History of the Taliban

I read this a long time ago, but thought it was cool enough to revisit.

After Afghanistan, aided by America, defeated the Russians, Afghan soldiers, used to fighting in an unchecked manner, began to perpetrate degradations on the civilian populations. The soldiers were robbing and raping constantly. They would kidnap girls and boys and take them to encampments and brutalize them. Finally, some men went to the Mullahs to complain about this state of affairs and ask if something could be done about it.

Many of the Mullahs fit the caricatures we hold about Afghan Mullahs. One armed, one eyed, battle scarred. They agreed that the situation could not continue on as it was. They formed brigades of fighters with a religious and moral purpose. They took back power from the groups of armed men and stopped the kidnappings and brutalization.

But, as is often the case, they did not know when to quit. Power corrupted them and led them to inflict brutal degradations on others. In order to prevent the rape of young men they would chop off the toes of boys who didn't wear beards. So to prevent degradations they began to perpetrate degradations.

Many Aghan women lost their husbands during the war. The Taliban issued edicts that prevented women from leaving the home or working. Unable to make a living, some of them had to become prostitutes to support their children. A prominant Afghan women's rights advocate made a public statement telling the Mullahs of the Taliban that they were violating Islam because they were pimps for forcing women to support themselves by prostitution.