Holy crap. What do you think of Frist's comments, Mr. Harper? Mr. Hillier?

[tuvor]

Frist: Taliban Should Be in Afghan Gov't

QALAT, Afghanistan -- U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Monday that the Afghan war against Taliban guerrillas can never be won militarily and urged support for efforts to bring "people who call themselves Taliban" and their allies into the government.

The Tennessee Republican said he learned from briefings that Taliban fighters were too numerous and had too much popular support to be defeated on the battlefield.

"You need to bring them into a more transparent type of government," Frist said during a brief visit to a U.S. and Romanian military base in the southern Taliban stronghold of Qalat. "And if that's accomplished, we'll be successful."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/02/AR2006100200738_pf.html

:wow:

[MrPrax]

1. Finally found a reference

to this story in the Great White North's FreePress© brand -- accept no substitutes:

Can't win, says U.S. senator

Republican seeks new role for Taliban
Bring them into government, he urges

QALAT, Afghanistan—U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said yesterday that the Afghan war against Taliban guerrillas can never be won militarily and urged support for efforts to bring "people who call themselves Taliban" and their allies into the government.

The Tennessee Republican said he learned from briefings that Taliban fighters were too numerous and had too much popular support to be defeated on the battlefield.

"You need to bring them into a more transparent type of government," Frist said during a brief visit to a U.S. and Romanian military base in the southern Taliban stronghold of Qalat. "And if that's accomplished, we'll be successful."
TorStar
____________

Gotta love that free press...I guess the US Senate Majority Leader Catkiller Frist indirectly agreeing with 'Taliban' Jack messes up the right's mil-con propaganda narrative.

I certainly hope the mental midget that blogs SDA (some dumb asshole heh) or the dipshit chickenhawks over at Free DumbMinions manage to catch this little item...one of their own little uberfurhers are proposing we 'cut and run' and negotiate with terrorists...

Doubt this will make even make a passing comment on an editorial page...

[tuvor]

2. It was also being mentioned on either News 1130 or CKNW.

[tuvor]

3. G&M: Republicans in Laytonland: Talk to the Taliban

Bill Frist, the Bush Republican who is the Senate majority leader, has come out -- à la Jack Layton -- in favour of undertaking negotiations with the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Mr. Frist is no maverick. He has his right-wing spurs. He has backed his President's calamitous attempt at a Babylonian conquest since day one. But now he is in Laytonland.

"You need to bring them into a more transparent type of government," Mr. Frist said during a visit to Afghanistan this week. "And if that's accomplished, we'll be successful."

The strategy of pitting the "military versus insurgency one-to-one doesn't sound like it can be won," he said. "It sounds to me . . . that the Taliban is everywhere."

He was accompanied by a Florida Republican, Senator Mel Martinez. "A political solution is how it's all going to be solved," Mr. Martinez said.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20061005.wcomartin05a/BNStory/specialComment/home

EDIT: The last paragraph of this article actually references my original question.

[MrPrax]

4. So that's two...

and some reference on NW

That's understandable, it's pretty hard to tear yourself away from such press gems as:

Progress brewing in one Kandahar café

How a former exile is battling the Taliban with billboards, espresso and the Internet

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan—In many ways, Mohammed Naseem is the canary in the coal mine of southern Afghanistan. As long as he and others like him draw breath, there will remain a chance for a peaceful Afghan future.

We first encountered Naseem seven months ago, when the native Kandahari turned entrepreneur-in-exile was back in his hometown and well into the process of carving out a niche market in highway billboards.

...

There was a more altruistic dimension to Naseem's success. Having spent his exile in Seattle, the 32-year-old father of one started channelling part of his profits into a fascinating pet project — Kandahar's first high-end coffee house.

...

Yet he is also ready to acknowledge that without a willing host, no foreign Taliban can really embed. And here, in his small way, he has decided to channel whatever efforts he can bring to bear into the battle for the Pashtun soul. His idea is to appeal to Pashtun pride, and to use his advertising wiles to remind his people that long before the onset of war and the rise of the Taliban they were a nation that lived peacefully under a tribal code that predates Islam.

"We need to reclaim our own heritage," Naseem said. "We need to remind ourselves that pashtunwali, in this culture, was always a code of acceptance. Go back to the 1960s and '70s, when tourists would travel by motorcycle from Kandahar to Kabul. We were known for our hospitality, for embracing new things, for having very open arms."

TorStar

Godspeed Little Naseem -- espresso and billboards are to the Pushtans what timbits and hockey are to Canadians

To quote what John Wayne told to Hamchunk, fearful of the communist's return, at the end of The Green Berets: You let me worry about that Green Beret. You're what this is all about.

Caught ya!!
So you lefty types are burying all the positive stories about Afghanistan --

Why do you hate Canada Tuvor?

:rofl:

[tuvor]

5. Hillier on CBC saying they've been negotiating with Taliban since 2001

I can't find a link right now, but that's what was on their radio news broadcast this morning.

They also reminded listeners of Peter MacKay's words a month ago.

MacKay chided Layton for his recent calls for Canada to try to negotiate peaceful solutions with the Taliban, as well as with Hezbollah, in the Middle East.

"Is it next going to be tea with Osama bin Laden?" Mackay asked. "This cannot happen."

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2006/09/05/mackay-layton-afghanistan.html

[Spazito]

6. Gee, why is it that when Hillier speaks, I hear Rumsfeld?

Same lying liars, I guess.

[tuvor]

7. Sorry, folks, I'm still coming up empty finding a link to support this.

But I'm positive I heard it on CBC Radio Saturday morning. If anyone else finds a supporting link, would you be so kind as to post it?

[CHIMO]

8. Heard

It also.

He avoided the next question.

May have foud a link.

Show: WORLD REPORT
Date: 2006/10/07
Time: 08:00:00

Hillier act***** Duration: 00:01:16

Canada's top soldier has responded to the question as to whether anyone is trying to negotiate peace with the Taliban in Afghanistan, and if so, who.
Talking to the Taliban has been an issue for the leaders of the international force in Afghanistan, but also here at home.
The Chief of the defence staff, general Rick Hillier, spoke with the C-B-C.
He says people in the Afghan government have been talking with moderate elements within the Taliban for some time. Hillier says negotiations don't undermine what Canadian soldiers are doing in Afghanistan.

http://www.cbc.ca/radioshows/WORLD_REPORT/20061007.shtml

[tuvor]

9. Thanks, CHIMO.

Didn't realize CBC published transcripts of their news broadcasts, and now I can rest assured that I'm not hearing things yet.

Surprised that this story seems to be so underreported, although I'm not seeing a lot of new Canadian news lately--probably because of the long weekend, I presume.