Kabul's mannequins, hooded and masked under Taliban rules

Backwards, repressive and despicable nation. The regime absolutely despise women and girls.

America should liberate the people of Afghanistan. Oh wait, they did that, and then left and put the Taliban right back in power. Twenty years all for nothing. Anyway, the to be endless war in the Ukraine is much more lucrative.

The Taliban fear powerful women. They are only manly in the mountains with a Kalashnikov strapped in their chest. Otherwise they are illiterate little nothings.

Aren't we told repeatedly that ALL cultures are equal?

Except of course they are not!

And the ICC should kick Afghanistan out and all countries should boycott them. I bet the Taliban would have a sudden "change of heart" if that happened! Despicable!

At this stage, I am used to humans wearing masks so a masked mannequin does not faze me.

As for beheaded mannequins---there are numerous beheaded statues in various museums worldwide, so big deal.

My estimates are, those mannequin puppets are only on display in separated for-women-only areas, like they have also in other Islamic countries’ shopping centers. So usually men won’t even see any of them, wrapped or unwrapped. But now the special situation there, when the Taliban patrol every area to secure their power (that btw the West gave them in full intentional awareness!). So it’s of course ‘natural’ there and under their religious system that also the commanders prohibit such mannequins displayed, which could draw attention to bypassing patrolling male Taliban. More generally and better known is the fact, that in principle all public displays or artworks of living beings or animals are not allowed. Heard of that US university teacher who was fired because announcing and then really showing an old painting that showed Mohamed? We in the West are not so very far away anymore from a similar situation or extremism like the Taliban already practice everywhere in their influence zone.

toraToday  04:14 pm JST

America should liberate the people of Afghanistan. Oh wait, they did that, and then left and put the Taliban right back in power. Twenty years all for nothing. Anyway, the to be endless war in the Ukraine is much more lucrative.

The Taliban are in and remain in power for a reason. Large segments of the population still support them. You can't change a country if most of the populace doesn't want to change. By all accounts Pakistan and Saudi Arabia fund them and aside from money, Sharia Law is what connects all three countries.

Sharia Law is what connects all three countries.

Right. So what are you insinuating?

The reason that the Taliban remain firmly in power is that there is no choice - if the people of Afghanistan (or Pakistan, or Saudi, ) were offered a choice between some medieval sadistic warriors / ruling-clans, or a chance of a regular normal democracy, I think I know which most people would opt for.

The fact that Sharia law is inflicted on the people of these unfortunate countries is regrettable, as this religious repression is the raison d'etre of the powers-that-be, and anybody who disagrees can expect to be eliminated in their usual vicious ways.

Avoid these vile countries like the plague - only by totally isolating them can change come about.

So if the Taliban cut off the heads of the mannequins in women’s dress shop I wonder what kind of message that would send. After all they have been known to cut off the heads of things or people they despise or go against them.

This looks like something straight out of the Twilight Zone.

And the ICC should kick Afghanistan out and all countries should boycott them. I bet the Taliban would have a sudden "change of heart"

Probably not. That isn't how the mind of the religious fanatic works. When faced with opposition they double down on their religious purity. They think their purity and suffering will be rewarded in the afterlife and that god will punish their oppressors. Any change of heart would have to come from within. You can't change it from outside. Sadly the Taliban and those like them do not seem inclined towards self reflection.

The reason that the Taliban remain firmly in power is that there is no choice - if the people of Afghanistan (or Pakistan, or Saudi, ) were offered a choice between some medieval sadistic warriors / ruling-clans, or a chance of a regular normal democracy.

They did have a choice but their leaders were corrupt to the core. Imagine if Ashraf Ghani had the courage and leadership skills of Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Afghan Army was 300,000 strong before they all ran away. Lack of leadership at all levels but imagine if Mr. Ghani had rallied his people against the Taliban. Things could have turned out very differently than they did. But Afghanistan has been plagued through the ages by corrupt tribal chieftains more interested in their own power and wealth and in controlling their tribal lands than in nation building.

When a nation by a large group of armed psycho mass murderer who hates women including their mothers , sisters and daughters.

It would be crazy to spend your money on a dress in Misogynistan when you could use it to buy passage back to the modern world.

Martimurano....

The reason that the Taliban remain firmly in power is that there is no choice - if the people of Afghanistan (or Pakistan, or Saudi, ) were offered a choice between some medieval sadistic warriors / ruling-clans, or a chance of a regular normal democracy, I think I know which most people would opt for.

You know what option YOU would opt for. The voices of opposition we hear on our media are always those of the English speaking elite living in Kabul or those who have left the country. We never get to hear the opinions of the vast majority of super conservative, poor and uneducated living in the provinces. These are the people who the Taliban serve.

The US fears Saudi democratization as the know what it would bring.

Since gaining control, the Taliban leadership has enacted a system of gender segregation that has effectively placed Afghan women under house arrest.