Your immediate post above this is repetitive & classic..

And in the *same* vein, you ignored the facts, and made a personal attack. Classic?

Which is what you're _accusing_ *me* of doing. Pot, Kettle, Black.

I'm confused, really I am. I had never gotten the impression that you were as divorced from reality as you're appearing in this thread. Maybe I just never saw it. Maybe its just the subject matter. I'm pondering that, and have been for the past couple of days.

Be that as it may, you *have* laid down several unsupported insults. Support them. Attempting an "apology" while you continue to insult makes no sense.

Neither does posting here when you can't actually stand to have someone not agree with you, that's also nonsensical.

The post you said was filled with insults?

The biggest "insult" was a list of answers to your questions, saying your assumptions (the taliban are a poor, misunderstood, small band of ragged guys with only rifles) to be completely incorrect. If that's insulting, I'm not sure what you're doing here.

In a like manner please don't respond to any of mine - can we at least agree on this ?

Why?

No. That's nonsensical. Granted, if you stay nonsensical, then I will write you off as I've had to a few other people, as not worth replying to. I don't think that was your aim, but its certainly what you're doing.

If you can't deal with people disagreeing, with especially me pointing out the facts that don't support your opinions, well, sorry. that's just tough cookies. Calling that a personal attack, and saying there was a failure to exchange ideas.. I don't really understand that. But neither will I let you insinuate that's a failure on my part, or that I only insult. I've spent a lot of time making sure that I wasn't insulting. Sure, its possible I failed, I've considered that several times, and I re-read my posts that you object to, to see if I can see it from "your perspective".

You're posting some completely unsupported opinions. I disagree with them, and I've said quite clearly why.

You're the one who's called *me* bloodthirsty, don't forget.

If you post that the Taliban is a bunch of poor, misunderstood freedom fighters with only the shirts on their back, and some rifles and pistols, I *will* correct you. Why are you posting, if you don't actually want to discuss? Or asking questions? What's the point? When you post that our actions are misguided because of a presumption that does not fit the currently known facts, expect me to reply, and say "uh, no".

would not have tried to find a new starting point had I not though it worthwhile

Did you? Or did you just say you did? Did you actually *change* anything?

I only saw you say that, and keep right on with your assumptions/opinions that are 180 from what is widely "known" out here. Sure, it might be wrong - but not just because you *think* so.

Sorry Doug, I don't intend to insult you, merely for the point of insulting - but I am a stickler for facts, especially in a situation such as this. Sure, there are lots of opinons out there - but if you are thinking sloppy, with misguided opinions, presumptions that don't fit the facts as they exist, how can you expect to have an opinion that makes sense?

Addison