Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Fight terrorists by cutting off their funding

The U.S. Treasury Department is sending more staff to Afghanistan to target the financial networks that provide money for the Taliban, a Treasury official said Wednesday.

The boost in personnel there, along with additional staff dedicated to that effort here in Washington, will coincide with the Pentagon's surge in military troops heading to the war over the next several months, said David Cohen, assistant treasury secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.

While U.S. counterterrorism officials repeatedly point to al-Qaida's dwindling numbers and eroding financial support, they say the Taliban, which is putting up a fierce fight against U.S. and coalition troops in Afghanistan, is still well funded. The insurgents finance their terror activities through the country's lucrative narcotics trade and donations from supporters in the Gulf who often route the money through Pakistan.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gjnDGpz2XrTOD_dlzX4oOaUWvp0gD9EUFBP80
Instead of chasing terrorists through deserts and caves and mountain passes, we should cut off their funds, which should be traceable.

We could probably take out al Qaeda and the Taliban if we took out the few dozen bankers, billionaires and government finance ministers who support their operations. Without money, they can't buy weapons.

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