After Bin Laden, U.S. Reassesses Afghan Strategy

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/11/world/middleeast/11military.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=afghanistan&st=cse


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: barry levine
Date: Wed, May 11, 2011 at 11:29 PM
Subject: re: After Bin Laden, U.S. Reassesses Afghan Strategy
To: letters@nytimes.com


to the Editor:
  U.S. voters are notoriously dim on the distinction between al-Qaeda
and the Taliban and congressman McKeon would put a stumbling block
before the blind. Al-Qaeda is an international terrorist group bent on
the overthrow of what they have called godless governments in Saudi
Arabia, the U.S. and India inter alia. The Taliban is a Pashtun
insurgency bent on imposing their tribal values and mores on the
Afghan majority.  Our grievance with al-Qaeda as perpetrators of the
atrocities of 9/11 was largely discharged with the demise of Osama
bin-Laden.  Our grievance with the Taliban was merely that they had
given him shelter.  It is time to declare victory and get out. We got
what we came for. The Taliban's fight is not our fight.
Barry Haskell Levine