Oswald in the doorway: the blog of the Oswald Innocence Campaign, by Ralph Cinque

This is an update on Afghanistan. They're talking; the Taliban and the Afghan government. Of course, you, the U.S.taxpayers, are footing the bill for both sides. We do treat our enemies well sometimes. 

But, the Taliban has been quite gracious. They told the Afghan government that they are not interested in seizing power for themselves. What they want are two things: the expulsion of all foreign forces from Afghanistan, and the establishment of an Islamic government. The Afghan government is starting out by insisting on a ceasefire. I thought of a way they just might be able to get it: offer to surrender control of some areas to the Taliban; ones in which the Taliban already has a strong footing. So, they control their areas, and the government controls theirs. Maybe even divide the country up 50/50 that way, but under the condition that all fighting stops. I should think that it would be worth it. 

But, what ultimately does this mean for the United States and the legacy of this war, because 19 years is a long time to fight a war. George W. Bush started this war with the clear intention of overthrowing the Taliban. Regime change. And it was because of their alleged complicity in 9/11.

But, the Taliban has denied having any involvement in 9/11, any knowledge of 9/11; and I'm quite sure that no one in Afghanistan had any involvement in 9/11, including Osama bin laden. In other words, they have accepted no guilt. And to the extent to which they have promised not to allow terrorist groups to operate from Afghanistan, they have done so, but not in the sense that are NO LONGER going to do it; rather, in the sense that they have never done it; that it would be against their religion to do it; that it has never been part of their mindset or their practice. 

But, when you read media reports about the deal, you get the impression that the Taliban has agreed to NO LONGER do it, and it is truly a lie. The Taliban has NEVER admitted doing it. and they have ALWAYS denied doing it. 

But, just think about it. Would we be paying them to talk to the Afghan government and waving billions of dollars at them to rebuild Afghanistan after we destroyed it if we really thought they were complicit in 9/11? Of course not. So, what's implied in our understanding is that the Taliban weren't involved in 9/11, but they weren't keeping tabs on Osama bin laden. They were basically ignoring him as he plotted and planned the attacks. 

Now, there is no truth to it, but this is a matter of history and public relations. WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING TO JUSTIFY 19 YEARS OF WAR. That isn't easy. If we claim that they didn't do 9/11, but they weren't keeping tabs on bin laden, who was holed up in caves in the mountains, that's one thing, but can you really justify 19 years of war because of that? It doesn't necessitate any kind of bad intention. And aren't there a lot of bad things that happen in our country that the government doesn't find out about until they happen? Even if you believe that bin laden was responsible for 9/11, and I do not, why blame the Taliban government who were on the other side of the country? Bin laden was a hero in the defeat and expulsion of the Soviets. That's what he was doing in Afghanistan. And he stayed there afterwards, as an honored guest. They had no reason to believe he was engaged in terrorist acts.  They knew he practiced the same religion as they do, and they believe their religion forbids the committing of terrorist acts.  

The point is that there was never a justification to launch a war against the Taliban. 

But, the big question is: 2500 Americans died in Afghanistan, and much more than that if you consider our private mercenaries who got killed. What are we going to say they died for? I mean after the Taliban is back in power. All our people died because our leaders sent them there. Our leaders thought we needed to have a war with the Taliban. But now, our leaders say we have to make peace with the Taliban, and pay them to make peace, and then give them more money to rebuild. The Taliban is exactly the same, ideologically and otherwise. They haven't changed. Not in the slightest. And now we are helping them back to power. So, what did our people die for? What exactly was gained? How are they going to spin this? It will be interesting to see. But, let me tell you something: our people died for nothing.  Absolutely nothing.