please log in to view this image That's from 1989 when the author was working for John Hopkins University. He's the President that did a bunk to Tajikistan the other day.
I watched a fair few press conferences and interviews with the Taliban yesterday. No doubt there's a PR exercise going on by them and whether they deliver on what they say remains to be seen. They should be judged on their actions not just their words. But by the same token, listening to some of their speakers, anyone who rights them off as barbarians or a ragtag bunch of neanderthals really is well off the mark. Here is one interview I watched on Sky and the points he made and the skill and language he used was anything but that.
I do actually agree with you. There has been some very conflicting reports over the last few days. News channels like to broadcast panic and mayhem, but they prefer to show you a narrow image of events. As the military leader said to Kay Burley this morning, 'show me' - show me where these things you claim are happening. Hence it's one reason I'm insistent only women and children should be the main percentage of refugee's fleeing out of the 20,000, excluding the additional 5,000+ which will be translators etc. The men in the main are not under threat, so they should be staying and help shape how their country will look in the future. If the Talbian are true to their word, and I'm happy to judge once I see something to the contrary, then there is no reason why a man should be taking a place on a plane before a child or it's mother. I will change my stance on that, once the news channels can prove which men are running in fear of their lives. Also I want to speak about the British male that went on holiday to Afghanistan for the experience, we should have left him there, it makes me fume an idiot is given passage home because of his own stupidity.
That will not go down well with modern day Labour voters. Tbh mate, I don't think it matters who Labour have in charge, at the moment. I can't see them winning an election any time soon and when that eventually does happen it'll be working together with all of the other parties in a coalition. That party is finished and they only have themselves to blame.
I must admit, I wouldn't have give a **** if the Taliban had got hold of him. We should have said you arranged your own travel their against our advice so you can make your own way back.
Yup, I read his story, it was shocking, yet we gave him a place on the plane. He should have been made to go to the back of the queue, unforgivable.
Agree mate. I also think we need to get away from this expectation of the Taliban turning into some liberal democracy overnight. I'm literally listening to some clueless fcking twat on TV judging them on this basis. The Taliban need to shift. I hope what we're seeing now is a sign of how much they've shifted in 20 years. And, as the future unfolds that shift continues. There are plenty of Islamic states who don't enjoy what we would class as a liberal democracy, but if Afghanistan/Taliban can get to that level, it'll be massive progress and the right path to becoming a modern country. On the point about refugees, I want to add somthing. I have ZERO sympathy or time for the Afghans living in the UK, currently popping up on news channels banging on about the Taliban right now who have spent most of their lives here. They're the real cowards, just like that motherfcker President Ghani who bolted as soon as the Taliban swept across the country. And I held that view even in 2001 when the U.S. invaded. These ****s came out of the woodwork then having done fck all except pull the ladder up and say "I'm alright Jack".
Yup. I think we need to work peacefully with the Taliban, as long has they continue along the path of what they promise in their media interviews. Someone said the other day, the Taliban don't normally say something, then not uphold it. So as long has no atrocities happen, as long has no women and children are persecuted, then I'm happy to give benefit of doubt - afterall, we don't really have much choice. A peaceful conclusion and given the passage of time a new named land built on promises made, will allow the refugees eventually to one day return home, so it's a win, win both ways. Fighting benefits no one. Women's rights will be watched closely by the world, the ball is now in the Talibans court.
The problem is the country may now slip into another civil war, like after the Russians were defeated. Then what happens? Who backs who? Who funds who because I can see proxy wars being fought out. That then creates an opportunity for extremists to emerge. If they can have some degree of peace for a sustained period, then they have a chance.
The war is over, mate. We've left. If I'm being honest I now care as much about how women are treated in Afghan as I do Saudi Arabia. It's none of our business anymore, even if the Taliban revert to type. We'll just have to let them get on with it, now. It's pointless trying to go at them again because all they'll do is hide in their caves for another 20 years and come out again when the invaders go home. It's their country, let them run it the way they see fit.
This man is my biggest hero in Afghan. A Royal Marine veteran, who founded an animal sanctuary in Kabul, has made an impassioned plea to the UK government to help his staff leave Afghanistan. Paul "Pen" Farthing said he would not leave them behind to "suffer a fate" that the West has put upon them. His charity, Nowzad, wants ministers to "do the right thing" by flying 71 people to the UK from Afghanistan after the Taliban seized the capital city. The Foreign Office said it was in contact with Mr Farthing to offer help. Mr Farthing set up the charity 15 years ago, helping to increase awareness of animal welfare in the country and to rescue stray dogs and abused donkeys. His clinic trained Afghanistan's first fully-qualified female vets but now he fears for their futures. "I don't think there are words to describe what they are feeling right now," he told the BBC News, from Kabul. "What do you say to someone who is probably going to be told they will have to marry a Taliban fighter and end up living at home, never being allowed to leave and just raising children with someone they absolutely detest?" Ex-marine: I'm not leaving Kabul without my animal rescue staff - BBC News
He's a former newspaper editor and diplomat: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suhail_Shaheen Religious extremists can still be educated and eloquent. They'll still be murdering people for failing to follow their archaic rules. He's confirmed what I read the other day about negotiations with China and Russia for their resources. They'll keep everything low-key for a while until they're more sorted financially, in my opinion.
Afghan looks nice and relaxed. Lads playing on the dodgems and working out in the gym having a laugh. When they open up for tourism I think @Spurlock should take me over and we'll go and have a look around the gaff
That's not really the point I was making. Firstly, educated is still better than uneducated. It at least provides a step in the right direction. Secondly, as I've said before I don't expect them to go from ruthless miltants wrapped in religious ideology to liberal democracy in the space of 20 years. I'm just not willing to write them off based on that - I've no doubt they'll behead a few people, probably stone a few others along the path to some resemblance of a civilised society. Why the hell not, we did. I think ppl need to understand the country and the ppl better. Their long-term history is littered with conflict and isolation from the wider world for hundreds of years. In the 90's we found a Taliban that had emerged from 20 years of guerilla style conflict against Russia and civil war, their militancy and religious extremism no doubt exploited by America to get the job done. They were where they were at that moment in time. 20 years on and 50% of the Afghan population is under 20, they've never known Taliban rule OR the wars the country's had to endure in the 80's and 90's. That 50% includes the Taliban also. Many of the jokers we saw riding around on those bumper cars or in that gym didn't either. I find hope in that. We've written them off for long enough, often at our own expense as much as theirs. The main obstacle to progress in that country will be its tribal system and then the wider ethnic factions anyway.
A lot of the most dangerous terrorist and extremist leaders are well educated. Bin Laden went to Oxford, having already picked up a degree in Saudi Arabia. A lot of the recent(ish) lot seem to have studied civil engineering, for some reason. No idea why. They're still pushing the same ideology and the enforcement of it will prevent any softening of postures. They'll also face competition from some of their fellow extremists. ISIS, Al-Qaeda and whatever else comes out (SPLITTERS!) will become an issue sooner or later. We'll see whether their allies can have a positive influence on them, but I doubt it. I think it's all talk while they consolidate power and work out where they stand.
One of the issues is 'the Taliban' itself... it's not a rigid organisation like a regular national force or army ... many of the groups under the Taliban 'umbrella' are tribal factions that had a common goal - oust the western backed government and army. Now that is complete (pretty impressively it has to be said) the various warlord / tribal leaders will be looking at the slice of the pie that they have taken (been given) and it will be no surprise if there are a number of internal disputes / conflicts as a result.
So? I'm not saying they aren't. But I'd rather the Taliban were educated than not. My original point was the idea that they're all a bunch of illiterates has always been an easy demonisation to pedal, and also part of the problem when it's come to underestimating them. I'm not denying the challenges ahead. There's all sorts of problems, and the deck is stacked against everyone in that country. But if we're honestly going to judge them against a bar of where we are as a civilised society against where they were 20 years ago and where they may be right now, and expect them to become perfect in one step, they really won't stand a chance. For now, if they allow Afghan society to continue as it has to a large extent, continue education for all children and young people, but it's all within a framework that resembles something we'd find in Saudi rather than the U.K, that's fine for the immediate future.
The worrying thing is that some of the most highly educated still advocate strict Sharia Law ... that would seem to be a contradiction but clearly isn't to them and their followers.
I know bro, getting stoned has a whole new meaning over there. Keep your dick in your pants and don't go eyeing up the neighbour's mrs and you'll be fine Fosse. I know it'll be hard for you though
