The Mujahideen became the Taliban, a simple name change.

Math-boy, you must know enough about set theory to realize how ridiculous that statement is.

Just because the mujahideen and the taliban have some elements in common, does not mean they share the same identity.

They didn’t target Russian civilians in Afganistan because there weren’t any.

Shamil Basayev didn’t target russian civilians in Chechnya either. He targeted them in Russia.

They certainly targeted Afgan civilians.

To what end would they do so?

The focus of the covert US intervention was to supply arms and training to a cadre dedicated to defeating the Soviet army and driving them out of Afghanistan. Civilian massacres did not further this goal.

The provision of advanced technology and tactical support did. The Stinger missle, an anti-aircraft weapon, was one of the decisive weapons of the Soviet-Afghan War, and as far as I know, afghan civilians generally don’t fly helicopter gunships.

And don’t forget the Contras who had no qualms about killing civilians.

The contras were targeting civilians? This was proved unequivocably, according to which unbiased source?

Human Rights Watch?

The communist Sandinista government was a greater human rights violator than the Contras ever were.

Regarding the Sandinista-Contra War:

Many American Indians know how bad the Sandinistas were.

I’ve met quite a few members of the American Indian Movement. Some of my own family belonged to AIM at one time or another.

One AIM leader used to come to the sweat lodge in my mother’s backyard. When his people heard that the Miskito Indians were being murdered by the Nicaraguan communists, AIM soldiers went down to Nicaragua and murdered them back.

I honor them, and the fact that they killed communists in defense of the Indian community means AIM will generally get the benefit of the doubt in my book.

That’s fuzzy history. Why don’t you pedal your *ss over to the library and pick up a history book?

Hey, when did Reagan promote the targeting of russian civilians by mujahideen?

The Mujahideen became the Taliban, a simple name change. They didn’t target Russian civilians in Afganistan because there weren’t any. They certainly targeted Afgan civilians. And don’t forget the Contras who had no qualms about killing civilians.

Reagan supported the Taliban and Bin Laden in Afganistan when they were fighting the Russians.

That’s fuzzy history, math-boy. Why don’t you pedal your *ss over to the library and pick up a history book?

Hey professor, when did Reagan promote the targeting of russian civilians by mujahideen?

I don’t know much about this woman, but she doesn’t seem dangerous.

She eulogizes Shamil Basayev, the architect of the Moscow Theatre Hostage Crisis and the Beslan School Massacre and she rationalizes his actions. She’s an apologist for islamic terrorism. Is islamic terrorism dangerous?

I am constantly amazed at your ignorance, LGM.

The Taliban were a scattered bunch of tribesman during the Soviet occupation. They were eventually funded and trained by the Pakistani ISI in the early 1990’s, long after Reagan left office.

As for Reagan “supporting” Bin Laden, Osama bought most of his own arms with his own money and spurned the help of the CIA in the 1980’s. There is no credible evidence linking Bin Laden and the CIA – ever.

MrFreeman07 (#28) and Redog70 (#34): I don’t see how the longer quote changes my point. The Bible tells Women to be the followers and men the leaders, just as Jesus is the leader and his followers, well, are the followers. The woman submits to her man, who is supposed not to take advantage of her.

This is not the modern American view of a woman’s place. Women and men are equal in marriage. They have the same rights and responsibilities. If most American Christians have evolved beyond a literal interpretation of their scriptures, American Muslims can too.

As for whom she supports in Chechnia, your hero Reagan supported much worse in Afganistan. In both cases fighting Russians.

I missed the part where Reagan supported the massacre of russian civilians, which she in fact has.

Both Ace and Michelle add context to this video of Yvonne Ridley apologizing for the Taliban. She would have made a great spokesperson for the German Bund. Another lesson from ‘The Greatest Generation’:With the start of World War II most……