USA doesn't consider Afghan Taliban as terrorists

[TankMan]

Sounds a lot like good terrorists vs bad terrorists - what's even the point of making such a distinction? An armed insurgent in Afghanistan is suddenly not a terrorist but an armed insurgent in Iraq is? What criteria is there to declare someone a terrorist? Total drama, as expected when the US would withdraw. Previously they had said they won't attack 'non-combatant terrorists' and now they're saying the Taliban aren't terrorists at all. They're going too easy on the Taliban.

They're basically sowing the seeds of another ISIS, these Taliban will be able to rebuild and rise from the ashes after the US withdrawal and possibly defeat the ANA (unlikely, but everyone thought the same about what is now ISIS). Depends on how it goes, but I don't like the look of it.

And they cry about Pakistan while hurling accusations of us sympathizing and making distinctions, while they do it themselves. Hypocritical US foreign policy, as usual.

 

[jhungary]

lol, IndiaTime, do they know the US have more than one Terror Watch List??

Try this http://www.treasury.gov/ofac/downloads/sdnlist.txt

The list is by executive order in 2002, listed Taliban as Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). Taliban still in the list as of 27 January.

 

[TankMan]

lol, IndiaTime, do they know the US have more than one Terror Watch List??

Try this http://www.treasury.gov/ofac/downloads/sdnlist.txt

The list is by executive order in 2002, listed Taliban as Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). Taliban still in the list as of 27 January.

It's not just the watchlist, a White House official made this distinction a while ago (0:51 in the video):

 

[Osama Ali_16]

WASHINGTON: The US does not consider the Afghan Taliban as a terrorist outfit, describing it as "an armed insurgency".

It called the Islamic State as a "terrorist" group, drawing a controversial distinction between the two outfits.

"The Taliban is an armed insurgency. ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and Levant) is a terrorist group. So we don't make concessions to terrorist groups," White House deputy press secretary Eric Schultz told reporters in response to questions at the daily press briefing yesterday.

When asked for a second time whether the Taliban is a terrorist group, he replied, "I don't think that the Taliban, - the Taliban is an armed insurgency."

Asked whether the Jordanian government's decision to swap prisoner with the ISIL was similar to the US trading five Taliban members for Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, he said, "As you know, this was highly discussed at the time and prisoner swaps are a traditional end-of-conflict interaction that happens."

"As the war in Afghanistan wound down, we felt like it was the appropriate thing to do. The president's bedrock commitment as commander in chief is to leave no man or woman behind. That's the principle he was operating under," he said.

"This was the winding down of the war in Afghanistan and that's why this arrangement was dealt," he added, referring to the prisoner swap deal with Taliban brokered through Qatar.

Though the State Department has not designated the Afghan Taliban as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation, it has designated its allies - the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and the Haqqani Network.

The US is offering up to USD 10 million for information leading to the capture of Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Omar.

ISIL or IS is an al-Qaeda splinter group and it has seized hundreds of square miles in Iraq and Syria, declaring an Islamic Caliphate.

US does not consider Afghan Taliban as a 'terrorist' outfit - The Economic Times

If even now they dont consider them as terrorists then sigh for them :/

 

[jhungary]

It's not just the watchlist, a White House official made this distinction a while ago (0:51 in the video):

He did not say "Taliban is not an Terrorist"

That White House PR Guy is very careful about his word, he did not say explicitly on Taliban is not a terrorist group, his actual word is

"Taliban is an Armed Insurgency, ISIS is a terrorist group" and "We don't make concession to terrorist group and this is about winding down the war in Afghanistan"

He did not explicitly say it is either, but unless a terrorist group cannot be an armed insurgency, not saying Taliban is a terrorist does not equal to saying Taliban is not a terrorist, simple reasoning is, one can be an armed insurgency and a terrorist organisation.....

Even when asked a second time, he repeated illustrated Taliban is an Armed Insurgency. His exact word is

"I don't think that Taliban, Taliban is an Armed Insurgency" Again, he did not say Taliban is not a terrorist....

So, in the end, did he say "Taliban is not a Terrorist Group"? No, and fact is, he is right, Taliban is listed as a Special Designation Global Terrorist since 2002 and as of Jan 27, 2015

 

[TankMan]

He did not say "Taliban is not an Terrorist"

That White House PR Guy is very careful about his word, he did not say explicitly on Taliban is not a terrorist group, his actual word is

"Taliban is an Armed Insurgency, ISIS is a terrorist group" and "We don't make concession to terrorist group and this is about winding down the war in Afghanistan"

He did not explicitly say it is either, but unless a terrorist group cannot be an armed insurgency, not saying Taliban is a terrorist does not equal to saying Taliban is not a terrorist.....

Did he say "Taliban is not a Terrorist Group"? No, and fact is, he is right, Taliban is listed as a Special Designation Global Terrorist as of Jan 27, 2015

He made a distinction, and to people who are not well-versed in the US's special designations and system for classifying terrorists that seems like he is saying that the Taliban are not terrorists but an armed insurgency.

Are those words being used interchangeably or is there a difference between an armed insurgency and a terrorist group? If the Taliban are listed as a terrorist group in the same designation as ISIS, why make a difference at all?

 

[jhungary]

He made a distinction, and to people who are not well-versed in the US's special designations and system for classifying terrorists that seems like he is saying that the Taliban are not terrorists but an armed insurgency.

Are those words being used interchangeably or is there a difference between an armed insurgency and a terrorist group? If the Taliban are listed as a terrorist group in the same designation as ISIS, why make a difference at all?

Ask him, that's a public session, any of the journo at white house could have ask "So an Armed Insurgency is not a Terrorist?" then he would have to choose if he want to say either the Taliban is an Armed Insurgency but not Terrorist, or Taliban is a terrorist organisation, or both.

But no one seems to ask him to further clarify that, so, you can guess or interpret it as whatever the hell you want, but if you want to nail him saying "Taliban is NOT TERRORIST ORGANISATION" then you probably need to try harder than the effort of that video, as he did not actually say that in the video. You connected "an Armed Insurgency is not a terrorist group" in your own head, he sure as hell did not say it.

lol, I only know 2 fact, 1.) He did not say Taliban is NOT a terrorist group. 2.) Taliban is in the SDGT list. So....Well, I have to say, he is dodgy in his response, but he did not explicitly say it, and if you try to imagine what happen next time when someone ask him "Eric, in the last session you say Taliban is not a terrorist group" What do you think his response will be?

He would have said "I did not say that" well, he didn't actually and factually

 

[Sine Nomine]

Exactly .They suffered a lot due to this .Even this war was not for them.

They will continue to suffer thank God for that because if they will not suffer then they will make India suffer..

 

[TankMan]

But no one seems to ask him to further clarify that, so, you can guess or interpret it as whatever the hell you want, but if you want to nail him saying "Taliban is NOT TERRORIST ORGANISATION" then you probably need to try harder than the effort of that video, as he did not actually say that in the video. You connected "an Armed Insurgency is not a terrorist group" in your own head, he sure as hell did not say it.

Sir I am not nailing anything. I asked you sincere questions and appreciate that you answered them. The hostile tone, especially like the one in the part I quoted, is not needed.

He made a distinction, that is what I said and that is what's true. Even if he did not explicitly say that the Taliban are not terrorists, he did imply it. I am trying to find the full video, to see whether or not someone asked for a clarification on that.

 

[jhungary]

Sir I am not nailing anything. I asked you sincere questions and appreciate that you answered them. The hostile tone, especially like the one in the part I quoted, is not needed.

That is not hostile, a CAP it so it emphasis the word he did not say, I will generally either go CAPS or Italic to illustrate my point, and BOLD if I am hostile on something.

That dude is dodgy, yes, probably that's why he got a job being the PR guy in white house.

 

[TankMan]

That dude is dodgy, yes, probably that's why he got a job being the PR guy in white house.

Yeah, he is - most spokespeople are like that, it's part of their job. But it still doesn't clarify what the distinction between an armed insurgency and a terrorist group actually signifies. The conversation went like this:

“You don’t think the Taliban’s a terrorist group?” Mr. Karl interjected.
“I don’t think that the Taliban — the Taliban is an armed insurgency,” Mr. Schultz corrected.
Taliban not a terrorist group: White House - Washington Times

Either way, I'm going through the whole press briefing to confirm. It will take a while as it's 40 minutes long
White House Briefing | Video | C-SPAN.org

EDIT, I went through the transcript instead, unfortunately there is no clarification, the questioner moves on to another topic.

QUESTION
You don't think the Taliban is a terrorist group?

Eric Schultz
I don't think that the Taliban -- the Taliban is an armed insurgency. This was the winding down of the war in Afghanistan. And that's why this arrangement...

Eric Schultz
Our view is, as the president said at the time, which is, as the commander in chief, when he sends men and women into armed combat, he doesn't want to leave anyone behind, that was the commitment he was following through on.

QUESTION
OK. Just one other topic, on the question of Iran, of course the president made it clear he would veto the sanctions bill if Congress did it, saying...

It's about 13:10 into the video briefing
White House Briefing | Video | C-SPAN.org

 

[jhungary]

Yeah, he is - most spokespeople are like that, it's part of their job. But it still doesn't clarify what the distinction between an armed insurgency and a terrorist group actually signifies. The conversation went like this:

“You don’t think the Taliban’s a terrorist group?” Mr. Karl interjected.
“I don’t think that the Taliban — the Taliban is an armed insurgency,” Mr. Schultz corrected.
Taliban not a terrorist group: White House - Washington Times

Either way, I'm going through the whole press briefing to confirm. It will take a while as it's 40 minutes long
White House Briefing | Video | C-SPAN.org

lol actually, he still bad at his job, cos now we can either stuff him with dealing with terrorist or admitting Taliban is not terrorist....I think if you found that he said explicitly for it, you can actually request his apology, good luck

 

[TankMan]

lol actually, he still bad at his job, cos now we can either stuff him with dealing with terrorist or admitting Taliban is not terrorist....I think if you found that he said explicitly for it, you can actually request his apology, good luck

I edited the OP, he didn't say it explicitly but it was strongly implied. I'm expecting they'll issue a statement to clarify it sooner or later, considering all the media coverage saying stuff like this in their headlines: ''Taliban not a terrorist group, White House deputy press secretary says''

 

[Steve781]

Even Afghanistan doesn't list the Taliban as terrorists. Neither does Pakistan or India. Why do you have to throw the magic word at them in order to oppose them?

 

[jhungary]

I edited the OP, he didn't say it explicitly but it was strongly implied. I'm expecting they'll issue a statement to clarify it sooner or later, considering all the media coverage saying stuff like this in their headlines: ''Taliban not a terrorist group, White House deputy press secretary says''

no problem, lol, we need more member like you here.

A welcome change for this forum. You do know you are a dying breed in this forum right??