Asia Pacific|Taliban Leader Said to Warn U.S. on War
Taliban Leader Said to Warn U.S. on War
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SEPT. 19, 2009
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A message on Saturday attributed to the Taliban's reclusive leader, Mullah Omar, said that the United States and NATO should study Afghanistan's long history of war, a pointed reminder that foreign forces have had limited military success in the country.
The message for the approaching holiday of Id al-Fitr, which ends the fasting month of Ramadan, said Western nations should study the military history of Afghanistan, starting with Pashtun tribesmen's thwarting of Alexander the Great and up through more recent invasions.
"We would like to point out that we fought against the British invaders for 80 years from 1839 to 1919 and ultimately got independence by defeating" Britain, the statement attributed to Mullah Omar said.
"Today we have strong determination, military training and effective weapons," the message said. "Still more, we have preparedness for a long war, and the regional situation is in our favor. Therefore, we will continue to wage jihad until we gain independence and force the invaders to pull out."
The statement's authenticity could not be verified, but it was posted on a Web site the Taliban frequently uses. Mullah Omar is believed to be in hiding in Pakistan, but his location has not been verified in years.
A version of this article appears in print on , on Page A18 of the New York edition with the headline: Taliban Leader Said to Warn U.S. on War. Order Reprints| Today's Paper|Subscribe