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| Afghanistan | |
| Former Taliban FM considers asylum, declines cabinet post | |
| 2003-11-04 | |
Former Taliban foreign minister Mullah Wakil Ahmad Muttawakil has declined a Cabinet post and is considering asylum in an Arab country, possibly Qatar. Muttawakil, Karzai's mediator to the Taliban, was released on last Monday after 20 months in custody at a US military base near Kabul, advisors to Afghan President Hamid Karzai were quoted as saying on Monday by the Time magazine. Taliban hardliners, including former Afghan leader Mullah Mohammed Omar, consider Muttawakil a traitor for having surrendered to US forces and have ordered his assassination. Still Muttawakil has taken the risk of sounding out some of his former comrades in Kandahar, the magazine quoted his family as saying. The unprecedented talks between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Taliban moderates, which began last week, seem to have the Bush administration's blessing. By bringing moderate Taliban onboard, Karzai hopes he can garner support among the Pashtun and split the Taliban's ranks. Karzai's chief aide, Omar Daudzay, told a Kabul radio station that "the talks were initiated at the Taliban's request."
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| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #8 I never thought of that. However, I don't see us helping him unless he has new information. You might also consider the fact that in Qatar, we can keep an eye on HIM, as well. Works both ways. He may also serve as a lightning-rod for trouble in the local area. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2003-11-4 4:12:00 PM |
| #7 OP, I never thought of that. However, I don't see us helping him unless he has new information. |
| Posted by: Charles 2003-11-4 3:38:56 PM |
| #6 Extradite him to the most populous Muslim country - Hell. |
| Posted by: BH 2003-11-4 3:36:01 PM |
| #5 considering asylum in an Arab country, possibly Qatar. Nobody tell him him about our military base there. I think that may be one of the reasons he's considering Qatar for assylum - the Americans will be close by in case he has to duck and run again. He's helped us, he expects us to help him if things get nasty. I hope we do - we've turned our backs on too many people who have helped us, and trusted us to help them when things went bad. The Hmong are one of several tribes in Southeast Asia that come to mind. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2003-11-4 11:57:25 AM |
| #4 Nah, a moderate is one who beats women and children that are tied up with a whip instead of a bat. |
| Posted by: AKScott 2003-11-4 9:50:30 AM |
| #3 is considering asylum in an Arab country, possibly Qatar. Nobody tell him him about our military base there. |
| Posted by: Charles 2003-11-4 4:21:33 AM |
| #2 I could point out that Hamid Karzai was a supporter of the Taliban when they first emerged in the mid-90's, but he turned against him when they started to impose their rules on urban areas; since rural Afghanistan has always been a Talibanised society anyway. He also was opposed to the influence that Pakistan had among the Taliban. After he came out against him, his father was assasinated, and IIRC he blamed the ISI for the killing, which might be why he is very close to India. |
| Posted by: Paul Moloney 2003-11-4 4:18:42 AM |
| #1 How do you know a moderate from a hardline Taleban: the moderate Taleban throws small stones when executing women. |
| Posted by: JFM 2003-11-4 3:30:19 AM |