Taliban warns Obama to retreat from Iraq, Afghanistan

Washington, Nov.12 : The Taliban has warned U.S. President-elect Barack Obama to retreat from Iraq and Afghanistan or his fate will be more "shameful and despicable" than President Bush's.

According to the SITE Intelligence Group, the Taliban said: "Obama's victory a week ago proved Americans want to end both wars. Americans do not want their children to be fodder of war flames any more" since the U.S. faces "defeat and disgrace."

"If Obama fails to reverse Bush's course, his party's fate will be even more shameful and despicable than the Republicans," the New York Daily News quoted the Taliban as saying further.

Last week, Al Qaeda in Iraq issued a statement that also demanded Obama immediately withdraw from the war zones.

But unlike the Afghan Taliban, insurgent leader Abu Omar al-Baghdadi offered America a chance to make peace with its enemies - and do business. "We shall guarantee you free trade, including the trade of petroleum," he said, according to a NEFA Foundation translation.

The diplomatic tone of the messages aimed at the popular anti-war victor in the election shows that "the task of demonizing Obama is more difficult," said Robert Grenier, a former CIA official who oversaw Iraq and Afghan counter-terror operations.

ANI