Taliban Leader in Secret Talks Was an Impostor

[kpete]

Source: New York Times

Taliban Leader in Secret Talks Was an Impostor
By DEXTER FILKINS and CARLOTTA GALL
Published: November 22, 2010

KABUL, Afghanistan — For months, the secret talks unfolding between Taliban and Afghan leaders to end the war appeared to be showing promise, if only because of the repeated appearance of a certain insurgent leader at one end of the table: Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour, one of the most senior commanders in the Taliban movement.

But now, it turns out, Mr. Mansour was apparently not Mr. Mansour at all. In an episode that could have been lifted from a spy novel, United States and Afghan officials now say the Afghan man was an impostor, and high-level discussions conducted with the assistance of NATO appear to have achieved little.

“It’s not him,” said a Western diplomat in Kabul intimately involved in the discussions. “And we gave him a lot of money.”

American officials confirmed Monday that they had given up hope that the Afghan was Mr. Mansour, or even a member of the Taliban leadership.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/23/world/asia/23kabul.html?_r=1

[kenny blankenship]

1. Intellijunce Failyer Strikes again

Pyyyyylllle!!!

[CreekDog]

8. Hah!

i have to laugh or i'll cry.

:spray:

they can't find the Taliban so they look at our junk instead.

[pam4water]

14. Good one!

[MrSlayer]

2. Apparently our intelligence people are anything but.

I wonder if I could scam a few million off of these clowns.

[DJ13]

3. I think I know who it was

[chimpymustgo]

16. OMG

:rofl:

[Historic NY]

4. Duped again like the triple double agent who blew up the CIA.....amazing.

[Bobbieo]

5. What took them so long to discover he was an imposter -

a very rich imposter, too. All of the "scammers" are not in Nigeria.

[Hissyspit]

6. “And we gave him a lot of money.”

Sigh...

[WhiteTara]

7. we are so stupid. n/t

[blackspade]

9. Get. Out. Now.

Our politicians and spy agencies obviously know nothing about Afghanistan.
Time to go home.

[daleo]

10. Rather like Curveball

Our security services pay to hear what they want to hear.

[TroglodyteScholar]

24. BINGO

You don't need ANY credibility to get tons of US cash shifted in your direction. You just have to look the part and talk a good talk.

These are our tax dollars that could be spent educating the growing legions of ignorant young conservatives-to-be. Sad.

[DeSwiss]

11. Sure he was an imposter.....

...but will we be able to get him back to the peace talks?!?!

- Missed it by thaaaat much!

K&R

[skoalyman]

12. a comedian couldn't write a script this funny and sad at the same time

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rav9ijyyZk
:cry:

[armodem08]

13. In the words of a man robbed by Omar Little:

"Fucking amateurs..."

[JCMach1]

15. facepaw

[Nihil]

17. Classic! (n/t)

:rofl:

[Solly Mack]

18. “And we gave him a lot of money.” Hmmmm

K&R

[bemildred]

22. Could that be a motive?

:rofl:

[Dr.Phool]

19. Taliban commander in secret talks was a fake

Source: MSNBC.com

Taliban commander in secret talks was a fake
'It's not him,' says Western diplomat, 'and we gave him a lot of money'

By Dexter Filkins and Carlotta Gall
The New York Times
updated 11/23/2010 1:13:57 AM ET 2010-11-23T06:13:57


KABUL, Afghanistan — For months, the secret talks unfolding between Taliban and Afghan leaders to end the war appeared to be showing promise, if only because of the repeated appearance of a certain insurgent leader at one end of the table: Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour, one of the most senior commanders in the Taliban movement.

But now, it turns out, Mr. Mansour was apparently not Mr. Mansour at all. In an episode that could have been lifted from a spy novel, United States and Afghan officials now say the Afghan man was an impostor, and high-level discussions conducted with the assistance of NATO appear to have achieved little.

“It’s not him,” said a Western diplomat in Kabul intimately involved in the discussions. “And we gave him a lot of money.”

American officials confirmed Monday that they had given up hope that the Afghan was Mr. Mansour, or even a member of the Taliban leadership.

(snip)

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40327256/ns/world_news-the_new_york_times/

---

They even flew this guy around on NATO aircraft, and he met with Karzai.

Can these incompetent clowns do anything right? Yeah, Petraeus, I'm talking about you.

Fucking morans. Just get the fuck out of there already. Yeah, yeah, I know we're winning. Not!

[dropkickpa]

20. BWAHAHAHAHAA!

Bunch of fucking asshats running this fucking war. Dumbfucks.

[dipsydoodle]

21. I'm surprised they didn't recognise him

[gratuitous]

23. The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight

Now, who would have anticipated that someone would masquerade as a participant in peace talks just to scam a lot of money? Those scoundrels! It's almost like they have no respect for their betters at all.

[robcon]

25. Looks bad.

Bad branding for the administration.

[Bragi]

26. I hate it when that happens /nt