# Taliban Vs Northern Alliance question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 13, 2001, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-vs-northern-alliance-question/93118 "2001-11-13T15:04:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![insider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@insider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/insider)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-vs-northern-alliance-question/93118/1 "2001-11-13T15:04:24Z")
How do the troops in Afganistan tell the difference between the Taliban and the Northern Alliance? Do they have uniforms, insignias, etc.? ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-vs-northern-alliance-question/93118/2 "2001-11-13T15:15:21Z")
How do you tell the difference between a Marine and a National Guardsman…Its pretty difficult. But I would assume the long beards of the Taliban, and the choice in garb probably are some indicators. I know now all the Northern Alliance fighters are shaving their beards and rejoicing. The Taliban are a supressive group and they told the men of Afghanistan to grow beards and to treat women like dogs. So most people who are there now and are living in a non-taliban occupied district are most likely behaving the part. Women not veiling themselves and men getting haircuts. I bet the distinction is quite clear between taliban soldiers and Northern Alliance opposition forces. ---
**Author:** ![AndyJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8491ac/32.png) [@AndyJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndyJ)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-vs-northern-alliance-question/93118/3 "2001-11-13T15:15:32Z")
I saw a report by John Simpson (BBC Reporter on the front line) the other day. He pointed out the Northern Alliance were wearing uniforms that they said had been dropped for them. They certainly looked like US uniforms but he said the labels had been ripped out.