Comments on: Comments on 9649

Post number 9649

aflakete — Sun, 26 Aug 2001 03:31:26 -0800

Internet banned in Afghanistan. "The ministry of communication is duty-bound to make the use of the Internet impossible."

And a good thing too. Damned heretics.

By: Atom Heart Mother

Atom Heart Mother — Sun, 26 Aug 2001 03:53:39 -0800

That is hardly surprising. Flying kites and having a beard over a certain length are also banned. The Internet is hardly consistent with their Islamic views and barring software doesn't work.

By: kathrynhunter

kathrynhunter — Sun, 26 Aug 2001 04:04:09 -0800

Personally I would be more bothered by the ban on most television, cinema and music. Maybe the ministry could develop some kind of net nanny, to select sites that they approve of.

By: Jongo

Jongo — Sun, 26 Aug 2001 05:10:42 -0800

I remember something about an earlier article saying how they didn't really have telephone wires anymore, the only way to access the internet was through the wires of a neighbouring country.

By: Xkot

Xkot — Sun, 26 Aug 2001 05:59:21 -0800

Thank God. Now they can't see all the comments I've posted about their restrictive laws any more. No more fear of mailbombs for me!

By: rushmc

rushmc — Sun, 26 Aug 2001 09:34:00 -0800

This is good news. It will ensure and hasten their utter destruction and disappearance as a society.

By: Mars Saxman

Mars Saxman — Sun, 26 Aug 2001 09:56:31 -0800

Once upon a time, I thought the 'net was going to undermine governments, weaken national borders, enable revolutions, and bring about the collapse of repressive states. What bliss was that youth. -Mars

By: skallas

skallas — Sun, 26 Aug 2001 10:49:37 -0800

Flying kites and having a beard over a certain length are also banned. Wait, someone can write a protocol thats carried by kite and beard.. Oh.

By: jaynesbit

jaynesbit — Sun, 26 Aug 2001 11:04:28 -0800

Such a sad, sad story.

By: aflakete

aflakete — Sun, 26 Aug 2001 12:39:34 -0800

Follow-up: Taleban site hacked.

The original story struck me because it's the opposite end of the spectrum from the AOL/MSN approach of branding corrals and the consolidation of the media networks. The dance of power and commerce in a new and much more de-centralized and transparent arena.

By: Dirjy

Dirjy — Sun, 26 Aug 2001 14:16:46 -0800

[Insert "faith-based Internet" joke here.]

By: fuq

fuq — Sun, 26 Aug 2001 16:15:41 -0800

Good! It will cut down on the all the Afghanistan span I keep getting in my mail box: ARE YOU TIRED OF HAVING BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS UNDER A SANE GOVERNMENT? CLICK HERE!!!!

By: Brilliantcrank

Brilliantcrank — Sun, 26 Aug 2001 16:18:44 -0800

Anyone want to start a MeFi pool on when the Afgani people will have enough of their shitty government and rise up against them?

By: johnmunsch

johnmunsch — Sun, 26 Aug 2001 17:45:06 -0800

Interestingly enough, they did make a special allowance in their television ban for "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?". They just love their Regis...

By: szg8

szg8 — Sun, 26 Aug 2001 20:45:22 -0800

Just saw this stuff on CNN tonight. Beneath the Veil

By: tpoh.org

tpoh.org — Sun, 26 Aug 2001 20:50:41 -0800

Can I have the ".af" domain, then?

By: tpoh.org

tpoh.org — Sun, 26 Aug 2001 20:55:00 -0800

Hey, I just noticed something. Click on the Beneath the Veil link (mentioned above), and mouse over the face of the woman (if your browser brings up the text of the ALT tag for the image when you do so).

By: tamim

tamim — Sun, 26 Aug 2001 21:54:27 -0800

AkulaIX: "Anyone want to start a MeFi pool on when the Afgani people will have enough of their shitty government and rise up against them?" The religious oppression of Taliban is way safer than law lessness of the Soviets or the Mujahedeens. Since the Taliban have taken over, rapes of women have gone down to virtually zero (according to Amnesty International), and the safety of property is up. The Taliban even executed one of their own for raping a woman in the early days of Taliban regime. Unlike the Mujahedeens, they impose their own laws against their own as well. I don't think there is a viable option against the Taliban anytime soon. Give it a few years, and just like Iran, things will stabilize and the more moderates will take over. Did you know that Baywatch is the highest rated satellite TV show in Iran? And they have a something of the equivalent of a Federal Dating Service (The Mutaa Dept.), where people can go and find one-night stands? The poor in the Afghani mountains only care about the safety of their self and the little property that they have. They are not overly concerned about such over rated concepts as makeup, television or internet. Not being raped or stuff stolen is a good day. Inability to read MeFi is not a big priority for someone living in a war zone. tpoh.org: "mouse over the face of the woman (if your browser brings up the text of the ALT tag for the image when you do so)." That was really weird. Why would they ALT tag it to be "Wasted"? Weird indeed. The interview of Sairi Shah and Taliban Special Report are pretty interesting reads too. Am I the only one who got all 4 questions right on the Taliban Quiz?

By: Brilliantcrank

Brilliantcrank — Mon, 27 Aug 2001 11:18:07 -0800

Tamim: Any government that does not give them people the basic human rights to freedom of speech and religion is evil and should be abolished. I'm sure thousands of Afgani women would gladly accept a higher crime rate for the freedoms they enjoyed (like the right to go to school or university) before the Taliban took over.

By: gluechunk

gluechunk — Mon, 27 Aug 2001 12:20:57 -0800

That was really weird. Why would they ALT tag it to be "Wasted"? Weird indeed. Not weird. Last week's show was entitled... Wasted! It seems that someone just didn't update that tag.

By: lairdj

lairdj — Mon, 27 Aug 2001 18:59:22 -0800

... get me to Afghanistan!