Taliban are not terrorists, says White House

[jaysabi]

Taliban Are Not Terrorists, or So Says the White House
By JONATHAN KARL

They act like terrorists, they regularly kill civilians like terrorists, but the White House does not consider the Afghan Taliban to be a terrorist group.

Semantics aside, the Taliban is suspected in multiple attacks over just the last 48 hours that have killed more than 30 people, including a suicide bombing attack on a funeral in Afghanistan today that killed 16 and wounded 39.

Even so, the White House does not call the Afghan Taliban a terrorist organization, Earnest explained, because they are “different than an organization like al Qaeda that has a much broader global aspiration to carry out acts of violence and acts of terror against Americans and American interests all around the globe.”

The issue has come up because the White House insisted on Wednesday that a prisoner exchange between Jordan and ISIS would be different than the prisoner exchange the United States made last year with the Taliban to gain the release of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl.

“Our policy is that we don't pay ransom. We don't give concessions to terrorist organizations,” Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz said Wednesday. “This is a longstanding policy that predates this administration. And it's also one that we've communicated to our friends and allies across the world.”

Schultz explained that the exchange the United States made with the Taliban -- releasing five Taliban prisoners from the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in exchange for the release of Sgt. Bergdahl -- was consistent with that policy because the Taliban is an “armed insurgency” and not a terrorist organization.
 
But the Obama administration isn’t entirely consistent on this point.

On one hand, the Afghan Taliban are not on the State Department’s list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (the Pakistan Taliban is on that last). On the other hand, the Taliban is on the Treasury Department’s list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists, a classification that allows their assets to be frozen.

And even as Earnest was explaining why the Taliban are not terrorists, he slipped, calling them ... “terrorists.”

“We have not ruled out that there would be some situations in which U.S. service members would still carry out operations in self-defense against the Taliban or other terrorists who are operating in Afghanistan,” Earnest said.

No, no, they're not terrorists because one time we did a prisoner exchange with them, and we would never do a prisoner exchange with terrorists. See how foolproof our logic is?

"Armed insurgency" is the arbitrary definition they're calling the Taliban, a distinction from "terrorists." Although, armed insurgets in America would be called domestic terrorists. Armed insurgents in Palestine are called terrorists. It's embarrassing how transparent these lies are, and it's embarrassing further how there are no consequences for peddling these lies.

Oh yeah, and there's this:

[Lethn]

I think I've just thought of a way to get the PKK delisted as a terrorist organisation by the U.S!

[pedrog]

According to the Taliban, USA is a terrorist organization...

[(oYo)]

According to the Taliban, USA is a terrorist organization...

It's like the pot calling the kettle black. Obviously the majority of Americans are not terrorists, but their country is certainly run by them.

[pedrog]

According to the Taliban, USA is a terrorist organization...

It's like the pot calling the kettle black. Obviously the majority of Americans are not terrorists, but their country is certainly run by them.

Agree. Just a matter of perspective.

[jjacob]

Haven't you heard - there is a good taliban and a bad taliban as well. 

[Twipple]

According to the Taliban, USA is a terrorist organization...

yeah taliban are not terrorist and the USa is not terrorist too but some one use the name of USA/Talibaan  when attacking countries like PAK and someone use name of Taliban attacking in USA

[JohnLennon]

How many times they changed their opinion about the Taliban? Time would have to be defined

[Yeah?]

I think the Taliban should have refused to deal with the US government stating they 'don't negotiate with terrorists'  .

[crazykiddo]

Taliban is the resistance, their country is conquered by the US. Those civilians killed is only collateral damage. Same with with US using drones. Almost 3/4 of what were killed by the drones are civilians.

[ajaxmoor]

I think its all upto the perspective . Taliban is actually a group, and people disagreeing with their vieww call them terrorists.
However, its open to everyone's interpretation.

[Aggressor66]

One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.

[mriulian]

It means guys who atacked Charlie Hebdo are not terrorists.. Right? ) They are just good people playing around with new guns..hmm

[grendel25]

They want to subjugate women and force everyone to live by a strict religious code.  Humanity would be degraded if they ruled the world.

[jaysabi]

They want to subjugate women and force everyone to live by a strict religious code.  Humanity would be degraded if they ruled the world.

I can't tell if you're talking about the Taliban or Republicans.   

I'm a laugh riot.

[bill gator]

Well USA did give lots of material, arms and intelligence support to assorted mujahideen groups to help them bleed the Russians. The Taliban were one of those groups.

[Spendulus]

They want to subjugate women and force everyone to live by a strict religious code.  Humanity would be degraded if they ruled the world.

I can't tell if you're talking about the Taliban or Republicans.   

I'm a laugh riot.

Because of where I work, I'm around Republicans all the time.  Can't think of a case in twenty years when one wanted to force me to do anything.

Lots of cases where religious Republicans wanted to talk about their missionary trips to Africa, or other projects they had.  Lots of cases where they asked if I wanted to help on one or another such project. 

I kind of don't think that would be the case with the Taliban.

[manis]

One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.

Standard state propaganda fed to citizens to justify terrorism.

[mriulian]

What can we say afterall?

[medUSA]

We know governments change their political stance now and again. It is incredible how they can switch their classification of Taliban like that. Terrorists are not terrorists when they are not carrying attacks, they are civilians!

According to the Taliban, USA is a terrorist organization...

Best quote of the day!