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Taliban promise women's rights, security under Islamic rule

77 Comments
By AHMAD SEIR, RAHIM FAIEZ, KATHY GANNON and JOSEPH KRAUSS

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77 Comments

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I’m so glad I was born in the west. My God….poor women.

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

*The same group of Taliban Trump negotiated peace with and agreed on the release of 5,000 Taliban fighters in Afghanistan who returned to fighting.* 

Ok, we are talking about Obama giving the keys to freedom to these thugs or another thug that went AWOL and one of the soldiers being killed in trying to get this guy. Obama made the call for the trade, a lot of people told him not to do that, he did anyway. He had 8 years to end the war and he didn’t. Biden did and in the worst possible way.

Taliban Trump caused the current problems.

Lol, well no, because he’s not in office. He didn’t give the order, if CNN can painfully admit that Biden screwed up, you should be able to as well. Biden owns this. Just like when you see those people crawling all over the state Capitol and you see the image of Trump, seeing that plane takeoff but all those people hanging on and falling to the deaths, people see Biden’s face.

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

Dominic Tierney, political science professor at Swarthmore College, put it succinctly:

It’s very easy to look at this situation and think of it as we just lost the Super Bowl and the game is over. What actually happens with these complex modern wars is that they don’t really have a clear endpoint.

Right now is an absolutely critical moment. What could be decided is: do we have a kind of manageable loss, or a total catastrophe? And what people need to realize is the gap between those two things is huge.

Frankly, finish evacuating Americans with no casualties and I'd call that a success. The rest is up to the Afghanis.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

If you have ever been military or have family members in the military, depending on their experiences in real conflicts, good soldiers do not always make good civilians.

A lot of these fighters by the modern standards are extremely uneducated and illiterate only knowing war and and extreme version of Islam.

Problem is when all these warlords and freedom fighters expect to have their spoils of war like money and the women of their choice at the end of this conflict. They will continue to believe the rules of engagement applies all the time. Once these women and girls begin rejecting these men's advances especially marriage, the men will feel dishonored and will resort to either raping or kidnapping women like before. Civility will be thrown out the window once more.

Then you will have Taliban civil war between the warlords that got power and want to maintain it by going political, and the ones who feel like they did not get enough, so they will return creating their mini caliphates.

Russia and China will be there to exploit as much as they can.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

The Taliban is probably the best option for a stable Afghanistan. It will have the support of all its neighbours (Iran, China, Pakistan...) except India.

In terms of the War on Terror, Biden also voted for the invasion of Afghanistan, and probably would have voted to withdraw their troops as well since the Muslim community was widely against the invasion. But really USA should have invaded Pakistan as well do deal with terror.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

So basically, the Obama administration paid $5 billion and released five top Taliban Gitmo detainee in exchange for deserter Bowe Bergdahl five of these thugs for one AWOL idiot Bergdahl and now because of that action, we’re all paying for it.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

Finally - thanks for agreeing with me...

I don’t, I’m just saying if you believe that, then that is what you believe.

Once again, thanks for admitting it - twice.....

…..That Biden is politically done.

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

Trump's failed and cowardly agreement with the Taliban sealed Afghanistan's fate....just one more Trump foreign policy blunder...

Ok,

Finally - thanks for agreeing with me...

Thanks for admitting Trump's deal was flawed and Biden should have thrown it out...

And that’s going to save Biden politically how?

Once again, thanks for admitting it - twice.....

I asked first - and you dodged -

No, because Trump is not relevant to the decision Biden made.

Read the first line above where you said "OK" - you just contradicted yourself...

Sure you did

Sadly, no.

You're sad you love Liz?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

You Americans

Not me, I don’t work for the government and never made policies. The President and the many in Washington screwed it up as well as the Brits, Russians, the entire west in total has had a hand in messing up a country that was already in so many ways messed up.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

You Americans really screwed this one up. Now thousands of more are dying for your guys’ hubris. Instead of self-reflection after 9-11 to figure out why there was such hatred for you, you created more hated for you. And now 20 years later you’re getting more killed and creating more hate. And where’s the self-reflection? Non existent while you bicker about which American it’s the fault of.

Well, the people in whom your actions are creating more hatred don’t care which of you it was. Just like they didn’t care when they attacked on 9-11.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Trump's failed and cowardly agreement with the Taliban sealed Afghanistan's fate....just one more Trump foreign policy blunder...

Ok, but Trump is not the current President, trying to blame Trump is not going to save Biden or his party, but if it helps get the steam out you, it’s ok, emotionally therapy is good.

Thanks for admitting Trump's deal was flawed and Biden should have thrown it out...

And that’s going to save Biden politically how?

I asked first - and you dodged -

No, because Trump is not relevant to the decision Biden made. The Dems can’t just take credit when they do something good (whatever that is) and then when something goes bad blame others. Even Brian Williams excoriated Biden on this. I get it, you hate Trump, but the reality is, the man is history, he’s in Florida and Joseph Biden is the current President and as he rightly stated, the buck stops with him.

Again, if the withdrawal were a success would Biden and the left give praise equally now the way they’re trying to shove the blame and jump like rats off a sinking ship?

Sure you did

Sadly, no.

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

Democrat on Biden's claim some Afghans didn't want to leave earlier: 'Utter BS'

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/568316-dem-lawmaker-calls-bidens-claim-that-some-afghans-didnt-want-to-leave-earlier

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

You wish....

I don’t wish anything, Joe Biden is the President and as he accurately put it, “the buck stops with him.”

Trump's failed and cowardly agreement with the Taliban sealed Afghanistan's fate....just one more Trump foreign policy blunder...

Once the agreement was signed, the fate of the Afghan government was signed, sealed and delivered — the Taliban had practically won the war. There was no way that the government could possibly survive. 

So basically you’re saying, Biden can override every Trump executive order that Trump made, overturn every deal the way Trump did with Obama and the Iran deal, but when it comes to Afghanistan, Biden’s hands were tied? Yeah, you can believe that, even the liberal press is not buying it.

Thanks for admitting Trump's deal was flawed and Biden should have thrown it out...

Dodge. Who signed the Feb 2020 agreement?

Dodge? Who is the current POTUS that oversaw this disastrous withdrawal?

I asked first - and you dodged - who signed the Feb 2020 agreement?

You siding with Liz Cheney....interesting....

I never said anything of the sort, nice try.

Sure you did - interesting to see you've gone from no more endless wars to full-on NEOCON...

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Taliban just need to said one word, we have made big mistake in the past and we are sorry. It will make peoples trust in Talibans.

Without outside economy help, Afghanistan will be failed state under Taliban rules.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Sorry, Bass. On many occasions you have stated that you ‘care less’ what other countries do

True

and only care about what the US does. 

Yes

You can’t do a 180 on that for partisan reasons. 

I wasn’t and wouldn’t, as I said, I’m consistent and especially when it comes to women.

-10 ( +0 / -10 )

Suddenly, you care about the women and children.

“Always” have, always will.

Sorry, Bass. On many occasions you have stated that you ‘care less’ what other countries do and only care about what the US does.

You can’t do a 180 on that for partisan reasons.

Be consistent.

Even 95% of the liberal media admits it was the changing of the timing of the plan and the disastrous execution of the withdrawal that caused this chaos. 

95%, eh?

The liberal media is full of fake news and not to be trusted. Just repeating the MAGA creed.

Be consistent.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Liberals cant get through their head that there is nothing wrong with the peace agreement Trump signed or the removal of US troops from Afganistan.

Even 95% of the liberal media admits it was the changing of the timing of the plan and the disastrous execution of the withdrawal that caused this chaos. Who removes the troops before they remove the staff and civilians? incompetent.

Trump has responsibility for the what and he has accepted that. But not the when and the mostly importantly the how. Biden changed both of those and is responsible and accountable for the results of doing so.

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

you previously posted numerous times you wanted a 100% troop withdrawal.

We went through this yesterday, go back and look at what I said, I was specific in my answer to that.

Flip flop I would call it.

I call it being consistent.

Suddenly, you care about the women and children.

“Always” have, always will.

*Trump signed a peace agreement with the Taliban in 2020, by which all American troops would leave the country by May 2021. **"It's time after all these years to bring our people back home," Trump said then.*

Not without a residual force. Look, you can’t save Biden, no one can on this one, he completely owns it. Now if the withdrawal were a complete success would Biden or any of you lobs equally give Trump credit? Or should Trump get credit only when something goes bad? Be honest now.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

You wish....

I don’t wish anything, Joe Biden is the President and as he accurately put it, “the buck stops with him.”

Once the agreement was signed, the fate of the Afghan government was signed, sealed and delivered — the Taliban had practically won the war. There was no way that the government could possibly survive. 

So basically you’re saying, Biden can override every Trump executive order that Trump made, overturn every deal the way Trump did with Obama and the Iran deal, but when it comes to Afghanistan, Biden’s hands were tied? Yeah, you can believe that, even the liberal press is not buying it.

Biden: “The Taliban is not the South — the North Vietnamese army,” “They’re not remotely comparable in terms of capability. There’s going to be no circumstance where you see people being lifted off the roof of an embassy. … It is not at all comparable.”

“I trust the capacity of the Afghan military, who is better trained, better equipped, and more competent in terms of conducting war,” “The likelihood there’s going to be the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely." 

Dodge. Who signed the Feb 2020 agreement?

Dodge? Who is the current POTUS that oversaw this disastrous withdrawal?

You siding with Liz Cheney....interesting....

I never said anything of the sort, nice try.

-9 ( +0 / -9 )

The stark contrast of Taliban controlled areas between Aug 13 and Aug 15 is mind-boggling.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57933979

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Apparently many people in Afghanistan reject gender study symposiums, or the idea that men can become pregnant.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

Indeed. That's exactly what Trump did when he signed the peace (retreat) deal with the Taliban in 2020 - and then accelerated the pullout of US troops faster than what he agreed to....

That has nothing to do with what Biden just did.

You wish....

History will mark Aug. 15, 2021, as the date that the Afghan government collapsed and the Taliban retook control over this troubled and war-torn country. But the real date that the Taliban’s victory was assured is Feb. 29, 2020, the day the Trump administration signed what it characterized as a “peace” deal with the Taliban. Once this agreement was signed — the tragic collapse we witnessed this weekend was inevitable. 

Once the agreement was signed, the fate of the Afghan government was signed, sealed and delivered — the Taliban had practically won the war. There was no way that the government could possibly survive. 

https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/568154-trumps-deal-with-the-taliban-set-the-stage-for-the-afghan-collapse

Who "trusted" and signed the peace deal with the Taliban in Feb 2020?

Thank God that Graham, Grassley and Pentagon officials stopped Trump in the end, imagine had the pullout been under Trump, dear lord…..

Dodge. Who signed the Feb 2020 agreement?

Hmmm....from a critic of the "endless wars", to now a full-blown Liz Cheney NEOCON....

Welcome to MAGA-world....

How? Tump want anywhere near Biden wen he initiated his horrible pullout.

You siding with Liz Cheney....interesting....

5 ( +5 / -0 )

A gold clay pot. Taliban also learning the propaganda tools of the CCP.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Let women work and go to school. That’s all I require.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Punishments of Afghan women/girls administered by Taliban in the recent past:

1996 woman had tip of her thumb cut off for wearing nail varnish

1996 225 Kabul women were punished for violating dress code, lashed on their legs and backs

1999 mother of seven children executed for murdering husband

???? Afghan girl, Bibi Aisha, had her nose and ears cut off for escaping a forced living arrangement

An on and on it goes. This was not very long ago and already their are reports of forced marriages between Taliban fighters and very young girls. These people are barbarians and shouldn't be trusted. Once the Americans completely pull out and the airport is firmly in Taliban hands, expect the atrocities to go way up.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Indeed. That's exactly what Trump did when he signed the peace (retreat) deal with the Taliban in 2020 - and then accelerated the pullout of US troops faster than what he agreed to....

That has nothing to do with what Biden just did.

Quote: President Biden said he stands "squarely behind his decision" to withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan on Monday but admitted that the swift collapse of the central government caught the U.S. off guard, telling the nation "the buck stops with me"

I am glad he admitted that and I hope he stands by it, we will make sure he does remember that.

Who "trusted" and signed the peace deal with the Taliban in Feb 2020?

Thank God that Graham, Grassley and Pentagon officials stopped Trump in the end, imagine had the pullout been under Trump, dear lord…..

Hmmm....from a critic of the "endless wars", to now a full-blown Liz Cheney NEOCON....

Welcome to MAGA-world....

How? Tump want anywhere near Biden wen he initiated his horrible pullout.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

"US destroyed some Afghans' passports as they prepared to evacuate embassy in Kabul — but it's unclear why"

Yes, Biden administration, why? did CNN ask? maybe the media will finally hold Biden accountable for the actions of his people.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

Each country has the right to its own self-determination, it must not be invaded or controlled by corrupt foreign powers that also abuse human rights in their own way.

In other words, just ignore any woman or child that is abused even if it is morally wrong because it’s culture? We shouldn’t get involved because it’s their country? A woman’s plea for help and the right, the basic human right to pursue happiness, to feel safe and secure should be overlooked? Wow….

Indeed. That's exactly what Trump did when he signed the peace (retreat) deal with the Taliban in 2020 - and then accelerated the pullout of US troops faster than what he agreed to....

I hope the Taliban do their best for the country and can achieve the independence from invaders that they have fought for for thousands of years.

By imposing and ruling the country using Sharia as the foundation of law? Do their best? By rape, murder, beheadings and amputations?

Who "trusted" and signed the peace deal with the Taliban in Feb 2020?

The chess of the world is changing, the pathetic western powers are losing control of the world that they wanted to create for their own convenience,

So you’re ok with the chaos and madness that’s destabilizing the world? Good to know.

Hmmm....from a critic of the "endless wars", to now a full-blown Liz Cheney NEOCON....

Welcome to MAGA-world....

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The conservative religious zealots in Afghanistan want women to have fewer rights than the conservative religious zealots in the US. That’s pretty bad.

What a dumb thing to say. No conservative thinks or wants or even believes that, get real.

Gholam Ruhani spent eight years in the Guantanamo Bay detention camp before he was released by the Bush administration in 2007.

President Barack Obama released five Taliban commanders from the Guantanamo Bay prison in exchange for an American deserter(Bergdahl) in 2014, he assured a wary public that the dangerous enemy combatants would be transferred to Qatar and kept from causing any trouble in Afghanistan.

Soon after gaining their freedom, some of the notorious Taliban Five pledged to return to fight Americans in Afghanistan and made contacts with active Taliban militants there. But the Obama-Biden administration turned a blind eye to the disturbing intelligence reports, and it wasn’t long before the freed detainees used Qatar as a base to form a regime in exile.

Eventually, they were recognized by Western diplomats as official representatives of the Taliban during recent “peace” talks.

-NYP

Didn’t Trump negotiate the withdraw?

Not like this and not without a residual force in place.

Why are so many people outraged by Biden following through on a Trump policy?

Because Biden as President didn’t secure the safety and executed the withdrawal properly. Like NBC Brian Williams and Jake Tapper said, Biden is President and Biden owns it and to deflect or shove this on everyone else makes him look worse than he already looks. This is on him and even the msm for once are doing their jobs and pointing the finger right where it belongs, in Biden’s face.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Wait and see. It will take time before we see their version of law and order. At least so far there haven't been mass executions.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Each country has the right to its own self-determination, it must not be invaded or controlled by corrupt foreign powers that also abuse human rights in their own way.

In other words, just ignore any woman or child that is abused even if it is morally wrong because it’s culture? We shouldn’t get involved because it’s their country? A woman’s plea for help and the right, the basic human right to pursue happiness, to feel safe and secure should be overlooked? Wow….

I hope the Taliban do their best for the country and can achieve the independence from invaders that they have fought for for thousands of years.

By imposing and ruling the country using Sharia as the foundation of law? Do their best? By rape, murder, beheadings and amputations?

The chess of the world is changing, the pathetic western powers are losing control of the world that they wanted to create for their own convenience,

So you’re ok with the chaos and madness that’s destabilizing the world? Good to know.

but countries and people have to forge their own destiny without having to be vassals of others, the world changes and not every day we see the "most powerful armed forces in the world" being mediocre and incapable in 20 YEARS to have defeated a guerrilla with sandals, turbans, long beards and AK47s.. 

And it will not be the only defeat to come..

Rome fell.

Byzantium fell.

Anyone can fall...

Including the Taliban, if they want to live in the 12th century, their choice, if they just want to go around talking about Sharia and imposing it and do nothing all day, I could care less. I worry about the women and children.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

No problem with our troops leaving.

no problem with the Taliban running “their” country how they want.

just the fact that the when and the how of this withdrawal is yet another example of the incompetence /lack of leadership of this administration,

claiming “the buck stop here” then immediately passing the buck with a list of people/things to blame means nothing and is seen for what it is.,

that much is already clear. Where else this goes, who knows?

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

I hate all the extremists and no exception of those Taliban. One think should be clear, "If you are in Rome behave as a Roman", they have their lifestyle and it's not fair westernized medias showing bad images of Islamic people. I can see in Japan some women don't like westernized lifestyle and I perceive the beauty of that attitude.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

The Koran holds women in about as high a regard as the Chrisitian Bible does.

Both documents written many centuries ago and in a modern context should have little bearing on today's behavior. Humanity has advanced since then but some extreme elements once gaining power expect those in their grasp to live like they did so very long ago and set aside gains in equality for no reason other than "they want it that way".

Sensible people read such documents and take the good while understanding that they were in effect written by primitive individuals who had no many gaps in their knowledge and wisdom.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Yes, they're completely trustworthy.

Oh, and Trump and Pompeo made a great deal with the Taliban. Trump had 5,000 Taliban released from prison and even said that he looked forward to the Taliban taking the country over so they could "kill the terrorists."

What, did everyone forget that this is Trumps deal? You can't make this stuff up about Trump, it's so crazy:

https://www.mediaite.com/news/watch-trump-gushed-about-handing-afghanistan-over-to-the-taliban-who-would-then-kill-terrorists/

5 ( +5 / -0 )

And hey the cofounder of the Taliban has joined the party. Thanks to Biden.

Taliban co-founder and deputy leader Mullah Baradar has arrived in Afghanistan, a spokesman for the Taliban's political bureau said Tuesday. It marks the first time Baradar has set foot in the country for 20 years,

Baradar was a prominent member of the Taliban regime when it was last in power, and his return will fuel concerns that the nature of the new government will mirror that era.

-9 ( +0 / -9 )

Unfortunately for you I am talking about Khairullah Khairkhwa,

so I am correct.

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

There are very few women's rights under Sharia Law

The Koran holds women in about as high a regard as the Chrisitian Bible does. Go ahead and read it. It is one of the most blood soaked and mysogenist tomes you will ever read. Many modern day conservative Christian groups consider women to be subservient to men. I was brought up that way and rejected it. In my own life I can remember my mother having to wear a hat and veil in church. Women were not allowed to be uncovered. Not too different from Islam really. I worked one summer for Chabad Lubavitch, the only goim working there that summer, what an experience. Girls and boys were strictly segregated. Girls past I think it was 11 had to wear sleeves down to the wrist and dresses that covered the ankles. One day a 13 year old girl who wasn't orthodox but whos parents sent her to their day camp gave a rabbi a hug. It was a simple expression of pure joy on her part. The rabbi flipped out and berated her terribly. Her great crime? Touching a man she wasn't married to. I felt terrible for the little girl after seeing that. She was deeply hurt and confused. I did my summer there driving their camp buses and never went back. They actually asked me to return and I said no thank you but thanks for asking. As far as I can tell the conservative side of all religions treat women like door mats. I have no respect for that. None whatsoever.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

No one doubted what the Taliban are capable of doing but did anyone doubt Biden would not fail miserably on Afghanistan?

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

So now we have to trust that the Taliban leadership (who was held in a prison camp by the USA for 8 years until Obama/Biden let them go) will harbor no negative feelings toward us and act as we ask them to?

yeah thanks Joe Biden.

As usual, wrong President....

Who trusted the Taliban in 2020 enough to negotiate with them and exclude the Afghan govt? Who then signed a formal "peace" agreement that gave the Taliban all they wanted, to include an "end date" for US forces? Who then in Aug 2020 reduced US forces even faster than outlined in the agreement?

https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/568154-trumps-deal-with-the-taliban-set-the-stage-for-the-afghan-collapse

Hint: Look who's signature is on the agreement in Black Sharpie.....

10 ( +11 / -1 )

You don't have to trust anyone or anything. Who knows how this will turn out in the end.

That being said, they control the country. There's no reason for them to allow women into schools if they don't want that. Maybe it's setting up the lambs for the slaughter. Or maybe it could be a generational change.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

US seize Afghanistan assets in America, Google Afghanistan US Assets

1 ( +2 / -1 )

So now we have to trust that the Taliban leadership (who was held in a prison camp by the USA for 8 years until Obama/Biden let them go) will harbor no negative feelings toward us and act as we ask them to?

yeah thanks Joe Biden.

-9 ( +1 / -10 )

Religious zealots, whether they are the Bible thumping bigots in America, or the murderous tyrants in Afghanistan, are cowards.

Thry prey on the weakest, women and children, using them as an example to assert their authority.

I feel for the moderate, educated Afghans, both men and women, their lives are going to be very very hard from. Ow on.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

Women have little or no rights in Islamic law, especially under Shariah law.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Because this withdrawal was bungled so horribly now we have to hear these “maybe the Taliban aren’t soooo bad after all” media stories to protect Democrats.

-9 ( +3 / -12 )

If you put lipstick on the taliban, they are still the taliban.

All these promises will be forgotten in a few months once the tribes start fighting each other. Then it’ll be a competition on who’s more conservative and each one will try to outdo the other in suppressing women.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

How long till the Taliban find themselves the target of violent insurrection by disaffected youth?

Plus ca change….

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Where are the Taliban leaders, hiding, they know if they show up in Kabul , a hellfire missile is waiting for them, nobody has recognize their right to rule

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

God help the people of Afghanistan, because no one else will.

They have to help themselves. Waiting for god to do it means nothing will ever happen. Saying inshallah is about the same as shrugging one's shoulders and saying manana. Manana comes and goes but nothing gets done.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

Read an interesting analysis discussing that, while the Taliban movement was galvanized by the shared goal of ejecting the Americans and putting the country under their rule, in fact they are very fractious, with some as conservative as their predecessors and others quite moderate, and now that that shared goal has been accomplished, these differences will likely surface. The analysis concluded that that and their small number (only 85,000 participated in the revolution) and inexperience in governing will result in serious difficulties actually running the country, perhaps resulting in the faction gaining the most public support prevailing. Of course, the proof is in the pudding, but this may not end up being the Taliban of yore.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

And pigs might fly!

Womens rights, the right to walk behind their male relatives like a moving clothes pile, if allowed out at all. Forget an education and any woman with an education will be fired and sent back to breed. Any who dare stand up against these medieval throwbacks will have the right to be flogged.

God help the people of Afghanistan, because no one else will.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

Saw an article where it stated the Taliban were using WhatsApp to communicate their directives to the public as they take over. There are two options as I see it:

A generation of Taliban growing up with smartphones have learned to moderate some of their beliefs.

A generation of Taliban have learned to be more circumspect on the world stage and will wait until the attention of the media cycle is off them until engaging in their usual medieval orgies.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

I make no claims to be an expert on things related to Afghanistan, but it would be pretty funny (in the sense of "ironic", rather than actually "amusing") if the Taliban actually did this - changed with the times - and won lots of PR victories. Can you imagine the egg on America's face?

"Yeah, we trained the local soldiers for ages and gave them the best gear in the world, then...umm...a bunch of dudes in sandals whipped them, took over the country, and now people are giving them rave reviews. Oops."

2 ( +7 / -5 )

It seems to me Talibans are changing from generation to generation. Eldery leaders follow strict old Islamic rule but young ones are not same as elderly way. Talibans are not terrorists from the beginning but they just hid Bin Laden from the US. Talibans never joined in 911 attack group.

-3 ( +7 / -10 )

U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the U.S. and other governments will not simply take the Taliban at their word when it comes to women's rights.

Maybe Jake Sullivan should invade the country and set them on the path to equal rights and democracy.

Oh wait....

well, it looks like the Taliban are the new Trump as the leftists clamor for someone new to hate. All kindly fed by the MSM who do not believe in the truth anyway, always looking for the sensational downside to feed their loving masses.

Heres an idea, why don’t we wait a few months and see what happens instead of these knee jerk reactions?

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

The Taliban are sounding like every abusive husband ever.

I’m sorry, I’ll never hit you again. I swear, I’ve changed.

Next week, mom “slips” on the stairs….

15 ( +18 / -3 )

I believe their claims when I see the proof. I suspect once some of the many warlords reorganize there will be a prolonged period of armed insurrection in Afghanistan. I also suspect a lot of Afghans living in their cities who have become used to a more relaxed way of life are not going to go along with any kind of return to harsh religious rule. Time will tell if I'm full of prunes.

12 ( +14 / -2 )

BB,

They're a gang of religious zealots. They doom women to sexual slavery and/or publicly execute them for entertainment.

They murder all those that disagree with them. And they were not particularly well-lead or effective. They were able to escape to Pakistan every winter to regroup, and reorganize every winter.

They are an anathema to humanity, and it’s an embarrassment that you publicly sing their praises.

10 ( +15 / -5 )

There are hundreds of warlords in Afghanistan and they are not even able to agree to disagree! Therefore what they are saying is just hot air for media consumption!!! It will all be back to the pre 20 years ago ways in no time!

16 ( +19 / -3 )

No fan of the Taliban, but I want to believe that this new generation of fighters will have learned from the disastrous past policies of their predecessors. After all, the world doesn't stand still and they are also subject to changing times and fortune, just like the rest of humanity. "Girls, be ambitious!" might be a bit of a stretch for the Taliban, but let's not make premature judgments. The delicate geopolitical situation of the country hemmed in by Shia Iran to the West and by the Russianized Stans in the North may dictate a very cautious game plan for the new rulers going forward. Not forgetting that their relations with a primary backer, Pakistan, a perfidious and volatile entity could quickly sour. The Americans may have left now , but waiting in the wings close neighbor, Russia, hasn't gone anywhere.

9 ( +16 / -7 )

Also stated they have a bridge for sale. They are lying. No matter how much we disagree on other issues, let’s agree on this: the Taliban are a violent criminal organization under the guise of Islam. They are dedicated to the enslavement of women and they will systematically hunt down and murder everyone who helped the West and their families if we don’t get them out of the country.

6 ( +14 / -8 )

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