THE TALIBAN | SUN TZU | How the Taliban won the cultural war | The Taliban have long recognized that in order to win this war, they do not need to defeat their enemy but rather just survive | Afghanistan & The Taliban

SPEAKING FREELY How the Taliban won the cultural war By Tafhim Kiani One main factor behind the resilience of the Taliban is their ability to frame their narrative in such a way that it has a resonance with the people, particularly in the Pashtun areas of Afghanistan. Over and above their more resourceful and militarily sophisticated foes, within Afghanistan it is the Taliban who are able to define the current conflict and give it meaning through their understanding of the Afghan culture, history and people. They do this by manipulating events, and overplaying their own strengths and the failures of the Afghan government and its foreign supporters. The Taliban have long recognized that in order to win this war, they do not need to defeat their enemy but rather just survive. Thus they are able to mount operations that although are not tactically devastating to their opponents, on a strategic level are proving to be successful. Through these operations, the Taliban are able to frustrate the enemy by overstating their inability to establish control over Afghanistan, while simultaneously exaggerating their own strengths by striking at will. Instances of civilian casualties are used as a means of gaining sympathy and support for their movement. The Taliban have aimed to define this war as one that is being fought by Afghan nationalists following in the paths of their forefathers defending their territory from yet another foreign invader, and a religious war of mujahideen against crusading armies that have attacked Afghanistan under a larger context of subduing the Muslim lands across the world. To many outside observers, the notion that the Taliban place large emphasis on public relations and their framing and counter framing processes might seem somewhat counterintuitive, as Taliban treatment of women, suicide bombings, harsh interpretation of the Sharia and other such matters do not instinctively shout out popularity. However, this is yet another area of difference between the Taliban and the ISAF and US forces. The Taliban have little concern with world opinion, particularly that of non-Muslims. But they know that to win the war, they must have support of the local people in general and the Pashtun in particular and hence have focused almost their entire public relations and propaganda campaign on this target audience. The ISAF and US forces on the other hand have shown little interest in actively trying to win over public support in Afghanistan on a micro level. ISAF and US forces have been very careful in limiting collateral damage, but they have shown little knowledge of local languages, cultures or traditions and little regard for resentment that is being created due to acts such as night raids into Afghan houses, attacks on wedding ceremonies and the presence of luxurious military bases where from an Afghan vantage point, troops seem to live in decadent Western lifestyles. In 2010, Shukria Barakzai, a Pashtun MP and leading women's right campaigner was quoted as saying, "I changed my view [of the Taliban] three years ago when I realized Afghanistan is on its own…It's not that the international community doesn't support us. They just don't understand us. The Taliban are part of our population. They have different ideas – but as democrats we have to accept that". [1] The traditional concept of government in Afghanistan is different to that of the West. In Afghanistan, government has traditionally belonged to that faction or party that can take it by force. Legitimacy has come not through representing the people, but through other acts, such as the provision of peace, stability and justice in society. [2] Religiosity and tribalism Today, many from the outside might see the dark side of Taliban religiosity as tribal Islam. However, the Taliban were in fact a rejection of Afghan tribalism. Afghan society is a mix of tribal structures and religious values. If Afghan tribal structures form a vertical axis within the Afghan community, then religion can be seen to spread horizontally across society. Hence the Taliban were able to free themselves from the tribal nature of Afghanistan, yet still maintain a strong Afghan identity. In fact, the Taliban do not speak of either their Pashtun identity or a global Islamic identity, and instead they present themselves as Afghan Muslims. This is also becoming apparent within their organizational structure. Even though most of their high-ranking officials and regional commanders are Pashtun, they have started appointing deputy district governors and district level military chiefs, which allow them the opportunity for making more ethnically balanced appointments. [3] >>  http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/SOU-01-160514.html << [sidebar:   INTERNET.  Experiencing the internet has been very painful for the Americans and yes, certainly THE TALIBAN, ET AL. The leveling of the criminal insanity (NOT IN BALANCE BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION COLLECTIVELY, AS YET), is being demonstrated slowly, but surely. People that live in earth can now in great numbers understand what has happened to life, in earth.  LIFE IN EARTH was stolen and the thieves are also now known in the few, but also many, that are behaving as predatory criminally insane.  The so-called few have been at making up what life is, in earth. THE TALIBAN & SUN TZU, the reality found is that, to not war especially among those that are not predatory, is the best path in being human in earth. INTERNATIONAL BANKERS' and GOVERNMENTS, all got together this time in the modern digital age.  Figuring out how to evolve with their slaves and yet keeping the slaves as slaves.  Problem solving and goal seeking is the brain's job.  The LEADERS OF THE FREE WORLD decided to decide.  But, as with decisions, too many heads in the war room makes for war in that small room of deciders of war, too. What is real clear now:  Mr. President Obama isn't world worshiped almighty leader, and the American facade has faded.  AGENDA 21, was and is about the same ole programming, which always gets caught one way or another and then, pivot alright.  A Paradigm Shift, also said to happen, and in the story of Afghanistan & The Taliban, appears the natural law is real. The World has decided.  The decisions aren't about having the United States of America and ITS' owner/s (City of London and State of Israel, Saudi Arabia, Et Al), as the almighty worshiped GOD$, OF PLANET EARTH. POLICE IT GULAG ISRAEL EU USA SAUDI ARABIA ET AL GLOBAL:  DEFEATED! Obviously the devil is in those details always lurking here-there-everywhere, can't exactly kill imagination.  Balance is the key, and that tool to unlock the mystery is now being understood, via the internet providing at long-last a second chance to be enlightened. THERE IS A REAL DEVIL IN THE DETAIL/$ HERE:  When the reality is realized in the predatory criminally insane, then expect the world earth to perhaps reach once again back into a stone age of sorts, and that's not an impossibility.  Dangerous are these criminally insane predatory that can't control killing and torture and sex traffic of children and the acts of heinousness are known now because of the internet and the turning back of the 'consciousness shift' isn't going to be.  Thus, reality?  Nuclear is a lust that maybe can't be controlled anymore than the lust we've witnessed to-date. .. to be continued ...]