# TaliBAN: The Next Chapter. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 13, 2001, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-the-next-chapter/72398 "2001-07-13T18:13:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2001, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-the-next-chapter/72398/1 "2001-07-13T18:13:25Z")
[**Afghanistan’s Taliban 'bans Internet’**](http://uk.news.yahoo.com/010713/80/by4ii.html) > [@](#): > > ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban movement has banned the use of the Internet in the war-torn country to stop access to vulgar, immoral and anti-Islamic material, an Afghan news service has said. > The Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) quoted Taliban Foreign Minister Maulvi Wakil Ahmad Muttawakil as saying the movement was not against the Internet as such but was opposed to obscenity, vulgarity and anti-Islamic “stuff” on it. Hmmph. Are these people _really_ sharing the same planet with us, or are they a visitation from some alternate bizzaro universe? Other than kicking-down the doors of everyone that has a phone, how do they plan on carrying out their edict? The ISPs are all in Pakistan, and the phone lines all run into Pakistan, thanks to the utter lack of modern facilities in Afganistan. I don’t doubt that the Taliban is _willing_ to do a door-to-door search, but they’ll have to basicly burn every modem in the country to enforce this one. My mind boggles. ---
**Author:** ![Shylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Shylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shylock)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2001, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-the-next-chapter/72398/2 "2001-07-13T19:06:42Z")
Well, regardless of how much sense the edict makes, as to how they plan to enforce it, two points: 1. Would anyone be willing to risk being caught/informed upon? The fear factor alone might very well cause people to just stop using it - that’s not a regime that I’d be crossing lightly. 2. “Thanks to the utter lack of modern facilities” - that very statement leads one to believe that the universe of potential houses to search is relatively limited. C. ---
**Author:** ![Trucido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@Trucido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trucido)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2001, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-the-next-chapter/72398/3 "2001-07-13T19:33:27Z")
You’re talking about the same folks that banned paper bags, their reasoning being that said bag could be recycled, and could contain pieces formerly part of a Quran. Banning the internet, by comparison, is an achievable goal set by lucid individuals. These are people that believe beatings are required if you trim your beard, and that women are not deserving of medical care. There are quite a few problems before we even get anywhere close to censorship laws. Additionally, you could probably count all the significant concentrations of computers in Afghanistan without taking your shoes off. When you’ve also got control of ISPs, phone lines, and every other goddamn thing, it’s not even an effort. ---
**Author:** ![Qwertyasdfg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ecc23a/32.png) [@Qwertyasdfg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwertyasdfg)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2001, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-the-next-chapter/72398/4 "2001-07-13T19:39:42Z")
> [@](#): > > [BISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban movement has banned the use of the Internet in the war-torn country to stop access to _vulgar, immoral and anti-Islamic material_, an Afghan news service has said. > > \*\* In other words, they want to keep the the Straight Dope Message Board away from Afganis. Those bastards. ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2001, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-the-next-chapter/72398/5 "2001-07-13T21:18:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Trucido \* > \*\*…When you’ve also got control of ISPs, phone lines, and every other goddamn thing, it’s not even an effort. \*\* Ah, but they _don’t_ have control over the phone lines and ISPs. Those all are located in, or originate from, and are supported by, Pakistan. I suppose they could just cut the lines, but then they’d lose the use of telephones as well. The ban includes computers belonging to Afgan Gov’t agencies and international relief organizations, and I suspect that there are more computers than one would expect in Afganistan, albeit nowhere even close to what one would see in the industrialized world. Essentially the only way to enforce this, that I can see, would be a house-to-house search. The point about it being rational compared to the paper bag thing (which I hadn’t heard of before) is well taken, and I realize that this is far short of their worst abuses, but the thought of how much time and resource they’re willing to waste hunting a 'Will ‘o the Wisp’ is stunning. ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2001, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-the-next-chapter/72398/6 "2001-07-13T22:11:19Z")
I think pakistan should be very concerned. With their fervor, the Taliban could follow up their ban by ruthlessly invading pakistani territory and knocking out Internet-enabled telephone lines going into Afghanistan. ---
**Author:** ![RoboDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bbe5ce/32.png) [@RoboDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RoboDude)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2001, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-the-next-chapter/72398/7 "2001-07-13T22:24:59Z")
That wouldn’t be all bad - If they did that, we’d have a legitimate excuse to unload a major can of whoop-ass on those phychopaths. ---
**Author:** ![Drastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Drastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drastic)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2001, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-the-next-chapter/72398/8 "2001-07-13T22:37:15Z")
I think it’s this kind of thing that could really benefit by getting back to the values of religion. Back before societies became Godless and immoral… What? Why are you looking at me like that? ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2001, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-the-next-chapter/72398/9 "2001-07-13T23:56:28Z")
At least THOSE motherfuckers can’t steal my research paper. Hell, I ought to go join 'em. They seem to get righteously pissed about stupid things, too. ---
**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 14, 2001, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-the-next-chapter/72398/10 "2001-07-14T00:02:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Qwertyasdfg \* > **In other words, they want to keep the the Straight Dope Message Board away from Afganis.** Good riddance - less people to make the server cry. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-the-next-chapter/72398/11 "2001-07-14T01:48:19Z")
Now how am I going to get my daily fix of Afghan porn? I can’t get [http://www.lusciousyoungafghans.com](http://www.lusciousyoungafghans.com) to work anymore. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-the-next-chapter/72398/12 "2001-07-14T02:17:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Snooooopy \* > Now how am I going to get my daily fix of Afghan porn? I can’t get [http://www.lusciousyoungafghans.com](http://www.lusciousyoungafghans.com) to work anymore. What?!? No more “ankle shots”? Damn them! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-the-next-chapter/72398/13 "2001-07-14T11:23:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RoboDude \* > \*\*…those phychopaths. \*\* Can you spell C4? Never mind, you haven’t the time. * * * Anyone have $70? [lusciousyoungafghans.com](http://lusciousyoungafghans.com) is still available as is [deadfuckingamericans.gov](http://deadfuckingamericans.gov) ---
**Author:** ![Kaje](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f04885/32.png) [@Kaje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaje)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-the-next-chapter/72398/14 "2001-07-14T11:57:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RoboDude \* > \*\*That wouldn’t be all bad - If they did that, we’d have a legitimate excuse to unload a major can of whoop-ass on those phychopaths. \*\* I shudder at the thought of another American intrusion… but really I think we’re looking beyond the largest injustice brought about by the Taliban…THEY DESTROYED 70% OF THE WORLD’S OPIUM CROP! Now I’ve gotten shoot up my heroin from god-knows-where. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-the-next-chapter/72398/15 "2001-07-14T12:16:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kaje \* > THEY DESTROYED 70% OF THE WORLD’S OPIUM CROP! > \*\*Now I’ve gotten shoot up my heroin from god-knows-where. \*\* All your base belong to us. ---
**Author:** ![Billy\_Rubin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billy_rubin/32/3622_2.png) [@Billy\_Rubin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billy_Rubin)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-the-next-chapter/72398/16 "2001-07-14T16:32:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AcidKid \* > \*\*Can you spell C4? > \*\* I suspect Semtex is easier to get there. And a much more efficient alternative anyway. Crap! Now I’m going to be monitored by Echelon for the next thirty days… b. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-the-next-chapter/72398/17 "2001-07-14T17:16:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Trucido \* > \*\*You’re talking about the same folks that banned paper bags, their reasoning being that said bag could be recycled, and could contain pieces formerly part of a Quran. Banning the internet, by comparison, is an achievable goal set by lucid individuals. These are people that believe beatings are required if you trim your beard, and that women are not deserving of medical care. There are quite a few problems before we even get anywhere close to censorship laws. Additionally, you could probably count all the significant concentrations of computers in Afghanistan without taking your shoes off. When you’ve also got control of ISPs, phone lines, and every other goddamn thing, it’s not even an effort. \*\* Do you have a cite(s) for these? It’s not that I don’t believe you–I do–but I want to tell a few people about that and it’s easier to point to something than say “someone on a message board told me…” ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-the-next-chapter/72398/18 "2001-07-14T18:14:26Z")
From the [Final report of the Special Raporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan](http://www.unhchr.ch/Huridocda/Huridoca.nsf/TestFrame/df3618b4707ca30e802566c700345c34?Opendocument) (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights): > [@](#): > > The Special Rapporteur already mentioned a number of decrees issued by the Taliban authorities when they took over Kabul, banning, inter alia, music, television, cinemas, chess and kite-flying. > [@](#): > > The use of paper bags was banned in December for fear that Arabic script, which is also used in the Koran, might be written on them and that they might be thrown away which would constitute an insult to Islam. > [@](#): > > _(quote from an official decree}:_ > “To be broadcasted by the public information resources. After one and a half months if any one is observed who has shaved and/or cut his beard, he should be arrested and imprisoned until his beard gets bushy.” A lot of the stuff in that report isn’t nearly as amusing as bans on kite flying or paper bags. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-the-next-chapter/72398/19 "2001-07-14T18:54:08Z")
Thanks. This stuff is incredible… ---
**Author:** ![Dog\_Wonder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@Dog\_Wonder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog_Wonder)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2001, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-the-next-chapter/72398/20 "2001-07-14T21:38:38Z")
Are these the same guys who blew up the ancient Bhudda statues a couple of months ago? They certainly keep busy. Control freaks like the Taliban won’t be content with making life miserable for the people within their borders. Eventually, they will find a way to majorly piss off their neighbors and their rule will end. It’s too bad that ordinary Afghanis will have to pay the price. –DW _“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good torment us without end, for they so do with the approval of their own conscience.” - C.S Lewis_ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-the-next-chapter/72398.md?page=2)