L.H. Khan in his letter captioned 'Eliminate them' (The Nation July 27) says the Taliban are terrorists, rebels, renegades and traitors who must be eliminated. This is what the British called George Washington and his men who fought, killed and died to free their country. The Taliban have an inalienable right to free their country from foreign occupation, be it Russian or American. They will fight any third country, which comes in their way. Don't forget Ronald Reagan called them "the moral equivalent of the American founding fathers". In an interview on Hard Talk, the eminent writer and thinker, Edward Said had justified suicide bombing. Tim Sebastian was shocked, "You, a man of peace, is saying this". Said explained, "There are two occasions when he man has to kill. One, when his son is killed. Two, when his home is forcibly occupied". Sebastian, uncharacteristically, fell silent for a few seconds before asking, "Then what is the answer?" "The answer is" retorted Edward Said, "an honest broker, which USA is not". -KHURSHID ANWER, Lahore Cantt., via e-mail, July 27.