Right Voices

There was much hoopla today in the blogosphere about this AP story, claiming that Frist says U.S. can’t win, should bring Taliban into Afghan government:

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Monday that the Afghan guerrilla war can never be won militarily and called for efforts to bring the Taliban and their supporters into the Afghan government.
The Tennessee Republican said he had learned from briefings that Taliban fighters were too numerous and had too much popular support to be defeated by military means.

Captain Ed called Senator Frisk’s office for a confirmation and here is what Frist had to say:

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.

I must say I am surprised that the blogosphere jumped all over this without considering the source. People have post after post , after post, declaring their distortions of the truth!

I am no fan of Senator Frist, but at least have the integrity to print the truth.