Comments on: The Social Taliban Democrats http://registan.net/index.php/2009/03/24/the-social-taliban-democrats/ All Central Asia, All The Time Fri, 25 May 2012 20:24:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Joshua Foust http://registan.net/index.php/2009/03/24/the-social-taliban-democrats/comment-page-1/#comment-379867 Joshua Foust Thu, 26 Mar 2009 10:18:53 +0000 http://www.registan.net/index.php/2009/03/24/the-social-taliban-democrats/#comment-379867 Sahar, he most certainly did not. The term has been used in other contexts, but not (best I know) Afghanistan, and not by Johnson. Myra, the COIN people are right that eventually there must be some sort of settlement. The problem I see is that they are jumping the gun, and you're right that the genie is out. I'm hoping that we haven't blown our chance... but it's possible we have. If that makes sense. I'm rather jetlagged right now, so who knows. Sahar, he most certainly did not. The term has been used in other contexts, but not (best I know) Afghanistan, and not by Johnson.

Myra, the COIN people are right that eventually there must be some sort of settlement. The problem I see is that they are jumping the gun, and you’re right that the genie is out. I’m hoping that we haven’t blown our chance… but it’s possible we have.

If that makes sense. I’m rather jetlagged right now, so who knows.

]]> By: David M http://registan.net/index.php/2009/03/24/the-social-taliban-democrats/comment-page-1/#comment-379864 David M Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:05:02 +0000 http://www.registan.net/index.php/2009/03/24/the-social-taliban-democrats/#comment-379864 The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the blog post <a href="http://www.thunderrun.us/2009/03/from-front-03252009.html" rel="nofollow">From the Front: 03/25/2009 </a> News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front. The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the blog post From the Front: 03/25/2009 News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front.

]]> By: myra macdonald http://registan.net/index.php/2009/03/24/the-social-taliban-democrats/comment-page-1/#comment-379854 myra macdonald Tue, 24 Mar 2009 23:23:09 +0000 http://www.registan.net/index.php/2009/03/24/the-social-taliban-democrats/#comment-379854 Josh, you said quite rightly of the ambassador's comments: "it does speak to something". The question to ask is why you say it won't work "right now". Are you saying it will work in the future? And if so, how do you put the genie back in the bottle? Or in other words, now that many U.S. officials have suggested reaching out to the Taliban, how do you show that this will happen only if... Myra Josh, you said quite rightly of the ambassador’s comments: “it does speak to something”.

The question to ask is why you say it won’t work “right now”. Are you saying it will work in the future? And if so, how do you put the genie back in the bottle? Or in other words, now that many U.S. officials have suggested reaching out to the Taliban, how do you show that this will happen only if…

Myra

]]> By: Sahar Bagh http://registan.net/index.php/2009/03/24/the-social-taliban-democrats/comment-page-1/#comment-379852 Sahar Bagh Tue, 24 Mar 2009 19:18:41 +0000 http://www.registan.net/index.php/2009/03/24/the-social-taliban-democrats/#comment-379852 "Boutique Ethnicity," eh? You make them sound like some of the more touristed hilltribes of Thailand or Bretons in France. Somehow the Pashai don't strike me as being as pacified or fond of crepes as the other two. Perhaps another term is warranted. Besides, didn't Tom Johnson originally coin the term "Boutique Ethnicity?" “Boutique Ethnicity,” eh? You make them sound like some of the more touristed hilltribes of Thailand or Bretons in France. Somehow the Pashai don’t strike me as being as pacified or fond of crepes as the other two. Perhaps another term is warranted. Besides, didn’t Tom Johnson originally coin the term “Boutique Ethnicity?”

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