--- In [email protected], Peter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > --- authfriend <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > --- In [email protected], "sparaig" > > <sparaig@> wrote: > > <snip> > > > 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?" > > > > It makes sense to point out the hypocrisy of > > caring more for the statues than the people, > > certainly. It just wasn't why they blew up > > the statues in the first place. > > > > And how much did the campaign to "cleanse" > > Afghanistan of other religions, including > > destroying the Buddhas, cost, all told? I > > still bet they could have gotten quite a bit > > of money holding the statues for ransom. > > Why would anyone believe the Taliban. They're a bunch > of fanatics and lie and or distort the truth when it > serves them best. I like judy's last line about > holding the statues hostage to raise money! >
To be honest, the Taliban are no worse than thea average pushtun afghan warlord in the area, and are actually far less violent than the worst. We've even put some of them back in power in Afghanistan as a reward for their work against the Taliban. The PUnjab tribes (related to the same groups in Afghanistan) do things like punish a young man by gang- raping his sister by order of the village elders (with the enthusiastic participation of some of the elders). http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1187392,00.html
