White House declines to call Afghan Taliban 'terrorists'
WASHINGTON: The White House on Thursday declined to describe Afghanistan's Taliban as a terrorist group, prompting consternation from the right, which accused President Barack Obama's administration of being out of touch.
“They do carry out tactics that are akin to terrorism, they do pursue terror attacks in an effort to advance their agenda,” said White House spokesman Josh Earnest.
“What's also true though is that it is important to draw a distinction between the Taliban and Al-Qaeda,” he said, pointing to a difference in designation.
Read: US may not target Mullah Omar after 2014
“The Taliban is a very dangerous organisation,” he added.
The Treasury Department has imposed anti-terror sanctions on around 2,000 Taliban fighters, leaders, supporters and financiers.
But the White House's distinction got short shrift from its political opponents, with Republicans sending footage of the comments to supporters.
“It slits throats, it attacks buses, it drives car bombs into markets and it's not a terrorist group. Look, you can't parody this administration,” said conservative commentator Charles Krauthammer.
Also read: US soldier released in exchange for five Taliban prisoners
Others said the White House's distinction was based more on politics than reality, pointing to the negotiated release of Taliban captive and US soldier Bowe Bergdahl.
The White House says it does not negotiate with terror groups.
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Comments (70) Closed
Jan 30, 2015 12:05pm
now who is playing double game ?
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Jan 30, 2015 12:12pm
@rana They are allowed to. They are the Super Power
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Jan 30, 2015 12:14pm
If you can't beat them......join them !!!!!
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Jan 30, 2015 12:15pm
when you trust far away country more than neighbors such thing will happen
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Jan 30, 2015 12:24pm
Basically, the Taliban is a tool of US through which it controls Afpak. Afghanistan will continue to remain in turmoil, so will Pakistan. With Chinese investments coming into Afghanistan, the Taliban will remain a threat to both every one ensuring the whole region remains in a royal mess. Pakistani Generals are obviously under the control of US & will take US diktat. Now Afghan Taliban along with TTP will attack Pakistan as Pakistani army destroyed haqqani network and displaced millions in NWFP. IK was right. This is not Pakistan's war. It never was. Pakistan jumped into war, created terrorists to fight Russians as well as Indians in the name odd strategic depth and destroyed itself.
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Jan 30, 2015 12:27pm
@rana who said it double game ? they play multiple game when Pakistan is trusting far away nation than its own neighbor India and Afghanistan
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Jan 30, 2015 12:59pm
So now all TTP has to do is call itself TTA........and they can go on killing small children.........well done America.
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Jan 30, 2015 01:00pm
Its their choice who to declare "good or bad terrorists".
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Jan 30, 2015 01:01pm
Dah !!!!! Why did you attack Afghanistan then? God please do mercy on America .
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Jan 30, 2015 01:02pm
Lol. USA, again need assistance of Al-Qeada in Ukraine, as they did in USSR, and after win, they will declare them TERRORISTS again, but this time opposite will happen, Al-Qaeda will fight from Russia side.They know better ,who is there friend.
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Jan 30, 2015 01:03pm
This Taliban was the main reason after 9/11 Pakistan joined alliance with the US on the so called war on terror. Pakistan was free from terrorism before 9/11. Now Pakistan is suffering terrorist attacks. US can never be trusted as a friend to any Muslim Nation. US is the seed of terrorism across the world from Africa, Middle East to Asia. Yes thats right it breeds terrorism.
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Jan 30, 2015 01:07pm
Wow, people don't even read the article before commenting.
US's official policy is "no negotiations with terrorists". But in past they have done prisoner's exchange with Taliban. This distinction helps them keep face and continue to say that they don't negotiate with terrorists.
"White House's distinction was based more on politics than reality, pointing to the negotiated release of Taliban captive and US soldier Bowe Bergdahl.
The White House says it does not negotiate with terror groups."
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Jan 30, 2015 01:16pm
There are some back channel talks are going on between US and Afgan taliban. If we blindly follow these Americans and western nations they will always back stab us. They only know their interest and nothing else.
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Jan 30, 2015 01:20pm
So they are again US new friends?
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Jan 30, 2015 01:22pm
Good Taliban and Bad taliban is also America's version of thought imparted in Pakistani civilian and military leadership. When Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, America was helping good taliban against it along with Pakistan. Now American's having been failed to control Western part of South Asia which was aimed at thwarting Chinese rise, tries to somehow bridge the gap by not calling Taliban terrorists in an efforts to create peaceful environment for India. Big game.
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Jan 30, 2015 01:22pm
Talk about double standards. US gains by keeping various areas in the globe in turmoil (for oil). And sell them more weapons.
Multiple agenda.
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Jan 30, 2015 01:25pm
Might is right, when their own entrust arrived they will do as the Romans do.
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Jan 30, 2015 01:34pm
This kind of sums up the whole 'war on terror' farce and American foreign policy: Sheer barefaced hypocrisy.
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Jan 30, 2015 01:35pm
When is Raheel Sharif taking over? I think this is a record for a PM to stay in office this long
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Jan 30, 2015 01:36pm
@dwaraka nath And we are supposed to trust India? Seriously? Are you forgettig how India armed and trained the terrorists of Mukti Bahini? Strange memory loss?
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Jan 30, 2015 01:43pm
Taliban outfit is the creation of American agencies and is one of the most lethal and productive (for America), Weapon of Mass Destruction. They can never declare their creation outlawed.
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Jan 30, 2015 02:04pm
Its wierd how the US is changing its policies around the world especially with India, Cuba, Afghanistan etc!
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Jan 30, 2015 02:09pm
Republican who always support them " " also having videos and fotage with president Reagon how could they describe this apporach by Democrates? first Republican clear them out from all kind of conspiracies then they could blame Democrates.
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Jan 30, 2015 02:09pm
So now there are good and bad Talibans ........ ?! It was really hard for the Pakistani people to come to one point of view that there are no good and bad ones .. only "BAD" ones !! ... now we would have adjust our opinions again? daah ;-)
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Jan 30, 2015 02:16pm
Us has attained it's goals of attacking Afg. Now it damn cares who is who and what is what. Let the fighting parties to settle between them.
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Jan 30, 2015 02:19pm
@dwaraka nath Same goes for India
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Jan 30, 2015 02:20pm
@Sunil What about Pakistan? do you approve Pakistan's choices? have read you crying many times over Pakistan's ALLEGED choices. Also What about India's approach towards good and bad!!
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Jan 30, 2015 02:26pm
Always puppets will suffer.
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Jan 30, 2015 02:34pm
Democrat Party making sure that It don't return to power in next election.
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Jan 30, 2015 02:38pm
sane voices have been saying it time and again that USA will leave Afghanistan leaving us to deal with the mess. The whole war started after 9/11 in Afghanistan, it spilled in to Pakistan due to their wrong policies. but now Afghan Taliban are not terrorists leaving us to deal with the TTP. What a game
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Jan 30, 2015 02:55pm
"The White House on Thursday declined to describe Afghanistan's Taliban as a terrorist group, prompting consternation from the right, which accused President Barack Obama's administration of being out of touch"
By this the White House has accepted Afghan Talibans as freedom fighters. It is a victory for Afghan taliban
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Jan 30, 2015 03:05pm
@Sunil, And it is their choice who to fight with China.
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Jan 30, 2015 03:15pm
Biggest hypocrites in the world
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Jan 30, 2015 03:29pm
Might is right ........ Taliban are good people now for USA
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Jan 30, 2015 03:33pm
This happens, when Obamas of this world go touring Sub-continent. They become a bit confused and start speaking like political leaders in India and Pakistan: may be Terrorist / may be not, ready for dialogs / unavailable for dialogs, etc., etc. VERY FUNNY.
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Jan 30, 2015 03:38pm
“What's also true though is that it is important to draw a distinction between the Taliban and Al-Qaeda,” he said, pointing to a difference in designation.
The irony, when Pakistan said the same just after 9/11 we were told to be either with them or against them. Ever since, the american have learned the hard way, and in the process, Pakistan lost 50000 lives.
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Jan 30, 2015 03:39pm
@Indian You don't have to worry and as said many time before to Indians take care of your country.
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Jan 30, 2015 03:51pm
I am just here to read Indian comments after this new. Dear Indian will you bash US in same way the way you do to us?
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Jan 30, 2015 03:52pm
@Sunil Thanks sunil now its our choice to declare Hafiz Saeed bad or good.
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Jan 30, 2015 03:56pm
Pakistan should protest to the U.N by writing a letter, and reject all American Aid.
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Jan 30, 2015 04:13pm
This is a slap on musharraf and all so called paki modernists
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Jan 30, 2015 04:25pm
If that was the definition, then Pakistan should be declared a terrorist country.
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Jan 30, 2015 04:36pm
You attacked Iraq in pursuit of chemical weapons and after rampaging that countries you realized there was no chemical weapons.
You attacked afghanon the pretext that Taliban are terrorists. Now after destroying that country you came to know that Taliban are not terrorists.
Whose turn is it now.
Just declare any country of your choice terrorist and the world community will nof their heads like donkeys. There is no moral values left in the world.Might is rigjt.If you are the superpower you can kill innocent. Nobody dares to ask you.
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Jan 30, 2015 05:16pm
@dwaraka nath - True to a certain extent. However, if the neighbor is not trustworthy then you have to make some choices and sometimes those choices could be bad.
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Jan 30, 2015 05:49pm
@akhthar For every problems of Pakistan, love to point fingers at India, still no clue behind. Stop blaming US now and other foreign agents, try standing on your own feet.
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Jan 30, 2015 06:21pm
@Mohammed: And do you forget what made the Mukti Bahini to rise? Long Term Memory Loss in your case??
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Jan 30, 2015 06:39pm
Is US a superpower or super-bigot
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Jan 30, 2015 07:50pm
For knowing the real background of Taliban, just google "Abdullah Mehsud" and see
Do you need any further proof?
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Jan 30, 2015 07:59pm
@Indian Raheel has taken over only fools cannot see it.
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Jan 30, 2015 08:01pm
In the West, the Afghan Taliban are beginning to look almost civilised, when compared to ISIS.
Or the TTP, for that matter.
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Jan 30, 2015 08:28pm
@Imran;
"When Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, America was helping good taliban against it along with Pakistan."
Don't get confused, the order of events is very important. The word "Taliban" wasn't heard till the Soviet Union was abolished and General Zia was dead.
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Jan 30, 2015 08:34pm
USA do more.
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Jan 30, 2015 09:07pm
and now it is the turn of US Good and bad talibans...shame
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Jan 30, 2015 09:54pm
Now who is making a distinction between good & bad Taliban? its a lesson for all Pakistani's who have a Utopian outlook to International affairs. Countries follow their national interests not moral conscious. Moral conscious only gets evoke when it servers national interests, besides that moral conscious has no role to play what so ever in world affairs. Like it or hate it, that's the reality of the world today and how countries conduct themselves in international affairs.
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Jan 30, 2015 10:08pm
There are no permanent enemies or friends in geopolitics. In their next statement the
Americans will recognize Taliban as legitimate contestants in Afghanistan elections. They should know? they have effectively been beaten and humiliated there. That leave Pakistan holding the baby because of its lack of vision and a failed government consisting of uneducated, unrefined parliamentarians and rudderless leadership who don't have a clue about statecraft and couldn't run a small company let alone a country of 200 million. The entire core of government consists of a single family with five brothers/cousins holding key positions. What else can we expect but more self inflicted grief.
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Jan 30, 2015 10:15pm
USA understands the position of pak now well they ain't got no choice + they are mature enough to understand what they can and can't do.
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Jan 30, 2015 10:17pm
@arslan Pakistan did make a choice initially, but retracted, stating it was out of context.
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Jan 30, 2015 10:18pm
When you are thousands of miles away you can call them butterflies, but those who live with and around them cannot afford this denial. Hope we have learnt our lesson of last 15 years.
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Jan 30, 2015 10:19pm
@Kamal Pasha No one is going to fight with China, only threat looms, between with neighbors, and US ready to stand by with Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Philippines.
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Jan 30, 2015 11:12pm
It's not too long we will see delegation of taliban visiting a president in the White House just like they did when Ronald Reagan was president.
Similarly Pakistan government needs to keep good and close relationship with these people.
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Jan 31, 2015 12:28am
White House is not under any pressure nor does it have any agreement to call any one anything. There is no double game, this is called diplomacy.
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Jan 31, 2015 12:34am
Hegemony!!!
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Jan 31, 2015 12:48am
It is all down to creating the long term goal of having partners that will allow USA to exploit Afghanistan's mineral wealth.
It is as simple as that.
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Jan 31, 2015 12:53am
What a serious joke?
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Jan 31, 2015 01:13am
@akhthar really that simple...wow
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Jan 31, 2015 01:27am
@dwaraka nath America is every countries neighbor
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Jan 31, 2015 03:51am
Why would they call them terrorists when they are serving them and are their mercenaries in this region to tackle China, Ira and Russia after dealing and destroying Pakistan and Afghanistan. Eventually actual association is coming on surface.
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Jan 31, 2015 06:26am
This what happens when you keep on electing the same corrupt incompetent leaders again and again
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Jan 31, 2015 04:18pm
US is the King of the jungle. It can lay eggs or littes as it pleases. Yesterday Taliban were terrorists, then they were not, then again they were branded terrorists and again they are not. We will look towards the US to see what they will be called next. Since the boss is always right, so is the GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. So dear Uncle Sam, we will call them next whatever that you decide to call them.
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Feb 02, 2015 11:23am
US policy is UNBELIEVABLE! it is full of twists
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