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To: Atlantic Bridge; Steve Van Doorn

After doing a bit more research...

It did not target Jews in Afganistan, it targeted all 1non-Muslims, mainly Hindu's.

http://www.adl.org/presrele/DiRaB_41/3842_41.asp

The point is that what Iran is doing is not new... and based on prior European reactions to the same thing, Europe will mildly denounce Iran's action and then quickly go back to making lucrative business (or should I say weapons and dual-use technology) deals with Iran.

And should anybody try and stop Iran, we'll quickly see many European government officals work tirelessly to stop any action that would jeopardize their gravy-train, ie: the current government of Iran...

---

As for European support of the Taliban... (I would find more, but it is very difficult to find anything on the internet from 6-8 years in the past. Although, I can still remember reading the Washington Times and seeing news articles on how various European officials would praise the Taliban for it's opium eradication efforts)

(from: http://www.tni.org/reports/drugs/debate3.htm)

On September 10, 1997, the Taleban Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued the required declaration: "The Islamic State of Afghanistan informs all compatriots that as the use of heroin and hashish is not permitted in Islam, they are reminded once again that they should strictly refrain from growing, using and trading in hashish and heroin. Anyone who violates this order shall be meted out a punishment in line with the lofty Mohammad and Sharia law and thus shall not be entitled to launch a complaint." It was amended by a clarification issued on October 20 which specifically banned cultivation and trafficking of opium.

When Pino Arlacchi was appointed Executive Director of UNDCP in September 1997, he took the issue as his first priority and immediately travelled to Afghanistan to personally pursue the negotiations. "In Afghanistan it is a matter of helping the Taleban do something they want to do anyway as strict Moslems," Arlacchi told reporters during his visit to Helmand in November. He offered the Taleban authorities a potential amount of USD 250 million over a decade for Alternative Development if they would fully cooperate in eliminating opium poppy cultivation. Leaving Afghanistan, Arlacchi announced that he had solved the Afghan drug problem.


428 posted on 05/19/2006 10:59:31 PM PDT by gogogodzilla (I criticize everyone... and then breath some radioactive fire and stomp on things.)
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To: gogogodzilla
"European officials would praise the Taliban for it's opium eradication efforts"

yes I remember that now.

429 posted on 05/20/2006 12:13:08 AM PDT by Steve Van Doorn (*in my best Eric cartman voice* “I love you guys”)
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To: gogogodzilla
As for European support of the Taliban... (I would find more, but it is very difficult to find anything on the internet from 6-8 years in the past. Although, I can still remember reading the Washington Times and seeing news articles on how various European officials would praise the Taliban for it's opium eradication efforts)

Well - it is a sad fact that the Taliban were much more effective on stopping drug trafficking than the current gouvernment of Hamid Karzai. In difference to those warlords, that rule the country in the moment, they did not care about money, they only cared about their weird religion. In regard of the drug problem the west was for sure more pleased with Mullah Omar than with Karzai and his corrupt system.

Anyway this is just a small aspect. It even is possible that some people from Europe praised the Taliban for their drug policy. Nevertheless there were never ever any sympathies for their crazy theocracy on the old continent. To us they were just barbarians. Period. (i.e. I remember the anger about the destroyed statues in Bamiyan). There were reasons why all of Europe entered this scene in difference to i.e. Iraq. The biggest parts of ISAF are from Germany, Turkey, France and Belgium. We can not say that those countries are the staunchest allies of the US. Regardless of this fact they tried to bring in their share in this part of the WOT.

One of the Buddhas of Bamiyan before complete destruction, Afghanistan

430 posted on 05/20/2006 1:28:38 AM PDT by Atlantic Bridge (De omnibus dubitandum.)
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