Flip-flop Frist
It's a good thing Bill Frist has a couple of years before he has to run for President. Maybe he can let today's news blow over before that happens.
It's like this. Earlier today he was saying that the Afghan war against Taliban guerrillas can never be won militarily and called for efforts to bring the Islamic militia and its supporters into the Afghan government.
The Tennessee Republican said he learned from briefings that Taliban fighters were too numerous and had too much popular support to be defeated on the battlefield.
That's right, the guys who made Afghanistan a safe haven for bin Laden and his al Qaeda killers, and created a reign of repressive Islamic terror, they're going to be our new pals. "Come on back, all is forgiven!"
What a great strategy! This isn't even declare victory and go home, this is literally hand the country over to the people who helped to attack us, and who we threw out of the government when we invaded.
Well, apparently Dr. Bill started thinking about what he had said, and it occurred to him that it might not play too well back here in America, or where some of us live in the reality-based community, so he's changed his tune. Between 4:01, when the AP story went live, and 5:45, here's his new line:
America will Never Negotiate with Terrorists or Support their Entry into Afghanistan’s Government
I’m currently overseas visiting our troops in Afghanistan, but I wanted to take a moment to address an Associated Press story titled, “Frist: Taliban Should Be in Afghan Gov’t.” The story badly distorts my remarks and takes them out of context.
First of all, let me make something clear: The Taliban is a murderous band of terrorists who’ve oppressed the people of Afghanistan with their hateful ideology long enough. America’s overthrow of the Taliban and support for responsible, democratic governance in Afghanistan is a great accomplishment that should not and will not be reversed.
Having discussed the situation with commanders on the ground, I believe that we cannot stabilize Afghanistan purely through military means. Our counter-insurgency strategy must win hearts and minds and persuade moderate Islamists potentially sympathetic to the Taliban to accept the legitimacy of the Afghan national government and democratic political processes.
National reconciliation is a necessary and an urgent priority … but America will never negotiate with terrorists or support their entry into Afghanistan’s government.
Written by Bill Frist, M.D.
Notice something? He doesn't actually claim he didn't say what he said. It's a non-denial denial.
So I have a new campaign slogan for him and he can use it free of charge:
"I was against the Taliban before I was for them."
It's like this. Earlier today he was saying that the Afghan war against Taliban guerrillas can never be won militarily and called for efforts to bring the Islamic militia and its supporters into the Afghan government.
The Tennessee Republican said he learned from briefings that Taliban fighters were too numerous and had too much popular support to be defeated on the battlefield.
That's right, the guys who made Afghanistan a safe haven for bin Laden and his al Qaeda killers, and created a reign of repressive Islamic terror, they're going to be our new pals. "Come on back, all is forgiven!"
What a great strategy! This isn't even declare victory and go home, this is literally hand the country over to the people who helped to attack us, and who we threw out of the government when we invaded.
Well, apparently Dr. Bill started thinking about what he had said, and it occurred to him that it might not play too well back here in America, or where some of us live in the reality-based community, so he's changed his tune. Between 4:01, when the AP story went live, and 5:45, here's his new line:
America will Never Negotiate with Terrorists or Support their Entry into Afghanistan’s Government
I’m currently overseas visiting our troops in Afghanistan, but I wanted to take a moment to address an Associated Press story titled, “Frist: Taliban Should Be in Afghan Gov’t.” The story badly distorts my remarks and takes them out of context.
First of all, let me make something clear: The Taliban is a murderous band of terrorists who’ve oppressed the people of Afghanistan with their hateful ideology long enough. America’s overthrow of the Taliban and support for responsible, democratic governance in Afghanistan is a great accomplishment that should not and will not be reversed.
Having discussed the situation with commanders on the ground, I believe that we cannot stabilize Afghanistan purely through military means. Our counter-insurgency strategy must win hearts and minds and persuade moderate Islamists potentially sympathetic to the Taliban to accept the legitimacy of the Afghan national government and democratic political processes.
National reconciliation is a necessary and an urgent priority … but America will never negotiate with terrorists or support their entry into Afghanistan’s government.
Written by Bill Frist, M.D.
Notice something? He doesn't actually claim he didn't say what he said. It's a non-denial denial.
So I have a new campaign slogan for him and he can use it free of charge:
"I was against the Taliban before I was for them."
posted by Jack McCullough at 12:08 AM
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