There is no "moderate Taliban" or anything close to it

A reflection on the realities of the Taliban. It seems all too easy for some to refer to both Afghanistan and Iraq actions by U.S. and allies as unnecessary wars. Well, call getting rid of a brutal dictator in Iraq unnecessary, if you must. While I prefer peace and tranquility to war, to me it's odd that those who seem to so loudly (and militantly, strangely enough) demand peace seem to long for it for themselves, but are as a result of their particular blindness, are not interested in clearing the way for an end to tyranny for others. "let them live as they want," and such relative nonsense. 
There is no "moderate Taliban": here's why that's so, in Life's concise description. From the start of our action against the Taliban, there is this, from Life Magazine (link): 

Perhaps the most mysterious leader today (it's not even entirely clear what he looks like), Mullah Mohammed Omar is the chief of the Taliban, the extremist Islamic group that was the de facto government of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001.

According to stories, he began his path to power when he led a group of 30 men to rescue two girls who had been kidnapped and raped by local warlords, and his actions quickly snowballed into a mass armed movement that led him to be "Commander of the Faithful" and ruler of Afghanistan.

As head of government, he instituted the Taliban's incredibly harsh interpretations of Muslim law on everyone. The list of bans was long and verged on the ludicrous -- among the forbidden were pictures, music, dancing, clapping at sporting events, kites, the cutting of beards, chess, stuffed animals, Christmas cards, and sewing catalogs.

There were devastating punishments for minor infractions -- women with painted nails had their fingers cut off, thieves had their hands cut off, and adulterers were stoned to death. In 1996, Afghanistan had become one of the most repressive countries in the world ... and, in the eyes of Osama bin Laden, an ideal place to place his headquarters.

1168032.jpg
1168032.jpg
97K   View   
- jR (@AirFarceOne on Twitter)

Posted via email from Like, Totally Political Dude! - posterous

Multiculturalism failed in Europe; a Nordic extremist is not a reason to deny it

Hey, that Norwegian terrorist has a point!

That appears to be the thrust of some commentary on the Norwegian man alleged to have murdered 76 people last Friday in a terrorist attack that has stunned Norway.

(From the Christian Science Monitor, July 26, 2011)

... Exhibit A this morning is a Wall Street Journal op-ed by Bruce Bawer, an Oslo-based American critic of the role of Islam in Europe, whose book "While Europe Slept: How Radical Islam Is Destroying the West from Within" was admiringly quoted by Breivik in the rambling 1,500 page manifesto he published online before his rampage.
Breivik – a self-described Christian nationalist opposed to the "Islamic colonization" of Europe abetted by mainstream European politicians ("a corrupt class of abject traitors") – argues that modern Europeans have been "indoctrinated" by a "multicultural orthodoxy." Both Bawer and Breivik appear to be of the belief that members of the European political elite are ignoring general public opposition to immigration and a growing threat to nations like Norway.
But while Bawer condemns Breivik's "unspeakably evil" approach to addressing such concerns, he appears far more concerned about the likelihood that Breivik's violent methods will detract from a cause they both care deeply about.
IN PICTURES: Norway mourns after terror attacks
In a column at the Pajamas Media blog last Friday, Bawers worried "that legitimate criticism of Islam, which remains a very real threat to freedom in Norway and the West, has been profoundly discredited, in the eyes of many Norwegians, by association with this murderous lunatic."
Bawer has not been alone in worrying about the need to criticize Islam. Yesterday, a Jerusalem Post editorial made much the same point. "Europe’s fringe right-wing extremists present a real danger to society. But Oslo’s devastating tragedy should not be allowed to be manipulated by those who would cover up the abject failure of multiculturalism," goes the summary at the start of the editorial.
I cannot fathom the breadth and width of adorably profane comments that will come from the fringe commentators of the left (which, sadly, will not only be little creeps on Twitter, but include a group of famous people, such as some talk hosts on MSNBC) after the despicable killings in Norway. The Norse terrorist has called himself a Christian (sorta like a Neo-Nazi in that way), admires the Crusades and Knights Templar, and, bringing the greatest amount of joy to the American left, he admires the Tea Party movement. Yes, the current conservative vibe in the U.S. No doubt, many pot shots at conservatives will be borne from Breivik's 1,500-page proclamation of -- in his own, particular view -- how badly things are going in Europe. For ethnic Europeans. 

I expect some reactions from the so-called "liberals" in America will be so far off the map of reason that they will be passed off as emotive nonsense, and given a pass by the media. Also, they will be given a pass by the apathetic and indoctrinated of the statist-leaning sillies. 

Now that a self-identified far-right, nationalist, European traditionalist, conservative, anti-pluralist, anti-Muslim killer has used brutal murder as a tool to express his beliefs, there will be some priceless comments coming -- as crass and shallow in words as this terrorist's actions were in deed.

- jR

Posted via email from Like, Totally Political Dude! - posterous