Wednesday, December 27, 2006

How do they separate the men from the boys in the Taliban?

With a crowbar:
The Afghan Taliban underwent a major reorganization last Winter. In addition to accepting suicide attacks (previously a no-no), and a more aggressive use of terror tactics against Afghans, a list of 30 "Rules" were issued. The word went out that members of the Taliban were to live and, in some cases, die by, these rules. Most of them have to do with pretty basic stuff. Like obeying orders, not ratting out your buddies to the police, not stealing from each other, not using Taliban assets for personal gain (there are several rules for this one, indicating that there are continued problems in this area), not recruiting existing Taliban members from another Taliban gang, fair distribution of loot captured in battle, and so on.
...
Taliban are also told not to steal from civilians, smoke cigarettes (nothing is said about opium) or sodomize young boys.
No word on goat bothering so morale presumably won't be too severely impacted.

(Hat tip: SondraK)

Sunday, December 24, 2006

And a Merry Christmas to all

From everyone at the Country Store:



Hat tip: Moo Amp where you can get wallpaper of the computer variety with the above and other fetching bovine themes. That is, if you aren't all nervous about cows causing global warming.