Does it really begin and end in Afghanistan?

In a meeting with the Iraqi President to discuss his policy for the Middle East, Obama states "the battle against the resurgent Taliban and al-Qaida in Afghanistan as (sic) America’s most crucial fight and supports expanding troop strength to counter a sharp rise in attacks." http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25774091

Is Obama right?

Does it all begin and/or end in Afghanistan?

Let's take a look at some of the region's news over the past few years.

Afghanistan:

Hazara.net tells readers:"The policy of the Taliban is to exterminate the Hazaras." Maulawi Mihammed Hanif, a Taliban Commander, announced to a crowd of 300 people summoned to a mosque.

“Hazaras are not Muslim. You can kill them, it’s not a sin.” (The Taliban were killing 15,000 Hazaras each day). A statement by Mullah Manon Niazi, Governor of Mazar e Sharif, speaking to a crowd in a mosque after the fall of Mazar city.

For a list of massacres, see http://www.hazara.net/taliban/genocide/genocide.html.

I conducted a search to locate news published by residents of the Middle East, Africa and Pakistan. (Apparently, no one believes American or British Reporters – after all, they only report U.S. propaganda). So, let’s take a look at statements made by al Qaeda’s members and other Middle Eastern leaders to members of the International press in the Middle East, Africa and Pakistan.

*Please note that this is just a small sampling of what has been published on violence and the practice of genocide in the Middle East.

Egypt:

“On April 19, 1999, in a chaotic Egyptian courtroom, Ahmed Salamah Mabrouk spoke before his sentencing hearing to Egyptian reporter Mohammed Salah, considered to be his country's top al Qaeda expert.

Through a caged-in section of the courtroom where defendants are kept, Mabrouk -- who was charged in a terrorism conspiracy -- admitted al Qaeda's success in obtaining chemical and biological weapons.

"He told me that Osama bin Laden and Ayman Al-Zawahiri have access to chemical and biological weapons," Salah said.

Although Mabrouk didn't specify what those weapons were, he said they came from countries in Eastern Europe, Salah said. (Excerpt from Mike Boettcher, CNN, article titled. "Evidence suggest al Qaeda pursuit of biological, chemical weapons"). http://archives.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/central/11/14/chemical.bio/index.html


Iran:

2007/2008. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad repeatedly predicts the "elimination" of Israel.

February 2007: In Afghanistan, Iran reactivated Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s Hizb Islami militia, shipped arms to the Is’haqzai Pushtun tribe, and helped Hazara Shiites raise an army of 12,000. Iran also opened its borders to fleeing Taleban and Al-Qaeda militants. According to Arab intelligence sources, some 30 senior “Arab Afghans” are in Iran.

Next, Tehran established contact with Palestinian radicals, notably Hamas, feting its leaders in Tehran and providing aid worth $250 million. Last week’s capture of Iranian military advisers in Gaza shows that Tehran was also involved in training Palestinian fighters. http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7&section=0&article=92268&d=17&m=2&y=2007

LONDON, April 17, 2007, (IranMania) - Iran again warned the United States against attacking its nuclear facilities, saying it had tens of thousands of would-be suicide bombers at the ready and can count on the support of militants across the region, AFP reported.

A hardline Iranian group said it had managed to enroll 55,000 people for suicide attacks against Israel and Western powers, an ominous message even though many observers see the recruitment drive as a symbolic action.

The crisis over Iran's nuclear ambitions has worsened over the past week following the regime's announcement that its scientists managed to enrich uranium to the level needed to make reactor fuel, AFP noted.http://www.iranmania.com/News/ArticleView/Default.asp?NewsCode=42053&NewsKind=Current%20Affairs

Pakistan:

Excerpt from 2008 blogs called "About Hazara News Pakistan" – maintained by Abbas Daiyar, a student and resident of Hazara Town, Quetta. He and his colleagues run Hazara News Pakistan, which aims to keep the Hazara diaspora abroad updated about the latest news and events related to Hazaras living in Pakistan.

July 19, 2008: Hazara Town, Quetta — A slew of new violent incidents between the Hazaras, the Baloch and the police has left 6 people dead and 17 injured, including Haji Abdul Qayum Changezi, head of the Hazara Qaumi Jirga. Armed security personnel have been deployed to maintain calm.
http://hazaranewspakistan.wordpress.com/2008/07/19/violence-rocks-hazara-town-mpa-jan-ali-changezi-injured-several-killed/

Excerpt from "The Dawn", a Pakistani online newspaper also published in English:
QUETTA, July 19, 2008: Two people were killed on Saturday in a heavy exchange of fire with police following a protest against the killing of a man in Hazara town. Thirteen others, including two policemen and a woman, were injured.According to eyewitnesses, the gun battle lasted more than two hours. They said that armed men had taken positions in nearby mountains during the fighting.The people first blocked the Brewery Road and then stopped traffic on the western bypass to protest against the killing of one Ghulam Rasool by unknown attackers in Killi Karani.They refused to end the protest despite requests by officials of the Anti-Terrorist Force (ATF) and police. http://www.dawn.com/2008/07/20/top4.htm

The hatred and intolerance of militant governments directed towards people and nations with diverse beliefs in the Middle East, Africa and Pakistan is astounding.

If the United Nations and the U.S. pull out of the Middle East, violence and genocide will rock the region to its very foundation. Creating intense political instability that could start a nuclear war.

It does not begin and/or end in Afghanistan -