What groups, ideas or cultures are the Taliban opposed to? Are they terrorists or revolutionaries?

Answer 1

Most extremist muslims believe anyone who is not a muslim should be killed if they do not convert. They also believe if you refuse to convert, you may be 'taxed' in order to be allow to live as a second class citizens.

Answer 2

The Taliban are not terrorists, at least in the sense of being a threat to anyone outside their own country. They're an extreme reactionary group that holds some incredibly conservative Islamic beliefs, but have little interest outside their own country.

The Taliban did both support and received support from Al-Qaeda. In other words, associating with terrorist groups didn't bother them in the least. Monetary support from Al-Qaeda was the only reason the Taliban held enough of an advantage over other Afghan groups to gain power in the first place. They had an attitude of 'the end justifies the means'.

Before 9/11, the good points from US point of view was that the Taliban was the first Afghan government in recent history that could restrain the opium trade in Afghanistan. Drugs conflicted with the Taliban's Islamic beliefs. Now, the Taliban has an alliance with the opium trade that helps them in their fight against the new Afghan government. Once again, the end justifies the means.

Having a group that extreme and that willing to sacrifice the ideals they do have control a country is a bad idea anywhere in the world - mainly for the people that live in that country. However, they aren't a direct threat to anyone outside their own country.

Answer 3

They are terrorists because they impose their views upon others with force be it with murder or intimidation.

They are not revolutionaries because this is old hat. That is, this sort of thing went on hundreds of years ago. What is so revolutionary about this?

The Taliban has no use for any culture that disagrees with theirs. Their ideas are nothing new. However, they are outdated and they should get with the 21st Century.

Would help.

Answer 4

Caroline, I have to say that this is one of the most wise questions I've seen on the subject because you reach to the core of why they are fighting in the first place. Furthermore, I'm sorry about some of the answers you have received.

The Taliban is based in a student freedom fighter movement against Soviet rule. Their success in preventing Soviet advance in this territory is what won them rule from 1996 to 2001. However, as this group was based on religious intolerance (much as the conservative fundamentalists), to keep your supporters motivated you have to have a "bad guy" to focus on.

For example: you remember the Communist "bogeyman" stuff that we focused on from the 1950's till the fall of the Berlin wall, right? That was just a ruse to keep our attention off of our exploitation of Latin America. The same game was going on in Afghanistan to keep the people's focus off of the troubles at home. Except, the "bogeyman" here was western civilization. When the movement found a leader in Osama Bin Laden, the strikes began.

In conclusion, they were revolutionaries, but they lost their way once the Soviet threat was no longer there. Now they are terrorists.

Answer 5

The Taliban are the single most radical group in Islam. They are almost entirely educated in Madrassas. In Afghanistan where they ruled, they were trying to revert the nation to the world of 7th century Arabia since civilization has to be frozen at the time of the "prophet" (Hellfire be upon him). They are the most radical followers of the Sharia Law which demands death to idolators (pagans) and death to Jews and Christians that refuse to accept dhimmi status. The ultimate goal of the Taliban is to wipe out all non 7th century Arab culture, institute worldwide Islam, wipe out all other religions and make way for the 12th Imam who will bring about the day of Judgement wherein all who submit to Allah will go to Paradise to spend eternity enjoying sensual desires they have suppressed on Earth and all non-believers will burn in Hell. They are terrorists of the highest order.

Answer 6

They are extremist's
and as soon as America allowes the Muslims to take care of the extremist it will not end.
The real Muslims are sick and tired of being treated as crazy people because of a few radicals, muslim's are peace loving and wonderful people, but it is written in the Koran that it is the responsibility of the Muslim people to punish extremist who cause terrorist plots against Christians,
they respect America and would surely be protecting the world against them, but we must allowe it to get worst before the musilms will intervene,
and as soon as American soldiers pull out the extreemist will move back in,
and then the true believers (muslims) will take them to task. the war can never be won with bombs it has to come within the peoples hearts,
It is a muslim problem and it will end when they say it will end.

Answer 7

They are muslim extremists to the max. They are opposed to all cultures that are not theirs. They forbid worship of any other religion. They suppress women to such a point that they cannot leave the house without an escort, they must be covered from head to toe, and they do not allow them to attend school. If these are not the most extreme, they are certainly among the most extreme muslims in existence.

Answer 8

If anything, they are reactionaries. They want culture to adhere to the law of the Koran. Many of these laws are considered barbaric in modern times. They use terrorism to advance their agenda and have no problem in killing in the name of God. Like other fundamentalists they do not tolerate any other way of thinking.

Answer 9

They are indeed terrorists and they are against any culture/religion not their own.TO include fellow Muslims.

Answer 10

As they are attempting to overturn the democratically elected government and are using terrorist tactics, I would say they are currently terrorists. Before they were "deposed" they were not acting as terrorists, but they WERE giving haven and support to other terrorists whose targets were outside their own borders.