What hope is there for converting the Taliban to Western ideals?

[rov1200]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/...d-south-asia-10983494

Should we pull out now?

[jno]

the idea was never to convert the Taliban, it was to drive them out, in the hope that without them Afghanistan would be a better place. We have failed, however.

[Kathyan]

If the Taliban are driven out of Afghanistan they will just go somewhere else. This 'war' cannot be won because it is an invisible force they are fighting. Our lads wear uniforms, the Taliban don't!

[rov1200]

Driving the Taliban out is like driving the Catholics out of Northern Ireland. It aint goner happen!

[tamborine]

protect them for their historic culture and tribal ways. Their neighbor has nukes if they want to eliminate them.

[Sqad]

What Western Ideals?
Corruption in Political Heirarchy
Increase in violent crime.
Prostitution.
Teenaged pregnancies.

The Taliban already have those......so they do not need any conversion and if they didn´t have them already, would it be a worthy achievement for the Taliban?

[anotheoldgit]

What Western Ideals?
Corruption in Political Heirarchy
Increase in violent crime.
Prostitution.
Teenaged pregnancies.

Another typical answer from one of the 'Taliban apologists'.

I would much rather see an increase in these Western Ideals, rather than live in this 'medieval hell hole' with their Eastern ideals.

Don't give me that old story 'it is only a small majority of fundamentalists', I suppose all those who crowded around to watch are part of that small majority also?

Why should our young die to protect these savages, pull out now and let them lead their primitive lives.

[jno]

Sqad's a Taliban? Well I never!

I suppose he could get a bit of part-time working doing amputations and suchlike.

[naomi24]

^^ Goodness, I never either!! There's a surprise!

[joggerjayne]

The couple were only "accused" of adultery ... not actually convicted !

Seems a bit harsh to kill them, really.

[anotheoldgit]

jno, see what your ignorance started? You were bound to get other sheep following you, such as naomi24.

A 'Taliban apologists', is not really a 'TALIBAN', just a person that APOLOGISES for the Taliban.

Now do you understand????????

[naomi24]

Goodness! Is that right? Wish she'd stop leading me astray.

[jno]

perhaps you'd care to explain exactly where and in what way Sqad apologised for the Taliban, aog?

[modeller]

I think I'm right in saying the Taliban are Afghans and therefore can not be driven out of their own country . Afghanistan is a tribal society and the Taliban are a powerful tribe . They can be defeated at a local level but they will always be there. All we can do is to support other Afghan tribes that are more to our liking , but once we leave the situation could change almost overnight.

[rov1200]

///I think I'm right in saying the Taliban are Afghans and therefore can not be driven out of their own country ///

Well said Modeller. The Taliban and their supporters will continue to live on for many years. The IRA were never defeated as they had the backing of many of the population. We are the real enemy of the Afghans and will always be so while we are yomping over the dustbowls and handing out sweets to children.

Unless we admit defeat and pull out we could be there for another 50 years like we did in Northern Ireland.

[andy-hughes]

This is the root cause of the issue rov1200. It is not possible to take issue with the approach of a section of a society and take it upon yourself to eliminate their power and influence under some dubious notion of 'protection' of your own citizens.

When the Russians abandoned their attempt to subdue Afghanistan (surely a history lesson there?) the Afghan people were desparate for someone to take charge, restore order, and frame a system of society that people could live with. That 'someone' appeared, and they are the Taliban,

The fact that as a democracy, we may find the Taliban's approach abhorrent does not in any way justify our attempts to erradicate them, and more than Muslem fundamnetalists' hatred of western views entitled them to blow up buildings.

We should pull out, and as soon as America and Britan can convince the elctorate that we have some sort of 'victory' (Pardon me while I laugh and cry simultaniously) we no doubt will, and the money and lives lost will have counted for nothing - as they were doomed so to do from the start.