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Afghanistan
Cheap Afghan insurgency can last for a long time: Hekmatyar
2007-05-07
Afghanistan’s insurgency is cheap to fund and the fighters behind it are committed, so it can continue ‘for a long time’ without foreign support, rebel leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has told AFP.
"So don't bother sending us any more money or people. Really, we're fine. Buy yourself something nice instead. A facial, some new shoes, that trip to Atlantic City you always wanted to take," he forgot to add.
Roadside bombs, which Taliban and other insurgents regularly use to deadly effect, cost $100 dollars each, the former Afghan prime minister said in a recorded DVD response to AFP questions that was delivered this week. This is much less expensive than the billions of dollars spent by international troops conducting counter-insurgency operations.

“The Americans know that roadside bombs used against their convoys cost only $100,” said Hekmatyar, who carries a multi-million-dollar US bounty on his head. “We need neither foreign support for materials and equipment or for expenses,” he said in the video. “If we are able to carry out at least 1,000 such attacks a year, it costs us only $100,000. We can carry on this war for a long time,” he added
"I'm serious. Get that barbecue and a big ol' slab of pork ribs, a big ol' tub of ice cold Coronas. Me-n-the-boyz have it all taken care of."
In the DVD, Hekmatyar flatly rejected allegations by President Hamid Karzai and some US officials that the uprising is dependent on support from Pakistan, including its intelligence service. “Those who have military experience and know the details of the current resistance understand that we don’t need support from anyone, or any foreign country,” he said. “Some people suggest that Pakistan supports us. I tell you, Pakistan was the one who helped the Americans take Afghanistan.”
Posted by:Fred

#18  Hek? Your troops throw grenades like little girls. Biaaaatches
Posted by: Frank G   2007-05-07 21:26  

#17  sounds like an offer for a 50 cal slug getween the eyes
Posted by: sinse   2007-05-07 20:02  

#16  Sounds like an offer to be properly bribed.
Posted by: Shipman   2007-05-07 17:07  

#15  They do not have to outlast anyone more than Pelosi and Reid and Murtha.

Now how hard would that be?

That us why he is confident the tribes will fall in line behind him and support him locally. All he has to do is point to Iraq when someone brings up American support.
Posted by: Spavise Grundy6517   2007-05-07 13:27  

#14  I guess Hek just wants to prove to his financial supporters that he gets real bang for the buck!

(Sorry, couldn't resist...)
Posted by: Swamp Blondie   2007-05-07 12:00  

#13  Somewhere around the time of the whirling dervish, a machine gun should have made the final decision for them.

Oh, and they don't have to work. Every morning they tell their goat what they want for supper, and she passes the word to her human female subordinate.
Posted by: wxjames   2007-05-07 11:41  

#12  You get what you pay for.
Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305   2007-05-07 11:39  

#11  Oh, and in that video, no where did I see anybody but guards working. Also, no plants anywhere just dust. Not even a vegie garden...
If they are not working at least they could be planting instead of drinking tea and having huge debates about whom to talk to.
Posted by: 3dc   2007-05-07 11:36  

#10  Watched part of a Russian video on LinkTv last night. They were traveling through Afghanistan and trying to talk to the Mullahs.
In one town east of Herat they mullah's let them watch for three days while they had the debate if they should even talk to the Russian video crew.

All these mullahs siting around arguing jinn on the head of a pin stuff. Then about 1/4 of them got into a whirling dervish circle and end up in a trance state.

All this to decide if they would talk to a tv crew. I got bored and turned it off so I don't know if the ever did.

The point ends up being - These guys are wacko!
Posted by: 3dc   2007-05-07 11:16  

#9  Murder is bred into the bone with these people.
Posted by: SR-71   2007-05-07 09:54  

#8  He does have a point. Low key terrorist and separatist attacks will be going on in Afghanistan and other places in the Arab world long after this war and most likely long after we are dead. They have been since the beginning of time and will most likely go on until the end of time.

That being said, I would like to end as many of the taliwackers as possible, as messily as possible before we hand over things to the Afghans.
Posted by: DarthVader   2007-05-07 09:41  

#7  Saving all that money doesn't mean shit if you get incinerated by a $50,000 , 5,000lb, marvel of western technology while squating in your mud house.
Posted by: bigjim-ky   2007-05-07 07:45  

#6  The Americans know that roadside bombs used against their convoys cost only $100,”

Yep, and bullets are around 60 cents, die in a hail of (Copper jacketed) lead.
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2007-05-07 06:23  

#5  All those things may be true - OK, they are true - but Hek and da boise can certainly outlast our friends in Congress.
Posted by: Bobby   2007-05-07 06:20  

#4  if they die, death benefits need to be provided to the family.

And if they don't die but somehow all magically end up blind or otherwise effed up real bad?
Posted by: gorb   2007-05-07 05:16  

#3  Only as long as Pakistan.
Posted by: Sneaze   2007-05-07 04:03  

#2  Article: “The Americans know that roadside bombs used against their convoys cost only $100,” said Hekmatyar, who carries a multi-million-dollar US bounty on his head. “We need neither foreign support for materials and equipment or for expenses,” he said in the video. “If we are able to carry out at least 1,000 such attacks a year, it costs us only $100,000. We can carry on this war for a long time,” he added

The problem is that Taliban fighters need to eat. They also need to be paid. And if they die, death benefits need to be provided to the family. The dirty little secret of jihadism is large cash payments to the families of the deceased. End that, and the flow of fighters crashes. Not to mention the fact that we have an industrial economy's resources to draw on, whereas they don't even control Afghanistan.
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2007-05-07 01:05  

#1  In the DVD, Hekmatyar flatly rejected allegations by President Hamid Karzai and some US officials that the uprising is dependent on support from Pakistan, including its intelligence service.

No, really. Other then paying for my room service and my pay per view goat pr0n at the Peshawar Sonesta, they're no help at all. By Allah, I swear to you...
Posted by: tu3031   2007-05-07 00:40  

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