Afganistan+under+Taliban

Afghanistan a violent history under the Taliban



Since the Romans ruled the known world Afghanistan and the middle east has been a disquieted area in which no one could rule for more than a few years before “freedom fighters” would rise up and take back their country. This is no more evident in modern history than in present day Afghanistan. In 1992 with the confused withdrawal of the Russian troops from Afghanistan there rose a group who called themselves the Taliban. The Taliban started out as a group of men fighting for their country back and up until 2001 they ruled about 95% of Afghanistan. Since 2001 the U.S. has been fighting a war of liberation for Afghanistan. In recent news there is talk of a weakening of the Taliban’s grasp on the people of Afghanistan. In the Cincinnati Enquire on Sunday, February 28, 2010 there were three separate articles stating this fact. The regimen that once held a little over 95% of the country is slowly being pushed back and out of Afghanistan.(EK)

Since the Taliban took power back in early 1992 and spread themselves across nearly the whole country they have enforced many strict Islamic laws referred to as Sharia. These are the belief in Islamic laws or the “path” that most believe is the way man should lead his life. Just a few of the topics covered by Islamic law are: Diet, Sports, Marriage and divorce, and one of the most known topics is dress. The laws that are most in the lime light of the news and public are the strict laws that are directed solely at women. The most controversial law is probably the one that gets most women in trouble, the law states that women will not be educated beyond the age of 8. there was also a ban on women wearing high heel shoes which would produce sound while walking. When you think of these rules you see all the rules put in place to control women but there is another side to the laws that is hardly talked about. The Taliban has also ordered that all people with non-Islamic names change them to Islamic ones. And as for traditions they put a ban on certain games including kite flying which is considered "un-Islamic" according to Taliban(EK)

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The book the Kite runner makes multiple references to many of the changes the Taliban have made to Afghanistan. The first is when Amir has returned to Afghanistan and he is mage to wear the fake beard and robes when he enters the country. Then he is confronted with the oppression they brought with them when he is told that he should not raise his head to look at the Taliban because they are just looking for a fight. Then Amir is watching a soccer game and at half time the Taliban show up and stone two adulterers to death in front of the crowd, as an example/entertainment for the crowd. The book even talks about the annihilation of the Hazara people with Hassan being executed in the middle of the street just for living a nice house and not being a servant.(EV)

The Taliban began as a Mujahedeen (freedom fighter) group, but did not really get bid until 1994 when Pakistan contracted them for convoy protection and they became a large power. Then in 1996 they take control of Kabul and continue to grow in strength by capturing cities like Baima and Mazar-I-Sharif. When the Taliban captured Mazar-I-Sharif there were accounts of mass murders of Hazara people because they had valiantly defended this city for being holy. Then in 2000 Afghanistan had a record drought that led to 200,000 people moving to refugee camps. In 2001 the Taliban attacked the World Trade Centers and called a jihad against America. (EV)

Sources: Visit @http://www.rawa.org/rules.htm for more laws and regulations put in place by the Taliban. This is also a page that lists similarities and differences between Sharia and other more common law sets[[@http:// []| . Go to @http://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban-time-2001.html for more info on the Taliban's History.