US Fate Will Be Same As Soviet’s, Say Taliban

KABUL – The Taliban called onAfghans to expel the UnitedStates from Afghanistan onSaturday just as they saidAfghan mujahideen fighters haddone to Soviet forces 25 yearsago to the day.In a statement issued on the25th anniversary of the Sovietwithdrawal from Afghanistan, anational holiday for Afghans,the Taliban sought to connectthe steady departure of US andNATO troops ahead of a yearenddeadline to the end of thedecade-long Soviet occupation.“Today America is facing thesame fate as the former Soviet’sand trying to escape from ourcountry,” the Taliban said in astatement emailed to reportersby Qari Yousef Ahmadi, aspokesman for the group. “TheIslamic Emirate of Afghanistanis calling on itspeople to deal withtoday’s invaders thesame they did withthe yesterday’sinvaders,” he said,using the name theTaliban governmentused duringits repressive 1996-2001 rule. “Wewant to remind theAmericans that wedid not acceptinvaders with theirsweet and nice slogansin the past.We eliminatedthem from theworld map. Godwilling, your destinywill be thesame,” the statementsaid.