Watched part of NBC Nightly News tonight and heard a couple of interesting things. First, Russia's President Vladamir Puten said that Russia would not provide troops for a US military strike BUT, they are planning on supplying the Afghan resistence with weapons and supprt. They are already helping the US with intellegence and cooperation with using airspace. Second, NBC found a number of men in Afghanistan who fled out of the country because they said that armed militia came to their doors and demanded they join the army or be shot. I wonder if we are going to get over there and find it is like Iraq with half the soldiers just begging to be fed and treated for their injuries.
Jeff, My brother in law fought in Desert Storm..was in the 101st Airborne Division. He has pictures and stories, believe me. Indeed, many Iraqi soldiers came to the American forces begging for help. Some of them even fought on our side in certain skirmishes, which were few on the ground. As a side note, they had an artist in the group. In Iraq, along roadsides they have HUGE slabs that are used as billboards with Hussein's picture on it and some hebrew writing below. This artist in the 101st painted huge sideburns, sunglasses and other detail to make Saddam's picture into a really nice likeness of Elvis! Then, over the Hebrew writing, he wrote, "The King Lives." Pretty good stuff....
How many children are going to be involved? From the training videos, they had many little children going through it. If that isn't brainwashing, I don't know what is. I read the Taliban stated they had 300,000 troops ready to go but an analyst from that area said it was more like 45,000 max. I seem to agree with Jeff....the leaders seem and talk strongly but when the war begins we get alot of deserters from their side. Anyone see what the Marxist Columbian rebels are saying now? They are planning to attack the US themselves. They hate us for sticking our noses in their cocaine business I guess. Their like 17,000 strong from what the article said. They called for black Americans and disgruntled US citizens to join in their cause. I am waiting for our government to present the evidence. If it's convincing, then it should go a long way in justifying the cause. I trust it wasn't a group of Timothy McVeigh followers hijacking the planes . Surf
Did any of you guys see the story on Dateline(I think) on NBC tonight? It was video shot by a female English journalist who risked her life to smuggle the camera into Afghanistan Truly horrific. If half of it is true, the Taliban are a disgrace. The country looked to be in complete disarray. My home country is taking thousands of (illegal) Afghan refugee's every week and now it is easyto see why.
I saw something like that on CNN Headline News yesterday. Some lady is the narrarator and at one point is talking about the beautiful gardens that existed in Afghanistan, etc, etc,. Taliban is killing people like the Nazis and putting them into mass graves. That show was a big time eye opener. I cant believe people can be that bad in this day and age.
Sorry Davo don't think so, our d******d of a prime minister is not letting them in, no matter the situation, the government has done a deal with the tiny inland of Nauru, and they are sent there first for processing, but i doubt even if they have legitimate claims to refugee status that the government will allow them to set foot on our once multi-cultural country. Next time you visit Australia will be named REDNECK WONDERLAND
Smeg I'm not really sure what you are saying - my point was that, after seeing video of the horrendous conditions in Afghanistan, I can see why they risk their lives to travel to Australia. Whether they should be permitted entry is another thing, and the whole Tampa thing was handled poorly. There is no doubt that they are arriving illegally in Australia, and bypass the official refugee process. They make their way all the way to Indonesia from Afghanistan and then risk their lives in crappy old fishing boats to cross the Timor Sea into Western Australia. Its hard to understand why Australia is the villian here. We accept the most refugees and immigrants on a per capita basis than any Country in the world save Canada. The Afghans cross though half a dozen other countires on their way to Australia who all refuse them entry, but we don't see them getting branded as inhumane. We have a process for admitting refugees to Australia based on need, which requires some assessment. These illegal refugees harm the chances of other people who we know have legitimate claims on refugee status, by jumping the queue. When their vessel gets approached by Customs, they throw all forms of identification overboard so they cannot be identified and assessed for refugee status. My brother works in the northwest of Western Australia and has first hand experience with these refugees on a day to day basis. Because its not me personnally, I'm not going to go into details, but suffice to say you would be appalled by the behaviour of some these people who are accommodated by our Country. No, Australia is not the villain.
Unfortunately, the army should be well fed. The Taliban army just "confiscated" 1400 tons of UN food and the UN continues to ship more in. Why is the UN shipping more in? Do they really think the Taliban army will distrubute the food to the needy? Basically, if you are hungry, you have to join the army to be fed. Otherwise, you are just a resource drain.
I'm pretty sure the U.N. is going to stop shipping it in now that the Taliban threatened to execute any U.N. official that helps a citizen.
Actually they just today decided to resume shipping of food to Afghanistan. <a href="http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010925/ts/food_un_afghanistan_aid_dc_2.html">Link to Story</a>
Well then why did the Howard government pick this boat load to stop and refuse entry and then another boat load shortly after??? I understand and agree with the process that they must undergo when they arrive here and don't have a major problem with it (aside from the terrible conditions in some of the detention centre, which are still better than Afghanistan) however. But stopping this boat load and remember it wasn't like this was the rickety boat dropping them off this container ship saved them from drowning, i just feel if they come here illegally then so be it, then they go through the process to discover if the have legitimate refugeee status (although i agree they don't help themselves by destroying documementation). What will happen the next time a container ship sees a boat load sinking next time, you think they'll pick them up, turn a blind eye i guess. They risk their lives and probably all their life savings to get here and escape a inhuman way of life, i just don't mind if they enter legally or illegally, just let them in and let the process to discover if they are legitimate refugees take place. Smeg
