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Ministry for the Prevention of Vice and Promotion of Virtue is definitely the funniest government minstdy I have heard of. Unsurprisingly its the thing that is most obvious for satire, that is usually the most sensitive to it and totalitarian in its function.
There is a whole story on the gender relations in the book and its is just amazingly totalitarian. It's so wild the freedom to live what you will consider a basic life is under constantly under the threat of death.
Fun fact - In the spirit of Joan of Arc, there is Malalai of Maiwand, also known as Malala, or Malalai Anna a national folk hero of Afghanistan who rallied local fighters against the British troops at the 1880 Battle of Maiwand.
The trobule of Afghanistan began with the rise of communism, the death of the communist leader, the coup and the factions of the Communist in power (counter-revoulution) & the Islamist against the communists, which is not the exactly unique
But then the Russians came in as a "peace force" then it became a war and proxy war against US, Pakistan & Saudi Arabia (using the Islamist/Mujahedeen) against the Russians.
"What is the most important thing in the history of the world? The Taliban or the collapse of the Soviet Empire? Some stirred up Muslims or the liberation of Central Europe?"
Creating a society of Islamist warlords fighting for power and imposing disorder and horror. Many of the commanders of these atrocities came to be allied with the US Army upon their invasion gaining political power.
Of course since the government were communist, the US were committed towards not just pushing the Russians out but reducing the government structure to function alll the way to the fall of the Soviet Union.
The complicated Talibans (Muslim scholars/Judges with milltary history) are a group born of chaos sought to impose order on their environment and they did it with a force and brutality of the only path they know.
And like all power especially brutal ones, nature responds to it and that it did. The cycle of Communist - Islamist/Mujahedeen- Russia - Islamist/Mujahedeen- Taliban - Northern Alliance other Rebel groups - US Army - Taliban.
"We were on the verge of something great, but everything changed after the planes hit. That was the biggest mistake that ever happened to us." The Arabs of the al-Qaeda had finally done the harsh peace the Talibans dremat of.
The Taliban were willing to hand over Bin Laden over to a neutral Islamic third country for trial, but the Americnas wanted him in US nowhere else, not regarding the political weight of such a stance on their Afghan counterparts.
Then the Pakistanis came into play and sought to toughen the Talibans not to give up hve them shelter. Despite negotiations not to with the Americans. Then bombs began, then chaos, counter rebellions and martyrdom.
The Americans like usual found the weak 3rd party in all this and sought to create nationalism, a rebellion against the Taliban (who eventually surrendered) and a government from the fracture of the country left.
But the problem like in Pakistan the Americans fighting a terrorist problem is a huge economic boom (opoum, land leases, aid, logistics) for the right people. So incentives working as they do, they created terrorist for the Americans to fight.
In combination with the brutality and torture tactics in searching for talibans (also unwittingly used to engage political enemies of their closest allies) who had disbanded they inflicted pain & torture to the population with bad intelligence creating an anti-American sentiment
"You can make 100 faces recoil with just 1 slap"
The turn of emotions were especially stronger in those who were pro-americans before viewing or part of the brutality tactics and incompetence of the Americans.
The turn of emotions were especially stronger in those who were pro-americans before viewing or part of the brutality tactics and incompetence of the Americans.
Funny enough it was in regions where there was an absence of American troops that political elemtnets could negotiate stability and peace. The americans were tool for acquiring political power not for peace.
Once branded a terrorist no amount of good sense can save you. And there was not enough goood sense going around with poor intelligence and interrogation techniques and personnel put on the case.
After a while there was a web of betrayal and counter betrayals with a large part of the elite and people most likely to make peace having been alienated or arrested with those left being the most cunning and ruthless.
The elties and leaders of the communities that were cut off had no connection towards the Americans and the government that was being created was made up of corrupt individuals. The Talibans no matyer their efforts could not reintegrate into society.
Like all terrorist groups once they dont have a path towards reintegration, political power or a life to achieve their goals. They go back to what they know best knowing there is not way out..
So the Taliban attacks started back up and the Americans just continued their policy of bad intelligence and unchecked brutality backed by a weak government & corrupt government they had set up. Everyone was feeding into their psychology of extremesim.
The Taliban pays its units bonus for outstanding attacks, so the units created fake assualts and evidence to gain extra cash. Organisational probles are everywhere tbh. (Book recommendation- The Terrorist's Dilemma: Managing Violent Covert Organizations by Jacob N. Shapiro)
The story of Senator Heela Achekzai was well told.
The book doesnt conclude on anything new. The american presence there is not hit its goals. Its an economy that sponsors the taliban amd warlords and the Afghan government is inefficient and has no sovereignty status within its borders. End.
