>
> > The Taliban has now declared jihad against America rather than hand over bin Laden.
>
> The people who declared that there was a Jihad were not able to declare a Jihad. The people who can declare a Jihad is a council of clerics, whom have not met yet. It's like the President of the United States saying that we're at war. We (the USA) can't be at war until Congress passes a Declaration of War.
>
> I think it would be idiotic for the religious group to declare a Jihad against the US. That would just make it that much easier for our military to act.
>
> -FP


Yes. Also, the last I heard (read) is that this council - forgive my ignorance if it's not the same one - is meeting today to decide whether Afghanistan will hand over Usama bin Laden. That doesn't seem like Jihad to me. Of course, they have telling the Afghan population to prepare for war, but I'll give them the benefit of doubt and interpret that as a precaution because they haven't made the decision yet.

julian