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[johnslat]

Dear Sasha,

Here's a much more suitable comparison:

"The American Mafia has evolved over the years as various gangs assumed�and lost�dominance over the years: the Black Hand gangs around 1900; the Five Points Gang in the 1910s and �20s in New York City; Al Capone�s Syndicate in Chicago in the 1920s. By the end of the �20s, two primary factions had emerged, leading to a war for control of organized crime in New York City."

Come on - be honest here. I'm sure you know this:

"The Taliban are one of the mujahideen ("holy warriors" or "freedom fighters") groups that formed during the war against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan (1979-89)."

Regards,
John

[Sashadroogie]

Dear Johnslat

"The Taliban emerged in the early 1990s in northern Pakistan following the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan.

A predominantly Pashtun movement, the Taliban came to prominence in Afghanistan in the autumn of 1994."


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11451718


Hic! No truce imminent? Hic!

[johnslat]

Dear Sasha,

Seems that we're going to have to agree to disagree. If you ever run into a Russian vet, though, you might want to ask him if he thinks fighting the "mujahideen" would differ in any significant was from fighting the Taliban

Regards,
John

[Sashadroogie]

Dear Johnslat

I do know a couple of Afghantsi, through the in-laws. 'Taliban' was not a word they used during their war there. When did you first notice this word coming to prominence in western media?

And this was all I said - Soviet soldiers didn't engage with Taliban as such. Perhaps splitting hairs over terminology, but hey, I just posted a link celebrating the Christmas truce of 1914 before being rounded on

In any case, my Afghantsi friends have more to say about American hubris in Central Asia than the mujahideen.


Best regards

Sasha

[johnslat]

Dear Sasha,

"Perhaps splitting hairs over terminology . . ."

HAIR!!! HAIR!!!!

Regards,
John