Taliban leader says learn from history
AFGHANISTANINVADERS HAVE BEEN LESS THAN SUCCESSFUL

By The Associated Press
Published: September 20, 2009

KABUL — The Taliban’s reclusive leader said in a Muslim holiday message Saturday that the U.S. and NATO should study Afghanistan’s long history of war, in a pointed reminder that foreign forces have had limited military success in the country.

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The message from Mullah Omar comes less than a month before the eighth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan to oust the Taliban for hosting al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.

In his message for the upcoming Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which ends the fasting month of Ramadan, Omar recommended studying Alexander the Great, whose forces were defeated by Pashtun tribesmen in the 4th century B.C.

"We would like to point out that we fought against the British invaders for 80 years from 1839 to 1919 and ultimately got independence by defeating” Britain, Omar said.

Prepared for war

"Today we have strong determination, military training and effective weapons. Still more, we have preparedness for a long war and the regional situation is in our favor. Therefore, we will continue to wage jihad until we gain independence and force the invaders to pull out,” it said.

Omar is believed to be in hiding in Pakistan but hasn’t been seen in years.

President Barack Obama has increased the U.S. focus on Afghanistan after what critics say were years of neglect under the Bush administration. Obama ordered 21,000 more troops to the country this year, and by year’s end the U.S. will have a record 68,000 in the country.

Militant ambushes have become increasingly sophisticated and deadly. Civilian deaths and a corrupt Afghan government have turned many toward the militants, who have pushed into northern Afghanistan this year for the first time.

Omar’s message said the international community has "wrongly depicted” the Taliban as a force against education and women’s rights. It did not elaborate. Taliban militants force women to wear the all-encompassing burqa and don’t allow females outside the home without a male escort.