Coakley Must Have Missed This

Coakley said in the debate that the Taliban is gone from Afghanistan. Well, isn't that special?
Apprently, Ms Coakley didn't read this report from the Institute for the Study of War.

This report explains that the simplistic view of the Taliban as a group of rag-tag fighters is inaccurate; they see themselves as Afghanistan’s only legitimate government.

As such, QST has established a sophisticated shadow government in the southern Afghanistan provinces and evidence suggests around Kabul as well. Many have underestimated the Taliban’s operational capabilities and symbolic importance.

Mullah Omar is still understood to be the “Amir-ul-Momineen” or Leader of the Faithful while Mullah Barader handles day-to-day operations against US, Afghan and NATO forces. [The] new report makes it clear that Mullah Omar plans to be back in Kabul and returning as Afghanistan’s leader is his ultimate goal.

For further reading, download the QST report on ISW’s website. Please keep checking www.UnderstandingWar.org for more updates on all things related to Iraq and Afghanistan!