Taliban Withdraw From North Afghanistan

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"The fall of Herat would build on the opposition advance from the north, where Taliban control has collapsed since the fall of Mazar-e-Sharif to the opposition on Friday.

In Mazar-e-Sharif, men lined up at barber shops to have their Taliban-mandated beards shaved off. Women were discarding the all-encompassing burqas and music - banned by the Taliban - could be heard coming from cassette players in shops, according to the Afghan Islamic Press. "

― Mike Hanle y, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Of course, no Western journalists are being allowed into Mazar-i- Sharif, so we have no actual idea of whether Dostum's forces are leaving the Pashtuns alone or not.

― Tom, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yes, quite. We'll have to see about all that, and we'll have to wait a long time, I suspect. However, going by the Taleban's own reports of withdrawals, clearly there's been a major collapse -- if nothing more happens due to winter beyond this, it's still something. But does it really answer the question of Mr. Bin Laden? Things are grubbier than ever...

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Taliban have withdrawn to their Pashtun heartlands in the central and south regions of the country. You could see this as a deliberate consolidation rather than a huge collapse.

― Nick, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Good point, and if the idea is to concentrate and hole up ahead of winter, better to do it that way.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

also allow the taliban to keep comanders close by incase they have any ideas about switching sides, plus can train and equip new recruits from over the border

― Ed, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

yeah but retreats are always always tricky times: they're the moment ppl w./doubts tends to choose to switch sides

badly times retreat => rout

the taliban are *also* not 12-ft lizard ppl w.pitch-perfect telepathy co-ordinating their every move

― mark s, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

More's the pity. You know where you are with twelve foot tall telepathic lizards. Standing behind Buffy I guess.

― Pete, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Didn't Captain Kirk fight one of them once?

― Ally C, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Gorns weren't telepathic.

― Alan Trewartha, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think Ally C is thinking of Land Of The Lost

― JM, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Those sleestaks were effing scary I tell you.

― Kim, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I can't eblive the Taliban banned music and shaving. Its bad enough they support religious fundamentalist violence and the blowing up of bhuddist statues. Perhaps our best attack woul dbe to drop cleanshaven buhddist statues on them that play "Born in the USA" from an inner tape player. They will be holding a sign with an athiest hugging a naked lady.

― Mike Hanle y, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Taken Kabul now. Cue stories of the population rejoicing and playing music.

― Nick, Tuesday, 13 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

six years pass...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/14/world/asia/14kandahar.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

― Catsupppppppppppppp dude 茄蕃, Saturday, 14 June 2008 18:25 (seventeen years ago)

two years pass...

And they're back:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/30/world/asia/30baghlan.html?hp

― Mordy, Friday, 30 July 2010 17:15 (fifteen years ago)

oh joy

― I think I'm Big Bird, Harold Hooper (crüt), Friday, 30 July 2010 17:16 (fifteen years ago)

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