Q: Do you see a time when you might be willing to reach out to more moderate elements of the Taliban, to try to peel them away, toward reconciliation?
A: If you talk to Gen. Petraeus, I think he would argue that part of the success in Iraq involved reaching out to people that we would consider to be Islamic fundamentalists, but who were willing to work with us because they had been completely alienated by the tactics of al-Qaida in Iraq.
There may be some comparable opportunities in Afghanistan and the Pakistani region. But the situation in Afghanistan is, if anything, more complex. You have a less governed region, a history of fierce independence among tribes. Those tribes are multiple and sometimes operate at cross purposes, so figuring all that out is going to be much more of a challenge.
The problems associated with the Sons of Iraq short term strategy are discussed in this AP article published by the Washington Post:. U.S. Unsure About the Future of Iraq's 'Sons'. The same principles of common sense should apply to Afghanistan as well as Iraq.
- You can rent loyalty, you can't purchase it.
- You can be outbid.
- You can not trust those whose loyalty you have rented.
- Jihad is:
- the means of propagating Islam. {"His Religion (Islam) is propagated."}
- "the original religion" of Islam
- Islam's "highest peak"
- mandatory, not optional.
If they are Muslims, obedient to Allah, emulators of Muhammad, they are not our friends nor are they our allies. Friendship and alliance with disbelievers is explicitly forbidden by the following ayat.
- 3:28. Let not the believers take the disbelievers as Auliyâ (supporters, helpers, etc.) instead of the believers, and whoever does that will never be helped by Allâh in any way, except if you indeed fear a danger from them. And Allâh warns you against Himself (His Punishment), and to Allâh is the final return.
- 3:118
- 4:89
- 4:144
- For context, begin with 4:135.
- 5:51
- Continue context to 5:56.
- 5:57
- 58:14
- Continue context to 58:22
- 60:1
- 2:225. Allâh will not call you to account for that which is unintentional in your oaths, but He will call you to account for that which your hearts have earned. And Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most-Forbearing.
- 3:28. Let not the believers take the disbelievers as Auliyâ (supporters, helpers, etc.) instead of the believers, and whoever does that will never be helped by Allâh in any way, except if you indeed fear a danger from them. And Allâh warns you against Himself (His Punishment), and to Allâh is the final return.
- 5:89. Allâh will not punish you for what is uninentional in your oaths, but He will punish you for your deliberate oaths; ...
- 16:106. Whoever disbelieved in Allâh after his belief, except him who is forced thereto and whose heart is at rest with Faith but such as open their breasts to disbelief, on them is wrath from Allâh, and theirs will be a great torment.
- (unless you indeed fear a danger from them) meaning, except those believers who in some areas or times fear for their safety from the disbelievers. In this case, such believers are allowed to show friendship to the disbelievers outwardly, but never inwardly. For instance, Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Ad-Darda' said, "We smile in the face of some people although our hearts curse them.'' Al-Bukhari said that Al-Hasan said, "The Tuqyah is allowed until the Day of Resurrection.''
- "War is deceit'"
1 comment:
Tessa/Richmond/Ruth
Glad to have you back again.
I responded to your first comment here: http://righthooks.blogspot.com/2009/03/open-letter-to-us-senatedear-senators.html
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