RE: [iwar] [fc:Taliban:.Portrait.of.a.Lunatic.Asylum.(egg.on.all. faces)]

From: Leo, Ross (Ross.Leo@csoconline.com)
Date: 2001-09-27 08:45:09


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From: "Leo, Ross" <Ross.Leo@csoconline.com>
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Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2001 10:45:09 -0500
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Subject: RE: [iwar] [fc:Taliban:.Portrait.of.a.Lunatic.Asylum.(egg.on.all. faces)]
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This is yet another fine example of the various parties around the world
that,
in the course of pursuing "constructive engagement" and their own private
economic agendas simultaneously, steadfastly refuse to learn the lessons of
History.

There is a very basic philosophical difference between the non-Muslim and 
the Muslim.  It is that everyone who is not Muslim is by definition an
infidel,
in accordance with Islam.  And while I am not an expert on Islam. the
appearance
(historically, in my interpretation of events) is that whatever arrangements
are
made with infidels are okay as long as they serve the purposes of Islam (in
the
interpretation of those making the deal). *

However, when such deals interfere with "pure Islam" (again, in their highly

subjective interpretation), or merely become inconvenient, they can be 
disregarded as having been made with infidels, who effectively have no
rights 
(being infidels) and can therefore be easily disposed of.

I have seen this happen to Western countries, especially the US in dealings
with 
most of the Middle Eastern Islamic states in the past few decades - Iran,
Iraq, 
Libya, Yemen, Syria, Sudan, etc.   We proceed from a western "Christian"
perspective,
which allows for women's rights, kind and fair treatment, the rule of civil
laws, and
so on.  And when we in the west try to levy these same values on our Muslim
partners
as part of the requirements for continuing good relations (as is our
custom), they chafe.

Why do we never learn that their values are not ours?  Why do we continue to
believe
that all others think like we do, or should?  This philosophy keeps getting
the West in
trouble, and yet the West never learns the lesson.

I say this because we need to acquire the posture or managing our risk when
we 
become involved with these other parties.  It seems we go into these
situations thinking
that everything has been worked out, such that when things turn sour (as
they frequently
have), we are shocked and surprised.  Worse yet, we are unprepared to cope
because
we never seem to prepare and execute contingency plans - other than trying
to apply
punitive measures in an effort to force the other party to honour they
agreements.  This
route has occasionally worked, but at great cost - often in humanitarian
ways.

I am not trying to impugn Islam.  I am only going by what I have seen over
the years.
My measuring stick has always been "Ye shall know them by their fruits."  No
one measures
up all the time.  But by this rubric, Islam (as demonstrated by the
religious leaders in many, 
but not all of these countries) appears to be a most cruel, unforgiving, and
merciless religion.
From what I have learned recently, the fruits of the Taliban appear to be
the death and devastation
of its country and its people, regardless of what sort of "oppression" or
conspiracy they
claim goes on against them externally.

*  BTW - the same holds true in its essence for Judaism and Christianity in
that 
all non-Jews are gentiles - non-chosen - and all non-Christians are unsaved
and 
therefore something approaching heathen.  The non-Jew is in a sense
excluded, 
and the non-Christian is a target for conversion, but neither call for death

of the convert should he subsequently renounce.

Ross Leo



-----Original Message-----
From: Fred Cohen [mailto:fc@all.net]
Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2001 08:45
To: iwar@onelist.com
Subject: [iwar]
[fc:Taliban:.Portrait.of.a.Lunatic.Asylum.(egg.on.all.faces)]


Note the reference to the gas pipeline ... the Great Game continues.

Thursday, September 27 5:37 PM SGT

Five years on, old allies turn on the Taliban

PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Sept 27 (AFP) -

Five years ago the Taliban rolled into the Afghan capital Kabul,
proclaiming the world's purest Islamic state and setting itself on a
collision course with the international community. 

But back in 1996, few could have predicted the world would soon be bent
on the destruction of the militia, as diplomats, oil giants and donors
did their best to court the regime. 

Despite their barring of women from work and education, profiteering
from drug production and brutal implementation of rules on social
conduct, five years ago the Taliban were riding high. 

In 1997, Taliban officials were invited for trips to Texas by US oil
giant UNOCAL, and its competitor Bridas of Argentina took a turbaned
delegation on a tour of Buenos Aires. 

Both were hoping to win the contract to build a multi-billion dollar gas
pipeline from Turkmenistan to densely-popuated South Asia. 

It was all smiles when former US ambassador to the United Nations Bill
Richardson visited Afghanistan in 1998 for talks with the Taliban, also
centered on exploiting Central Asia's gas riches. 

The Taliban were seen as the latest episode in the regional Great Game
-- a strategic tug-of-war for influence that has been played out for
centuries on Afghan soil -- and they had Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the
United Arab Emirates and the United States on their side. 

European Union aid continued to pour into Taliban-controlled areas,
despite the restrictions that made reaching Kabul's starved widows
almost impossible. 

A queue of EU diplomats visited Kabul: only a few dared confront the
militia's human rights record. 

UN officials shrugged their shoulders after they renovated Kabul's
stadium only to see it used as a venue for weekly game-show style
executions. 

In 1998, the world body signed a memorandum of understanding with the
militia, recognising that the path to securing women's rights "needs to
be gradual."

Promoted by sympathisers as a group that would restore order to the
war-torn country and backed by Pakistan, the Taliban appeared
unstoppable. 

The people of Kabul were subject to beard inspections, prayer tests,
forced haircuts and draconian punishments.  Women were placed under
wraps, television and music banned, while the city began to starve. 

One Taliban official described the rules as "medicine for a city of
sinners."

But in 1998, the militia began to shift its priorities. 

Frustrated by the failure to win formal international recognition and
refusing to ease what it had said were "temporary" restrictions, an
internal battle for influence appeared to be going in favour of
hardliners. 

The word of the Taliban leader, the one-eyed Mullah Mohammad Omar, was
final, and their depleted ranks were filled by increasing numbers of
Pakistani and Arab volunteers while alleged Saudi-born terrorist Osama
bin Laden was rising in the ranks of decision makers. 

In trials of terrorists across the globe, the name "Afghanistan" was
springing up again and again. 

Drugs also continued to flow, and Afghanistan overtook Southeast Asia's
Golden Triangle as the world's leading heroin producer.  Any cuts in
production ordered by Mullah Omar merely pushed the prices -- and
profits -- up. 

Under UN sanctions, the Taliban waved goodbye to dreams of gas riches
and have since appeared almost determined to confront the international
community head on.  Bamian's ancient giant Buddhas were destroyed and
restrictions tightened. 

But after years of alarm over women's rights, the destruction of
Afghanistan's heritage, drugs and widespread human rights abuses, Bin
Laden's alleged attack on the US appears to have been the final straw. 

"Let's face it, constructive engagement didn't work," quipped a senior
United Nations official.  "It's true, we bent over backwards to
accomodate the Taliban.  Some say we bent over too far, but what was the
alternative, and who could have predicted this?"



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