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Taliban tools: suicide and roadside bombs

CommentsComment on this article
Jun 5, 2007 1:49 PM (495 days ago) by Rowan Scarborough, The Examiner
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Related Topics: WASHINGTON
Civilians walks behind a crater on Tuesday, June 5, after a roadside bomb exploded on Monday targeting a British patrol in Al-Baradhaya district, central Basra , Iraq's second-largest city, 550 kilometers (340 miles) southeast of Baghdad. There was no reports about casualties a source in Basra police said.
(Nabil al-Jurani/AP)
Civilians walks behind a crater on Tuesday, June 5, after a roadside bomb exploded on Monday targeting a British patrol in Al-Baradhaya district, central Basra , Iraq's second-largest city, 550 kilometers (340 miles) southeast of Baghdad. There was no reports about casualties a source in Basra police said.

WASHINGTON (Map, News) - The top U.S. general in Afghanistan on Tuesday belittled the Taliban's much-ballyhooed spring onslaught, saying the only offensive he has seen is NATO's. The Examiner reported earlier Tuesday that the Taliban's annual spring offensive, stymied by NATO preemptive strikes, had proven less effective than its 2006 surge.

McNeill's comments supported that assertion.

"There's been a lot of talk about a Taliban spring offensive," Army Lt. Gen. Dan McNeill, commander of NATO's International Security Assistance Force, told reporters at the Pentagon via a video tele-conference.

"I'm not certain it's what I would judge an offensive" he said. "What I judge to be the offensive is what NATO is doing and has been doing since the first of March."

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Then, Taliban insurgents retook villages in the south near Kandahar. Their victories prompted the United States to call for more allied troops and to launch a counter-offensive during the summer to take back territory.

This year, the command struck first with a force which now exceeds 35,000 troops.

"We made a decision early on that we would be out prosecuting our strategy, not waiting for the insurgents to prosecute his," McNeill said. "We felt fairly certain that because of the capability of our force that we would have the upper hand, at least as it comes to maneuvering and shooting on the battlefield."

His said the Taliban, like its al Qaeda allies in Iraq, is turning to suicide bombers and roadside bombs - so-called asymmetrical tactics meant to inflict casualties where conventional warfare cannot.

Still, the Taliban, which a U.S.-led invasion ousted from power in December 2001, is not defeated. It could have as many as 20,000 fighters and finds sanctuary in neighboring Pakistan to regroup.

"I think there's ample evidence that they continue to grow," McNeill said.

The NATO-trained Afghan army is due to reach 70,000 soldiers next year.

rscarborough@dcexaminer.com

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Comments from Examiner Readers

1:17 AM MST on Wed., Aug. 27, 2008 re: "30 suspected Taliban killed in Afghanistan"

 1000RA said:
This is really a good website.

 6 agree | 6 disagree
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1:16 AM MST on Wed., Aug. 27, 2008 re: "30 suspected Taliban killed in Afghanistan"

 1000RA said:
This is really a good website.

 7 agree | 7 disagree
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11:21 AM MST on Wed., Aug. 20, 2008 re: "Sarkozy visits Kabul after French soldiers killed"

 Examiner Reader said:
"RABBI SARKOZY VISITS AFGHANISTAN." NUFF' SAID.

 8 agree | 8 disagree
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8:22 AM MST on Tue., Aug. 19, 2008 re: "Ambush of French paratroopers near Kabul kills 10"

 Examiner Reader said:
No. The real problem is and nobody wants to say it, is that we need to go to real war in Afghanistan. Meaning take the country over. Send a half a million troops.. every resource we have. Destroy or occupy everything that doesn't want to cooperate. Make the mountains glow even into Pakistan if necessary. We have the power to pull it off, just not the balls because it isn't politically correct and doesn't make us look good on tv. Status quo will continue until they have time to figure out a new clever way to kill Americans somewhere and then we will put up a few security cameras and talk about how Democracy rocks!!

 10 agree | 10 disagree
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5:42 PM MST on Fri., Aug. 15, 2008 re: "Afghan president urges military action in Pakistan"

 Examiner Reader said:
It is easy to stop all the wars in the middle east, including the war in Iraq. Just convert the United States to ISLAM !!!! Then we can bring our islamic armies home. Then we can bring our islamic airplanes home. Sharia Law will rule our land and we will be observant of the new rules. We will burn the Constitution and our koran will be the law. We will remove and destroy all monuments in the District of Columbia and in all parts of our land. We will yield all churches and synagogues to islam to convert to mosques. We will remove the President and an iman will take over rule. We will dissolve Congress and recognize new islamic councils. All holidays will be removed and a calender faithful to mohammed will be used. Our schools will be reorganized for boys and men only. Girls and women will remain at home until authorized otherwise. Infractions of the law of the koran will be dealt with by lashing or beheading.

 14 agree | 11 disagree
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11:28 AM MST on Sun., Jun. 22, 2008 re: "NATO launches artillery twice across Afghan border"

 AMERICA CALLING said:
the real problem in the reigon is iran and pakistan the packs half of them arm the talban hide them we all know what iran does in iraq

 11 agree | 10 disagree
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7:16 PM MST on Tue., Jun. 17, 2008 re: "British military: 3 soldiers killed in Afghanistan"

 Examiner Reader said:
I just got a phone call that my beautiful niece Sarah died in Afganistan today Dec 17 1981-June 17 2008 RIP. She was in the British Army. We have not yet learned the details. Our family is devastated.

 9 agree | 11 disagree
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7:16 PM MST on Mon., Jun. 16, 2008 re: "Taliban take over villages near Kandahar"

 Examiner Reader said:
wait till they get in the groves and carpet bomb it for a few days day and night that will get them out.

 12 agree | 12 disagree
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10:13 AM MST on Thu., Mar. 13, 2008 re: "Suicide Bomb Kills 6 in Afghan Capital"

 Shakir Afghan said:
Mr/Ms. "from Kabul"! Unless you are a member of the Taliban, you would never post such an unthoughtful and unrealistic comment on this website! Afghan citizens DO WANT and NEED U.S.-led International Security Forces to pacify the country & keep fighting the common enemy! Taliban & Alqaida who've their bases of operations in Waziristan of Pakistan, close to Afghan border, are not only a threat to Afghanistan, but to the world, thus it is required to fight them in a concerted effort! As an Afghan citizen, I extend my deepest appreciation to the American people & their soldiers who serve to pacify Afghanistan & bring peace to this country! We thank other members of NATO such as the UK, Canada, Germany, France, Australia, Italy & others for their contribution in this war! Let's win this war & let's finish & eradicate the ruthless and non-human terrorists and Taliban from the face of this earth who take lives of innocent people away very mercilessly! Be safe all soldiers! Afghans r with

 25 agree | 19 disagree
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5:46 PM MST on Tue., Jan. 15, 2008 re: "Taliban Plan to Attack Kabul Restaurants"

 Examiner Reader said:
Just like Americans to eat at restaurants. Elitists!

 59 agree | 70 disagree
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5:17 PM MST on Tue., Jan. 15, 2008 re: "Taliban Plan to Attack Kabul Restaurants"

 Examiner Reader said:
Screw these talibans! Let them get reservations like everyone else!

 79 agree | 77 disagree
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7:42 AM MST on Wed., Jan. 2, 2008 re: "19 Killed As Afghan Violence Continues"

 Examiner Reader said:
When the Taliban attacked the Towers, they sealed there fate, just like Japan did at Pearl Harbor. To "From kabul", get used to us , when you attack the USA you get guarateed results, ask Japan. I did the math, you (the Taliban) have a WHOLE LOT MORE dying to do get used to it. You inside job idiots, get a country yours doesn't want you (how about Afganistan?)

 75 agree | 67 disagree
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7:32 AM MST on Wed., Jan. 2, 2008 re: "19 Killed As Afghan Violence Continues"

 PlentyofTalibanHereToGet said:
What we need is a purge of the enemies within that undermine the American peoples response to 911. These comments you see are the best example of how infested we are with these miscreant "citizens". I can only hope that Homeland Security is logging them all. Fourteen dead baby-killers, weha good shooting, gotta go, doing a victory dance here in the living room. Happy New Year to the troops reading this and smiling(oh yeah you think they like liberal pukes..... NOT)

 88 agree | 78 disagree
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4:47 AM MST on Wed., Jan. 2, 2008 re: "19 Killed As Afghan Violence Continues"

 Bob said:
Isn't it funny how rightwingers always accuse the liberals of causing war. Where have they been hiding their heads! Why is it Republicians never accept responsibilites for their actions!

 81 agree | 68 disagree
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10:32 PM MST on Mon., Dec. 3, 2007 re: "Afghan Bomber Targets NATO Convoy"

 From kabul said:
I dont know what other countries want from afghanistan..please leave us alone.....we are tired of all these...it all happenes cuz of ISAF and other troops..........get the hell out plz..........

 65 agree | 71 disagree
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10:18 AM MST on Sat., Nov. 10, 2007 re: "2007 Deadliest for US in Afghanistan"

 Examiner Reader said:
What this country needs to do, is get rid of the fascists that think war is the answer.

 127 agree | 103 disagree
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4:21 AM MST on Sat., Nov. 10, 2007 re: "2007 Deadliest for US in Afghanistan"

 George said:
The usa needs a serious war to get us back together and get rid of the liberals who caused all this !

 122 agree | 118 disagree
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11:20 AM MST on Fri., Sep. 21, 2007 re: "U.S. Commander: Iran Supplying Taliban"

 bob said:
We woulnt' have to wait until the USA bombs Iran; wait until the goverment of Pakistan is overthrown and the anti-american forces there start using the nuclear weapons we gave them for being our 'buddies' use them against us! Mark my words, its only months before the President of Pakistan is outsed by the Taliban

 162 agree | 187 disagree
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11:14 AM MST on Fri., Sep. 21, 2007 re: "U.S. Commander: Iran Supplying Taliban"

 Richard H. Clark - middleclass2008.com said:
Coming soon to the Middle East - World War III. It will start with the US bombing Iran this spring... and then escalate... The draft is coming... Stop it before it starts - Demand that Bush/Cheney be impeached!!!

 189 agree | 139 disagree
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7:33 AM MST on Fri., Sep. 21, 2007 re: "82 Killed in Afghanistan Violence"

 robert beckman said:
Why didn't you mention, during the heavy fighting in Uruzgan province, one Dutch (ISAF)soldier died?

 169 agree | 181 disagree
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5:00 AM MST on Wed., Aug. 29, 2007 re: "Taliban Free 3 South Korean Hostages"

 Examiner Reader said:
The spokesman for the Government of Afghanistan is right on the money when he said that the actions of the South Korean delegation would embolden the CRIMINAL TERRORISTS! You do not appease terrorists! You hunt them down relentlessly! There will be a price to be paid for their exhibited weakness in the face of terrorist threats. If this is going to be South Koreas new way of doing business, then a re-evaluation of our agreements with South Korea, is in order. We have thousands of American troops on the front lines, facing off Communist North Korean LUNATICS! If the South Koreans are confronted by a similar situation, vis-a-vis the the Communist North, will they watch our back, or stab us in it? GOTTA KNOW!!!!!

 186 agree | 179 disagree
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7:13 PM MST on Mon., Aug. 13, 2007 re: "Taliban Free 2 South Korean Hostages"

 Examiner Reader said:
Two hostages were killed. Two hostages were released. What is going to happen next? Two hostages are going to be killed?

 212 agree | 199 disagree
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1:07 PM MST on Sat., Aug. 11, 2007 re: "Taliban: 2 Female Koreans to Be Freed"

 Examiner Reader said:
How heartwarming to hear that the Taliban terrorists may release two women because they are not feeling well. The others, we presume, they will simply torture and slaughter. Nice to that see they are concerned about "good relations" between the Taliban and the Korean people, though.

 249 agree | 238 disagree
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11:57 AM MST on Wed., Aug. 8, 2007 re: "4 Militants Killed by Afghan Police"

 Examiner Reader said:
Hmm... 'Terrorstorm'. Produced with the aid of National Public Radio & Television. Any conflict of interest here? Any Liberal bias here? Naw.

 250 agree | 265 disagree
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10:41 AM MST on Wed., Aug. 8, 2007 re: "4 Militants Killed by Afghan Police"

 Examiner Reader said:
Google 'Terror Storm' and 'Alex Jones'. The truth is out there.

 248 agree | 214 disagree
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10:16 AM MST on Wed., Aug. 8, 2007 re: "4 Militants Killed by Afghan Police"

 cindysue54 said:
To say that 9/11 was an inside job is truly moronic. To believe it is naive.

 207 agree | 216 disagree
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6:12 AM MST on Wed., Aug. 8, 2007 re: "4 Militants Killed by Afghan Police"

 good question said:
Ask questions! Demand answers!

 288 agree | 256 disagree
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11:07 AM MST on Tue., Aug. 7, 2007 re: "Taliban Launch Frontal Attack on Base"

 Robert said:
I wonder if the weapons the Taliban are using are the same weapons the USA gave them in 1979 to fight the Russians?

 221 agree | 245 disagree
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9:50 AM MST on Tue., Aug. 7, 2007 re: "Taliban Launch Frontal Attack on Base"

 Examiner Reader said:
What a jaw-droppingly stupid statement. by "Good Question". It shows complete ignorance of the need to combat radical Islamic terrorists. Just the same old, tired, pointless desire to fail at that effort, and a lame swipe at Bush. Typical. While Bush(and all others who voted to go to war) have certainly not made all of the right moves in the war on terror, progress is being made with the recent troop surge. So much so, in fact, that Democrats are concerned that a positive outcome would be devastating to their quit & give up agenda, and hence, their slog toward a more Socialist style of governance here at home. The Bush girls obviously cannot serve because of security concerns. Duh. But perhaps Mr. "Good Question" might step up and volunteer for military duty, or engage in dialog that might encourage good Muslims to speak out and denounce the terrorist cultists who've hijacked their religion. Moronic comments won't accomplish anything.

 247 agree | 252 disagree
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5:23 AM MST on Tue., Aug. 7, 2007 re: "Taliban: Bush Meeting Had 'No Result'"

 good question said:
what would Bush say if his daughters were among the hostages?

 255 agree | 242 disagree
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5:51 AM MST on Fri., Aug. 3, 2007 re: "Amnesty Urges Taliban to Free Hostages"

 Ella said:
If all these hostages were Miss USA pageant contestants, what would happen?

 250 agree | 243 disagree
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5:34 AM MST on Fri., Aug. 3, 2007 re: "Amnesty Urges Taliban to Free Hostages"

 Examiner Reader said:
If all these hostages were Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, what would happen?

 218 agree | 232 disagree
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7:55 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 2, 2007 re: "Location Sought for Korea-Taliban Talks"

 Examiner Reader said:
"Ahmadi said the remaining 21 hostages were still alive, but two of the women were very sick and could die from illness." All of them had been healthy before they were captured . Probably these two women were drugged and sexually abused by the mysterious captors. What kind of illness were they talking about?

 263 agree | 263 disagree
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12:36 AM MST on Thu., Aug. 2, 2007 re: "Afghan Army Prepares for Military Action"

 Examiner Reader said:
Does anybody know where Osama Bin Laden is? Six years have passed since 9/11 2001 and nobody knows the whereabouts of this guy? Is this the war against terrorism or the war for profit? You know the answer if you have any brain to think normally!

 274 agree | 270 disagree
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12:11 AM MST on Thu., Aug. 2, 2007 re: "Afghan Army Prepares for Military Action"

 Examiner Reader said:
Suddenly, killing stopped?!?!!??? There is something odd about this Korean hostage crisis.

 290 agree | 273 disagree
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8:21 PM MST on Wed., Aug. 1, 2007 re: "Afghan Army Prepares for Military Action"

 Examiner Reader said:
We can see the same things here again. Every terrorists have video cameras. Nobody knows where these terrorist captors are. Some body still can get the hostage videos and show them to the world. Only fools will be deceived by this kind of another hostage show produced by Bush and Cheney team.

 282 agree | 272 disagree
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2:33 PM MST on Wed., Aug. 1, 2007 re: "Afghan Army Prepares for Military Action"

 Bubba said:
Some of these comments show that the war on drugs is a LONG way from being won.

 305 agree | 274 disagree
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8:30 PM MST on Tue., Jul. 31, 2007 re: "Afghans Say They Won't Free Prisoners"

 Examiner Reader said:
The Afghan puppet president Hamir Kazar asked Bush to send more troops to Afghanistan but Bush and Cheney could not do that because most of the American troops were in Iraq and they knew they were running out of troops. They too asked many allies to send more troops to Afghanistan but the allies were reluctant to do that. The solution was this. 1. Capturing South Korean civilians in Afghanistan and pretend the Taliban is behind that. 2. Killing South Korean hostages one by one deliberately and make South Koreans get angry. 3. Finally, the South Korean government will send more South Korean troops to Afghanistan to capture these Taliban members who supposedly killed innocent South Korean civilians. 4. The problem solved. Bush and Cheney can concentrate on Iraq and do not have to deal with Taliban militants in Afghanistan. Korean troops will fight against Taliban in Afghanistan.

 281 agree | 287 disagree
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8:40 AM MST on Tue., Jul. 31, 2007 re: "Taliban Issue Another Hostage Deadline"

 Examiner Reader said:
The US is behind this false hostage crisis in order to justify the war against terrorism.

 354 agree | 306 disagree
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6:36 AM MST on Tue., Jul. 31, 2007 re: "Taliban Issue Another Hostage Deadline"

 Examiner Reader said:
If these hostages were Americans, Karzai would release Taliban militants without delay. Karzai is nothing but an American puppet.

 308 agree | 288 disagree
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6:26 AM MST on Tue., Jul. 31, 2007 re: "Taliban Issue Another Hostage Deadline"

 Examiner Reader said:
I am wondering why Afghan government still does not release the Taliban prisoners, in exchange for hostages. What is the big deal?They can catch these Taliban prisoners again after releasing them. Am I the only smart one in the world?

 304 agree | 299 disagree
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9:51 PM MST on Mon., Jul. 30, 2007 re: "Taliban Claim to Kill 2nd Korean Hostage"

 Huh? said:
Bumper Jack. Popsicle Stick. Any Questions?

 767 agree | 277 disagree
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6:07 PM MST on Sun., Jul. 29, 2007 re: "Afghan Leaders: Free Female Hostages"

 Examiner Reader said:
Loose Change. Terror Storm. Any Question?

 272 agree | 286 disagree
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9:20 PM MST on Sat., Jul. 28, 2007 re: "New Elders Join Talks on Korean Hostages"

 Examiner Reader said:
Investigate 9-11. 9-11 was an inside job.

 311 agree | 295 disagree
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8:12 PM MST on Sat., Jul. 28, 2007 re: "New Elders Join Talks on Korean Hostages"

 Examiner Reader said:
Who wanted to build oil pipelines in Afghanistan? You know who!

 288 agree | 271 disagree
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8:08 PM MST on Sat., Jul. 28, 2007 re: "New Elders Join Talks on Korean Hostages"

 Examiner Reader said:
9/11 was an inside job! Listen to Alex Jones! Watch 'Loose Change'! No more lies please!

 281 agree | 283 disagree
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5:10 AM MST on Wed., Jul. 25, 2007 re: "Taliban Threatens South Korean Hostages"

 Examiner Reader said:
We are in Afghanistan because the country was the hideout for the bad guys, who killed thousands of your fellow citizens, on 9/11. There is more oil in the salad which you eat at dinner, than there is in the reasons for our going in there.

 260 agree | 272 disagree
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8:52 AM MST on Tue., Jul. 24, 2007 re: "25 Civilians Killed in Afghan Violence"

 Examiner Reader said:
I don't think we should even be there either. I don't know why we are there, there's no oil is there?

 220 agree | 218 disagree
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7:12 AM MST on Tue., Jul. 24, 2007 re: "25 Civilians Killed in Afghan Violence"

 Examiner Reader said:
"innocent people are suffering in the war against terrorism"... Are you running from history? In war there are no innocent people which is a sad fact, just those who win and those who lose...

 219 agree | 225 disagree
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7:47 AM MST on Mon., Jul. 23, 2007 re: "Taliban Threatens to Kill 23 Koreans"

 Examiner Reader said:
Innocent people died on D-Day, too.

 786 agree | 299 disagree
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