Insurgents behead 17 Afghans gathered for music and dancing

[UnrepentantLiberal]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by cyberswede (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: AP

By HEIDI VOGT and MIRWAIS KHAN
August 27, 2012

Insurgents beheaded 17 civilians in a Taliban-controlled area of southern Afghanistan, apparently because they attended a dance party that flouted the extreme brand of Islam embraced by the militants, officials said Monday.

The killings, in a district where U.S. Marines have battled the Taliban for years, were a reminder of how much power the insurgent group still wields in the south _ particularly as international forces draw down and hand areas over to Afghan forces.

The victims were part of a large group that had gathered late Sunday in Helmand province's Musa Qala district for a celebration involving music and dancing, said district government chief Neyamatullah Khan. He said the Taliban slaughtered them to show their disapproval of the event.

All of the bodies were decapitated but it was not clear if they had been shot first, said provincial government spokesman Daoud Ahmadi.

Read more: http://www.newser.com/article/da0tl3po2/insurgents-behead-17-afghans-gathered-for-music-dancing-in-worst-of-series-of-deadly-attacks.html

[Arctic Dave]

1. I am going to go out on limb here and say this is less about "music and dancing" and

more about them possibily colluding with the foriegners.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

2. What you mean is you're going to put your spin on it.

Are you saying that the Taliban wouldn't beheaded people for dancing? That the Taliban isn't as bad as we're told they are?

[Arctic Dave]

7. No spin.

Just seems weird they would do this if they are getting their butts handed to them. Why waste the time and the paint a big target on themselves.

Do you think the Mexican drug cartels cut each other up over what time Mass starts?

[Akoto]

8. Easy enough to answer.

The drug cartels want to turn a profit. They're horrible, but that's what they're interested in, so their approach necessitates at least some logic.

Your average Taliban member, on the other hand, believes everything he's doing is sanctioned by God. If he's killed, it's for the cause, and he'll get his virgin-packed place in Heaven for it. This is a tenacious group of people.

[Arctic Dave]

10. So you believe everyone killed by "taliban" is done so for god?

I believe you give a more purer form then they actually are.

Who is to say the people killed weren't rival drug lords.

[Akoto]

11. I believe that's what their excuse will be ...

... and yes, I also think that some of said Taliban member will believe it. Nothing pure about it, it just is what it often is.

My comment was addressing your original suggestion, that they were killed for possibly colluding with the government, and you didn't understand why else they'd make themselves targets. My point is that it's never stopped them before.

[otohara]

3. The Taliban Has A History of Banning Music

dancing...http://www.rawa.org/music.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taliban%27s_rise_to_power
Under the Taliban regime, Sharia law was interpreted to ban a wide variety of activities hitherto lawful in Afghanistan: employment, education and sports for women, movies, television, videos, music, dancing, hanging pictures in homes, clapping during sports events, kite flying, and beard trimming. One Taliban list of prohibitions included:

pork, pig, pig oil, anything made from human hair, satellite dishes, cinematography, and equipment that produces the joy of music, pool tables, chess, masks, alcohol, tapes, computers, VCRs, television, anything that propagates sex and is full of music, wine, lobster, nail polish, firecrackers, statues, sewing catalogs, pictures, Christmas cards.[14]

[harun]

4. Of course you are correct but it isn't as scary that way. People like scary, boo!

[Akoto]

6. Personally, I don't find that to be less scary.

Whatever their affiliations might have been, 17 people gathered for a party and ended up getting their heads chopped off. Come on, now.

I also don't discount the possibility that the truth is exactly what the OP describes. The Taliban doesn't exactly have a history of embracing the arts, which these folks were (legally) enjoying.

[Marrah_G]

13. You would be wrong

The rules banning music, dancing, art, etc have been with the Taliban for quite some time.

[dipsydoodle]

5. Duplicate LBN

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014208726

[UnrepentantLiberal]

12. I searched and didn't see that.

I'm OK with this being locked.

[SoapBox]

9. ...sick.

[cyberswede]

14. Locking - duplicate

Please see this thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014208726