Saturday, May 26th, 2012

Swat Valley Nightmare

By
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at 5:39 pm

The New York Times made an incredibly moving video about what it’s like to live in Swat under the rule of the Taliban. The barbarism on display is repugnant: dead bodies in the streets as a warning against dissent; radios barking orders prohibiting girl’s education; storekeepers intimidated from selling products to women. Please watch the entire 14-minute video.

The idea that the Taliban will stop at Swat flies in the face of Taliban irredentism since its inception in Pakistan a few short years ago. With Pakistani and Afghan officials in Washington to talk about their future cooperation with the Obama administration, it’s important to see Swat as a prologue for what the Taliban wish to do to a nuclear-armed country.

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Categories & Tags: National Security| Obama| | | | |

Comments

3 Comments

Dazey
Comment posted February 25, 2009 @ 5:27 pm

Unfortunately I was unable to view the video. Apparently it's quite popular but you know… I think people love to hear how “terrible” Shariah is. In fact it is not. I wish people would educate themselves about such matters before they go off and assume.

Again, until I view the video I cannot say what it's about – but I'm thinking along the lines of “wag the dog”. Perhaps I'm wrong – if so I will come back and say so. Until then I was rather shocked to see you using this slant on the issue.

Dazey
Comment posted February 26, 2009 @ 1:27 am

Unfortunately I was unable to view the video. Apparently it's quite popular but you know… I think people love to hear how “terrible” Shariah is. In fact it is not. I wish people would educate themselves about such matters before they go off and assume.

Again, until I view the video I cannot say what it's about – but I'm thinking along the lines of “wag the dog”. Perhaps I'm wrong – if so I will come back and say so. Until then I was rather shocked to see you using this slant on the issue.

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