Immediately after President Barack Obama announced that United States forces would begin leaving Afghanistan in July 2011, intelligence services began intercepting the following text messages on Afghan insurgent's mobile phones:
"Mubarak," Congratulations in Arabic. "If you are a believer, you will be a victor," quoting the Quran.
Then came the message that said it all, "The enemy president is announcing a withdrawal of troops who will leave our country with their heads bowed."
Is that a reality? Of course not, but Taliban and Al Qaeda leadership will use it to their advantage, building strength in their following as a result.
It was the wrong message, at the wrong time.
The Taliban and Al Qaeda need to know that we intend to stay the course until the job is done, and the new Afghan government can stand on their own. We're either in it for victory or we're not... and telling your enemy when you intend to throw in the towel and give up, is a strategy that can only lead to defeat, because then it is only a matter of time... and the enemy has all the time in the world.
They have waited us out before and they will do it again.
There are a number of things we must do to win this battle and telling our enemy when we intend to leave, isn't one of them.
I agree with you completely but we all know this so called president of ours doesn't have an ounce of common sense -- or loyalty to this country either.
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