My question is this: What is it, in the world you inhabit, that diplomats actually do?
Dave
Ok, well no, I have suggested that to imply that they were in any way dishonest is racist- I have countered the oft repeated assertion here that Mohabbat is half Afghan (note, half), Afghans have a kind of cultural code of deceit, thus Mohabbat is being deceitful, as being bigoted. I trust there will not be any sensible disputes with this.
That correction aside, my point is what it always has been- regardless of whether you think that the chap was lying or telling the truth, the fact as reported by MSNBC is that there was no discussion within in the US government as to whether to take up the Afghan offer of handing over OBL to the US. Moreover, Mohabbat is an important witness, as important a witness as can be found regarding such a question as US-Talibam dynamics over OBL pre 911, and his opinion is unequivocal. Thus, whereas OTers may scuttle about scraping barrels for the latest subterfuge to muddy the issue (he may have been lying, is Cockburn really reliable, Olbermann has an agenda to list some that have been raised just for this issue), this does not deflect away from the core issue that his crucial testimony is another point which adds to the call for investigation of connivance. Saying that he must have been lying cos he contradicts the State dept is neither here nor there. The point stands.