In a New York Daily News op-ed, Fred Gedrich reports something shocking that I am sure most Americans do not know: The State Department, from Bush to Obama, has never designated the Taliban a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).

Given that the Taliban is foreign, terrorist and an organization, what gives?

Gedrich writes:

Neither the Bush nor Obama administrations has articulated the reasons for failing to designate the Taliban as an FTO, and congressional overseers haven't publicly asked them why. The most reasonable assumption is that administration officials were hopeful that nonlisting would eventually facilitate rapprochement with "reconcilable" Taliban elements.

To date, the facts prove this option illusory. A much better case could be made for placing the group on the list and afterward using delisting the group, or elements of it, as an inducement to give up the fight.

Leaving the Taliban off the State Department's terror list diminishes the report's value, undermines the department's credibility and could further threaten U.S. national security. Let's hope Clinton reverses course soon - for the sake of American troops, U.S. embassy personnel and others who are risking their lives daily in and around Afghanistan in defense of the United States.

Folks, how about asking your friendly US congressman to DO SOMETHING about this?