I'm sure that some of the rank and file are like that, but I'm just as sure there are plenty of true believers. We should be using more precision strike weapons, but other than that their reasons don't really change anything. Once you've gone as far as to join the Taliban, the only way it ends is in death, sooner or later.
This just isn't true. There are plenty of ex-Taliban members out there.
This would be the first time I've heard of it.
It's not suprising. The Taliban, and many other "terroristical" organisations (Little differnce between terrorists and freedom fighters. Just depends on whose side you're on) are not all religious extremists. In fact, religious extrimism has less to do with it than the socioeconomical situation, and the recent history. (which, in many cases is gruesome enough to support their antipathy for the West).
I negotiate with terrorists.
Then I most sincerely question your moral compass.
As I question yours, if you sincerly believe that the only way to solve the terroristical problem is what will amount to the eridication of entire ethnic minorities/majorities.
Violence only perpetuates itself that way.
Globalization is partly reversible. The world's affairs do not have to be the USA's, one can look at nations like North Korea or Turkmenistan that have effectively retreated from the world stage into their own little worlds. They are bizarre, insane states of course, but that doesn't mean a neutral USA would have to be.
Yes it would, dude. We are locked in, both by population and everything that has been set up over the last century, to a globalized scenario. Isolationism in such an environment is, by definition, insane and demonstrably bad.
Don't be so sure, my fine fellow. Radical Islamism (of the sort that targets the USA specifically) is often tied in with a kind of confused extreme "Islamic" nationalism that involves hatred of the Jews and Israelis by extension. If you offered to stop supporting Israel as a bargaining chip, it would be interesting to see the Islamist reaction.
What part of "guaranteed genocide and probable nuclear war" is not getting across here?
I wouldn't be so sure of that. The entire mess down their in the Middle East is a direct result of meddling of Western nations. Destabilizing governements, triggering wars, The entire Palestinan-Israelitic conflict, ecetera ecetera.
Adding to that, the US has made little progress doing humanitarian things in the regio. In fact, they probably did more bad than good.
Besides, the unilateral worldpolitical system died some time ago, and is no longer feasible.
Simple logic could've brought it to your attention before this.
Reality doesn't have faceless mooks.
Extreme religious cults do not tend to have a high defection rate, especially not undeveloped regions. I figured the Taliban would kill anybody who tried to leave on top of that, leaving ex-members a severe minority.
The taliban isn't an extremely religious cult. It's a nationalistic fundamentalist movement, reacting to experiences of the past. Many have left the Taliban, and they're not prosecuted. Unfortunately, the recent radicalization of the Taliban puts their lives at risk, as younger, more fundamentalistic members see them as traitors.
Besides, the Taliban is a loose collection of groups and warlords. They don't have the power to kill everyone who leaves.