17 civilians beheaded, 10 soldiers killed, 2 NATO troops slain in Afghanistan

And if you knew anything about anything, you would realize that the Taliban can't read the Koran.

@ AlternateUniverse: If you read this article on other web sites, you would read that it was the Taliban who did this. Also, if this event would have happened in some other country say Pakistan or India, there might have been some doubt as to who actually did this, but due to the nature of the situation in Afghanistan, you would see that it is the Taliban who controls the area where this happened.

As far as them not being able to read the Koran, that is a true statement. Believe it or not, many Muslims can't read the Koran. That is one of the reasons why some are easily swayed to conduct fanatical acts, since some people can't read the book, only they have it told to them by Imams. In more educated countries, the average muslim can read the Koran either in Arabic or a translation into their native language.

But in most regions of Afghanistan, people can't read, only the Imams who tell them what they are supposed to learn from the Koran.

Face it, not trying to put the blame for this hideous act on the Taliban is not going to work. They did it, and are proud that they did.

If you know anything about the region, you would know that the Taliban did this since it says so in the article.

And if you knew anything about anything, you would realize that the Taliban can't read the Koran.

And the article clearly says they don't know who did it.

Only because people choose to ascribe religion as a cause. Where is religion mentioned in the article?

@ Alternate Universe: If you know anything about the region, you would know that the Taliban did this since it says so in the article. The Taliban are not Hindu's or Christian or Jews, but members of Islam who practice an ultra conservative form of that religion. So it is safe to say that they were Muslims. Not all Muslims are Taliban, but all Taliban are Muslims.

it is acts like this that make people look at Islam and come to conclusion that the religion is one of violence and intolerance.

Only because people choose to ascribe religion as a cause. Where is religion mentioned in the article?

Plenty of war and despicable acts of terror and barbarism in the world. Mexico, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Syria, etc. But some certain people will blame politics, drugs, money or ethnicity in some certain cases, but suddenly its all about Islam in other cases.

Stop letting your paranoia be led around by the nose just because of some extremists who talk too much. Even they are not mentioned in the article. The perps are unknown.

I'm trying to figure out who is scarier, those that do it for religion on those to sell drugs.

I'd suggest that people who do it for religion are scarier. Those who do it to sell drugs are really only after profits. A robust protection of private property can easily quell that kind of violence.

Not much you can do to stop those who kill in the name of "God."

whatever you wanna call it, progress it ain't.

seems like the situation is spinning out of control.

the distance separating the people of the different factions seems to be increasing rather than shrinking.

where is this headed?

Yeah, Afghanistan has plenty of problems without anybody's help. The Taliban just keep killing anybody and everybody. Guess you should stick with what you know but it's a pity there are so many violent people in the world. One way or the other the Taliban have to be defeated. But I expect that would take a generation of occupation and active fighting. I doubt any western nation has the stomach for it.

@WilliB Trying to pin Afghanistan's problems on Obama. Unanswerable.

Alternate Universe:

" the people who did this were not real Muslims. "

They are absolutely real muslims. Who are you to tell them they are not?

Ah, Obamas nation-building in Afghanistan is proceeding splendidly.

How many more Western lives will be sacrificed for this bombastic stupidity?

There, they'll shoot you downforce looking better, better yet, for just looking.

@Alternate The problem with your 'real' Christian or Muslim point is who defines what 'real' is. The Koran and Hadiths contain injunctions to slaughter infidels and the Taliban take a literalist view. Similarly, who is to say that the hatred of homosexuality held by Christian fundamentalists is unchristian given that the Old Testament clearly states execution as the punishment? I can't see how you can define 'real' faith.

Green-on-blue, how come the afghans were so ungrateful to those who helped them against the soviets? Maybe Charlie Wison could answer this....oh he has passed away!

AlternateUniverse - it is acts like this that make people look at Islam and come to conclusion that the religion is one of violence and intolerance.

“We don’t know who was behind the killings at this time. We’re investigating,” Ahmadi said.

It was reported on other sites that their crime was that they had been dancing. From the article:

The victims were part of a large group that had gathered late Sunday in Helmand province's Musa Qala district for a celebration involving music and dancing, said district government chief Neyamatullah Khan. He said the Taliban slaughtered them to show their disapproval of the event.

If I were Obama, I would tell Karzi that the next time a US soldier was killed by a supposedly "friendly" Afghan soldier, I would burn one acre of poppy fields. I am pretty sure after a few acres are burned, without the following compensation that we give them for destroying the fields normally, that he would get the word out to his people to stop those killings of "friednly fire."

@alternateUniverse, I don't hold muslims accountable for what extremists do, I hold Islamic ideology responsible for what extremists do. You need to communicate with some of the Iranian, Egyptian, Indonesian, Arab and other muslim apostates that were born and raised under Islam to get a clearer picture. You'll never see such a movement against a religion like you'll see with ex-muslims from different countries. They're experiences should help you get a deeper understanding instead of just the apologists view.

This is just disgusting. It's no wonder people become Islamaphobes.

The people who did this were not real Muslims.

1.5 billion Muslims in the world. Yes, it is a wonder that people will hold them accountable for what the phonies did.

A region plagued by the Taliban"

The Taliban consider the rest of Afghanistan to be a region plagued by infidels and their lackeys.

The Tailban has the Khmer Rouge beat hands down, and unfortunately there's no Vietnam next door to invade them and kick them out. Maybe Vietnamese mercenaries would be the solution? I bet they'll work more cheaply than the US Army, and do the job better, since they're not restrained by things like the Geneva Convention.

barbaric monsters! just plain and simple murder! agree with thunderbird2.. so ironic that these 'terrorists' want to be acknowledged/respected, then they go and do these horrific acts in the name of religion/politics or whatever stupid reason they claim. hate crimes will only cause more hate. makes me so angry and sad that innocent lives have to die for their cause, even killing their own people? just awful!

This is just disgusting. It's no wonder people become Islamaphobes.

Sorry but this kind of violence is not only horrible but never ending, the Russians learned their lesson the hard way and now the USA and NATO too must learn the hard way, Afghanistan is a backwards country and we are just wasting our time, $$$€€€£££¥¥¥¥ and lives for?????

True, the drugs help finance the religious carnage.

Afghanistan has both scourges - drugs and religion.

It sounds just like your beloved Mexico actually.

I'm trying to figure out who is scarier, those that do it for religion on those to sell drugs.

Geez! Makes my beloved México look like a walk in park! I guess them Taliban etc...just want to send out a message that they will be back in power soon so not work with the American and NATO troops?? RIP??