--- In [email protected], "sparaig" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], "sparaig" <sparaig@> wrote: > > > > --- In [email protected], "authfriend" <jstein@> wrote: > [...] > > > Where did you read this?? > > > > Iin an interview with the woman who was the Taliban's semi-official > > representative to the > > USA. She said that the Taliban didn't understand the concept of funds that > > were ear- > > marked for other purposes: They thought that if they destroyed the statues, > > people would > > give the money for food, instead... > > Hmmm... Found the article I thought I was referring to, but no such detail > about why they did > it: > > http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0124,ridgeway,25512,6.html >
Ah, here it is. Different spokeperson, but the idea is there. No-one took the claim seriously, however, for the reasons you gave: http://www.trincoll.edu/depts/csrpl/RINVol4No2/Idol%20Threats.htm [...] The roving Taliban envoy visiting the United States at the time, Sayed Rahmatullah Hashimi, explained the destruction on the grounds that foreigners had offered money to preserve monuments but not feed people. In a March 21 interview on National Public Radio he said that Afghan officials had told him that if the world "does not care or if the world is destroying the future of our children with economic sanctions, how do they care about our past?"
