Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Why Can't Truthers Ever Tell the Truth?

I was reading this post on 911 Blogger, by one of their prominent posters, Reprehensor, and was struck by this passage:

(This first segment is also interesting because an NBC news report from 1986 clearly explains how the Reagan adminstration had decided to supply the Mujahidin with Stingers and according to "one administration source, the CIA would be responsible for training the guerillas in their use". Oops! The official line these days is that the CIA never directly trained the Afghan Arabs.)

Yes, he is correct, the CIA never directly trained the Afghan Arabs. Just one problem for our troofer though, the news clip that he linked did not say that they did. This is the relevent part, about 3 minutes in.

In neighboring Afghanistan mujahadin guerillas took to the mountains to defend themselves against the 1979 Soviet invasion.

"Anti-communist guerrilas have been in the front line against the spread of communism in the third world. And now they will be better armed. The Reagan Administration has decided to give the rebels Stinger missiles. The Stinger is a US made anti-aircraft missile, portable, shoulder fired, and capable of hitting a helicopter or jet from a distance of 5 miles. It would provide the rebels with a viable defense against Soviet helicopter gunships and MiG fighter jets. One administration source indicated the CIA would be responsible for training the guerillas in their use."

So in reality, as opposed to troofer fantasy land, the piece not only does not refer to the Afghan Arabs, but specifically refers to Afghan "rebels" and "guerillas". The Arabs, who by their rather distinct nature of, well, not being from Afghanistan, would not have been present in 1979 and had to take to the mountains, and would not be characterized as "rebels" in someone else's country.

Can't these guys be honest about anything?