Contrary to Bush’s February 2002 speeches at Florida's Eglin Air Force Base and Ft. Bragg, N.C. delivered with much fanfare, "the Taliban are out of business," N.C., .they appear to very much in business. However, the good doctor (Senate Majority) Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) offered a novel solution to the vexing insurgency. Returning from a visit to war torn Afghanistan, Fisk, declared that “You need to bring [the Taliban into a more transparent type of government … and if that's accomplished, we'll be successful." What a brilliant pre-election strategy! Karl Rove must be drooling with envy. Just reward the perpetrators of 9/11 and declare victory!

Sen. Mel Martinez echoed Fisk’s strategy stating that is “not out of question” to negotiate with the Taliban. In the GOP lexicon, surrender and victory must be synonymous. The GOP and White House pronouncements are beginning to more closely resemble Aesop’s fables!