[geeks] Re: [rescue] The war begins....

[geeks at sunhelp.org]

Ken Hansen wrote:


> I didn't mean they "approve" of the Taliban, but their inaction is a form of
> tacit approval. I appreciate their plight, and I was not trying to make
> light of it, but I fear I did in my simplification.


It's easy to understand how one might suppose a ruled populace accepts
and even approves of the evils of its' rulers. Look at Nazi Germany for
an example. There were those who didn't like what what was going on, but
they were by and large a silent minority. Afghanistan is different in
that the Taliban don't even maintain a pretense of doing what's good for
the country or it's people, except in light of their Imam's
interpretation of Islamic law. In his eyes, suffering and death are good
for the people, in a spiritual sense. The death penalty is an atonement
for wrong action, enabling one to enter Paradise, as is suffering.



> I meant the goal was to get a home-grown revolution started, via the
> Northern Alliance and other efforts (I understand there were several popular
> uprisings yesterday). I did not mean that everyone of the 90% had to pick up
> a stick and have at the Taliban.


I misunderstood you to mean exactly that. Pardon.


> My thinking was that, at one time (mid '60s?) they were a very viable,
> prosperous country, and it is my hope they can be again.


Yes they were, then. That was a long time ago, in a different age. I too
hope they can rise from the ashes, but I think it's highly unlikely
without some sort of intervention. Left on their own, the exiled king
could return and invoke the traditional Grand National Assembly, which
would be a good start toward rebuilding the country. Agriculture could
be restarted, and society reintroduced to the modern world.
Unfortunately, I don't see this happening. The Taliban has such a
stranglehold on the country that even were it formally disbanded, there
are enough members and sympathizers to keep it going as a strong force
for instability. They don't want Afghanistan to rejoin the modern world.




 That they are
> suffering now is not in dispute, but, being a "glass half full" kind of
> fellow, I think of it as temporary.


I tend to be the same, but in this case, unfortunately, the glass seems
to have little more than a few drops of dirty water in the bottom. Not
even close to half full. Sad.


---sambo