# Taliban Stupid and Just Don't Care? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 9, 2012, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-stupid-and-just-dont-care/627715 "2012-07-09T18:25:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-stupid-and-just-dont-care/627715/41 "2012-07-10T01:54:22Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > They probably do like the drone strikes. Killing people indiscriminately - which is what they actually do - helps create hatred for us, makes them look better for opposing the evil Americans, and helps produce recruits. I’d substitute “people who are near the bad guys” for “indiscriminately”, but yeah. Christ, I hate agreeing with you. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-stupid-and-just-dont-care/627715/42 "2012-07-10T01:56:14Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > They probably do like the drone strikes. Which is why they’re threatening to block polio vaccinations unless the drone strikes are stopped. ---
**Author:** ![al27052](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/41988e/32.png) [@al27052](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/al27052)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-stupid-and-just-dont-care/627715/43 "2012-07-10T01:58:38Z")
> [@Victor\_Charlie](#): > > They apparently like getting blown up by drone strikes and want to make sure we keep doing it. That’s just the thing. I don’t think any of them has the education, historical or economic, or general awareness of world affairs, to realize we outgun and out-money them a million to one. We’ll just wait them out. Eventually, our weaponry will get so advanced that we can surgically kill/capture every commander they have, faster than they can make new commanders. It might take 20 years, but their days are numbered. Unfortunately, they have no idea this is true, and will keep doing the exact things that will make their death/capture so very, very necessary. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-stupid-and-just-dont-care/627715/44 "2012-07-10T02:08:16Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Which is why they’re threatening to block polio vaccinations unless the drone strikes are stopped. I think they know that the drones are our best weapon against them, that we won’t stop them, and it helps turn people against us. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-stupid-and-just-dont-care/627715/45 "2012-07-10T02:11:40Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Which is why they’re threatening to block polio vaccinations unless the drone strikes are stopped. Yeah! Now they’ve got us over a ba… wait, what? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-stupid-and-just-dont-care/627715/46 "2012-07-10T02:12:21Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I think they know that the drones are our best weapon against them, that we won’t stop them, and it helps turn people against us. I’m seeing a tiny bit of a contradiction there. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-stupid-and-just-dont-care/627715/47 "2012-07-10T02:18:58Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I’m seeing a tiny bit of a contradiction there. How so? They are defying the Great Satan, doing a good thing for people :rolleyes: and we will never give in. ---
**Author:** ![Gukumatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@Gukumatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gukumatz)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-stupid-and-just-dont-care/627715/48 "2012-07-10T02:48:13Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I’m seeing a tiny bit of a contradiction there. It makes sense to me, in a somewhat convoluted way. It makes sense to an American to use drones - there’s no risk of two servicemembers trapped behind enemy lines if something goes wrong and they can generally achieve the same results as a manned plane. However, they’re not quite precision instruments, yet, so they do create civillian casualties. The Pakistani in Waziristan are dealing with the situation admirably, true, but for those already leaning in a militant direction it’s an absolutely fantastic talking point. And drones are completely unsympathetic. They’re easy targets for creating villains. Like, Nazi-SS-level we-don’t-have-to-feel-bad-about-killing-them villains. So yeah, I can agree with **carnivorousplant** ’s assertion that they’re the best weapon from an US perspective, won’t provide a serious deterrent to militia activity in the long run and provide the militant enemies with a great recruiting drive opportunity. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-stupid-and-just-dont-care/627715/49 "2012-07-10T04:13:11Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Which is why they’re threatening to block polio vaccinations unless the drone strikes are stopped. From what I understand that just helps them look more “heroic”, between the locally common conspiracy theory that vaccination programs are really a cover for the West sterilizing the locals and the proven allegation that some\* of the doctors are frauds and Western agents. It’s easy for them to spin trying to stop vaccinations as good; given the kind of people they are, many may well actually believe that doing so is good, and the rest won’t care. \*The one who helped us get Osama bin Laden, specifically ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-stupid-and-just-dont-care/627715/50 "2012-07-10T04:33:31Z")
> [@XT](#): > > I’ve seen no Taliban position decrying this event or claiming it was in any way wrong. And I’ll give long odds we never will. These ignorant-assed fundie scum view women as essentially animals they can fuck - except that unlike all the other beauties of the barnyard, they can actually have kids with women. It’s probably a difficult concept for them, so they likely have a mantra, like “four legs, fun - two legs, son!” ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-stupid-and-just-dont-care/627715/51 "2012-07-10T04:46:50Z")
If the godless heathens disapprove, you must be doing something right. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-stupid-and-just-dont-care/627715/52 "2012-07-10T12:44:05Z")
- Taliban stupid and just don’t care, hey! Daylight come and me wan go home.\* ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-stupid-and-just-dont-care/627715/53 "2012-07-10T13:13:32Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > They’re kind of like the honey badger. They are indeed crazy and nasty-ass. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-stupid-and-just-dont-care/627715/54 "2012-07-10T14:42:59Z")
> [@al27052](#): > > Eventually, our weaponry will get so advanced that we can surgically kill/capture every commander they have, faster than they can make new commanders. I’m not sure why you’re so enthusiastic about technology which’d let the US military accurately kill whichever targets it wants. No doubt, few tears will be shed for taliban commanders, but the US has a more chequered history than that. Not to mention, such technology would probably end up in the hands of people with similar qualms about legislating sexual morality, the Saudis. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-stupid-and-just-dont-care/627715/55 "2012-07-10T15:09:18Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > How so? The idea that drones are the best weapon for the U.S. but also turn people against the war. I think the truth is probably more nuanced than that. > [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > From what I understand that just helps them look more “heroic” Yeah, you’re right. When the Taliban say they’ll stop polio vaccinations unless the U.S. calls of the drone strikes (which you just said don’t work and are great for the Taliban), everyone believes them. Even the people with polio and the parents of children at risk for polio. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-stupid-and-just-dont-care/627715/56 "2012-07-10T15:55:44Z")
You see, if we were evil, we’d tell them that as long as they stop polio vaccines, our drones will disperse the polio virus in the area. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-stupid-and-just-dont-care/627715/57 "2012-07-10T22:26:33Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > You see, if we were evil, we’d tell them that as long as they stop polio vaccines, our drones will disperse the polio virus in the area. Cool. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-stupid-and-just-dont-care/627715/58 "2012-07-11T00:28:10Z")
The Taliban deliberately went out of their way to kill more than 3,000 innocent civilians and provoke a war with the strongest military superpower on Earth (and a former ally). I don’t think being universally hated is something they’re afraid of. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-stupid-and-just-dont-care/627715/59 "2012-07-11T00:49:55Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > The Taliban deliberately went out of their way to kill more than 3,000 innocent civilians and provoke a war with the strongest military superpower on Earth (and a former ally). I don’t think being universally hated is something they’re afraid of. Al Qaeda did that. Not the Taliban. They’re different groups. ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-stupid-and-just-dont-care/627715/60 "2012-07-11T00:56:46Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Al Qaeda did that. Not the Taliban. They’re different groups. I know it’s the Pit, but be easy on him. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-stupid-and-just-dont-care/627715.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-stupid-and-just-dont-care/627715.md?page=4)