Paying the Taleban

[BaldursBananaSoap]

Damn that's something I'd expect France to do, not you Italy, the origins of the Roman Empire. I'm not angry at you, just very disappointed.

 

[JimmerDunda]

I am not surprised. A lot of NATO operatives pay insurgents not to attack. I for one am against it and thinks it is a cowardly way of operating and defeats the purpose of why they were sent there in the first place. To kill the fucking insurgents.

 

[The Infamous Scamola]

Oh, and Italy did not switch sides during WWI. The started the war as an ally of the triple entente and they finished it that way.

 

[sneak_copter]

Damn that's something I'd expect France to do, not you Italy, the origins of the Roman Empire. I'm not angry at you, just very disappointed.

You made pizza. How could you?

*shakes head*

 

[helloeveryone]

All you people saying how italian soldiers are cowards had better of been in a fucking war because if you haven't then you're the biggest scumbags ever.

 

[Akai Shizuku]

Italy is a politically unstable place. It always has been and most likely it always will be.

 

[Timotei]

I think we need to question the main source of that article though. It was from an unamed Afghan officer...now if the Afghan government can't even hold an election without fraud then its probably highly likely that this officer was bought out to say this.

I was thinking this too. The Taliban have been known to spread lies to the world before.

 

[Valkyira]

You mean Taliban

 

[Cryfear101]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWZxIYeiHy0&feature=related

I thought this would give some people somthing to giggle/laugh about and before people start moaning , Yes its to do with this Thread and its about the Taliban right!!!!

 

[Crimsane]

Probably an unpopular belief, but... You can't win a war against an ideology with guns and bombs. The more you kill and destroy, the more the enemy sees it as validation of their beliefs and the desire for revenge grows.

 

[nick_knack]

Well in WWII Mussolini was taken down by anti-fascists, people who didn't like him in the first place, so I wouldn't really call it switching sides.

However, the Italian military makes me laugh at how truly useless it manages to be. The Roman Empire is long gone.

only thing worse than them is the Canadian guy with the hockey stick.......or as they call him, their "army".

AII! KICK YOU INA NUTS! (cartman)

I would go on a tirade about how counter insurgency warfare works, but it's already been done here.

 

[Wadders]

*Wants badly to argue against this suggestion, but realises it will not make one jot of difference to your view, and decides against making a comment*

But you just commented!

Seriously - spending money to reduce casualties is not a bad idea.
Admittedly, the casualties happen to someone else, but who cares?

Ahh damn, I have been dragged into discussion. Somehow I knew this would happen...

Thing is, it's not really reducing casualties if they're happening to someone else. It's just kinda moving them around to a different place. Sort of a "casualty re-location".

Also we do spend money to reduce casualties. On stuff like armour, medical supplies, airlifts, and other support. But yeah, I see your point. Paying the enemy not to fill you full of lead does seem like a good way of cutting out the middle man, it just goes against every principle that the military has.

 

[Plinglebob]

Considering this is Italy's military I'm not suprised. This is a country famous for nothing being done without a bribe.

 

[Summerstorm]

For a change of perspective: Let's switch the view from the italians to the "holy warriors". If they really taking money for peace... that betrays weakness of mind and purpose. If that is all true, it is funny to imagine it: Holy warriors. Fighting for freedom, belief, way of life... getting lead astray by a few green papers.

So they are not really THAT fanatic (always better than a true fanatic) but they are cowards and immoral even in their own eyes (and cannot trust their commanders and comrades). HA...

 

[Gileseypops]

A bunch of cowards who are good at making pizzas I guess. It wouldn't suprise me personally seeing as they like to switch sides alot. But they're no longer fascists so they probably didn't.

According to friends who have been there, their pizzas are pretty crap too. >.< xx

 

[Wadders]

Thing is, it's not really reducing casualties if they're happening to someone else. It's just kinda moving them around to a different place. Sort of a "casualty re-location".

Yeah, but they're not your casualties.

They're still casuaties, still men and women getting killed. Wether or not they are "yours" (not 100% sure what you actally mean by that. Not yours in the sense that they're not from the same country?) they are allies nonetheless, and still on your side working to the same end. Thusly, paying enemies to leave you alone, and go and shoot someone else on your side isnt exactly conducive to winning the fight. Or something like that.

Also we do spend money to reduce casualties. On stuff like armour, medical supplies, airlifts, and other support. But yeah, I see your point. Paying the enemy not to fill you full of lead does seem like a good way of cutting out the middle man, it just goes against every principle that the military has.

Especially if it's relatively cheap.
At these prices, you can't afford not to bribe the enemy!

Oh yeah.
Principles.
Like all that torture they were doing. :3

Well what use are principles if you cant abandon them at a moment's notice?

 

[stone0042]

Hey, all get on the greasy dago hating bandwagon now, why don't ya.

I find this extremely offensive. Must I remind you that we have lost 20 men in Afghanistan since the start of the war, six of which just a month ago. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8260419.stm]

And really, who gives a fuck even if this were true? The whole strategy and way of doing things in that war is fucked up and corrupt.

Oh, and this:

" A lot of Nato countries with troops operating in the rural areas of Afghanistan pay the insurgents so not to be attacked "

Anonymous Afghan commander to AFP agency

Read your own article before pointing fingers.

I agree, seems like this is a case where paying the enemy off just might work. Oh, and I'm primarily of Italian descent so I tend to take their side in international matters

 

[Veylon]

Giving them money (if true) to avoid fighting is a bad move. It funds the Taliban and allows them safe haven, giving them an area to regroup and prepare attacks also AND the money to get weapons for said attacks. It's completely counter to the overall goal. It's a backstabbing bit of treachery. If true.

 

[Steelfists]

It is incredibly naive to think that any counter insurgency war

Just read this story;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8309464.stm
It says how allegedly the Italians had been paying the Taleban to not attack them, the French then took over the region unaware of this and within weeks had 10 men killed in an ambush. Before then only 1 Italian had been killed.

I have to say as much as I hope its not true it does fit in with the Italian war pattern...They switched sides in WW1, switched sides in WW2 and have now basically done the same in Afghanistan. What do you think about this?

It is incredibly naive to think that any war can be won with out negotiating with and probably paying off the insurgents. This reminds me of that fucking ridiculous furore some fuckers stirred up when it came out that NATO was negotiating with the talibs.

Saying they have "joined the other side" is frankly an idiotic statement that makes me ferventely hope that you never command any sort of counter insurgency campaign. The Italians pay them chicken feed. They stay in their caves getting high. The Italians build schools, roads etc, Afghan government establishes a presence. Wins trust of local people. When the Italians stop paying the Taliban come back to the villages to find hostile locals and strong local government.

Whos the winner there? Think before saying random bullshit.

I like you, you make good coherent points. yah I'll side with Italy on that one, they're protecting their populace. it's not their shit to deal with and they don't want their citizens to die. Admittedly appeasement never works, but this isn't appeasement it's negotiations.

Appeasment while stabbing your enemy in the back, the best kind.

 

[Spirultima]

Who are the Taleban?


I mean the Italians are real idiots if they're paying so much money to a bogus organization that actually does nothing at all..

Taleban/Taliban are the guys fighting our guys in Afghanistan...virtually the same organisation as Al Quaeda who knocked did 9/11 and 7/7...you know them? Unless it was a comment on my spelling of the group

Yeah...Your not that smart when it comes to the Middle East, are you?