis themselves.Now that they are sufficiently trained and armed,they will be able to tackle all types of terroriststs,themselves.
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Dec 30, 2014 01:43am
Taliban, if you have won the war then please come out of your caves and start celebrating
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Dec 30, 2014 01:57am
Look who talk. The same bloodthirsty beasts, from whom even mosques and even funerals of Muslim individuals are not safe.
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Dec 30, 2014 04:25am
So now they are ruling the Afghanistan? Mullah Umer is the President of the Afghanistan?
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Dec 30, 2014 07:58am
@CHANAKYA The talebs are also a part of Afghan society. That's the whole point! That everyone must be integrated and not alienated. Of course you indians think you have all the solutions for Afghanistan - whereas your country has always brushed shoulders with the wrong people there; people who ended up being scorned, and looked down upon - like the soviets or najibullah or karzai. No need for you to get nosy in affairs that arent yours.
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Dec 31, 2014 07:12am
US won no doubt, NATO won somewhat, Taliban got some tail bit, Karzai won big time, India thinks it's winning. Some people are asking who is the lost. Mainly all ordinary citizens of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Pakistan as a country is loosing unless some drastic steps are taken.
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Jan 01, 2015 04:48am
If that is the case, then I hope the Taliban will come out of their caves and wave goodbye to the drones.
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