It's the Taleban's country, give it back to them.

If we had treated the Taleban as allies rather than enemies, then trade and communication might actually have had a chance of raising awareness of human rights, women's rights and minority rights.

Killing thousands of civilians, on the other hand, helps the human rights of nobody. It's time we switched sides - tell Karzai and his "democratically elected" fraudulent MPs that either they get out now, or we'll bomb the Taleban back into power.

There would not be any peace unless Islamists are defeated. 911 happened when we were not there.

Only idiots and Islamists such as Mehdi would think otherwise.

in the mood for bASHING A TROLL....

RK

fancy a cup of tea?

The Taliban must not be let back into power. Its not quite the same situation as Sinn Fein and the IRA. We were right to negotiate with Sinn Fein. The Taliban are a dfferent kettle of fish, hard line islamic facists; we cannot negotiate with hardline islamic facists, until they learn that they have to develop a political wing like Sinn Fein willing to embrace democracy and HR. Otherwise we risk handing over Afghanistan to decades more misery of subjugation.

... and until we kill lots and lots of Taliban (as, thankfully, our American cousins are doing rather well at the moment) so as to humiliate, subjugate, and discredit them in the eyes of the people they formerly tyrranised (and who do not want them back), cut off by whatever means necessary the unmbilical cord from Pakistan, and help foster some sort of economy other than opium, we will not get a political settlement worth the paper its written on or worthy of the Afghan people.

What sort of half-baked point is Mehdi trying to make here?

Or is he just using second-hand opinion to tickle the chin of the basest element of his audience?

How happy the clapped-out left would be to a nation fall back under the complete immiseration of a barbarous regime. This is some kind of internationalism.

The Russians tried and failed, we will fail, get out now!

So why are we not in China, telling them how to behave?

I believe thats exactly what Dave is telling them at this very moment.
But the one thing he should not have done was wear the poppy. Has the man no shame at reminding how Britains imperialists tried to force opium down their throats and the Boxer Rebellion that resulted.
Its a very sensitive issue opium and he should have respected their feelings and not worn the poppy. A Labour Red Rose substitute would have been more appropriate in this instance.

"What, and leave a bunch of brutal corrupt facists controlling a weak and submissive populace who cannot summon up enough reserve to revolt against a cruel repressive regime?"

I thought that's what we wanted to do - impose UK style government!

We will never win. All we can do is destabilise the neighbours and breed more hatred.

Team America, F* yeah..

Cameron plans to pull out British troops by 2015 at the latest and the US are working on a date in 2014.

The question is whether Hamid Karzai could survive more than about 18 months after NATO withdrawal. I suspect not.

It's better to try to get some sort of settlement while troops are still in the country, however much the Taliban may stick in the craw.