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Afghans participating in Afghan Star (Afghan version of American Idol)
In a recent statement, an official website of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban shadow organization led by Mullah Mohammad Omar), slammed the popular television program Afghan Star, which is modeled after the reality show American Idol. The Taliban statement specifically used the word "idol" in order to suggest that America is imposing unbelief in Afghanistan and elsewhere.
In the statement, dated August 9, the Islamic Emirate compared the deadlocked Afghan presidential elections with Afghan Idol, arguing that those who appear in the singing show and those who participate in the country's elections were both promoting American influence across the world. The June presidential elections are deadlocked over the issue of massive vote-rigging and a winner is yet to be announced.
"Besides Violently Imposing Itself Internationally Through Invasions... The United States Has Also Been Actively Busy In Exporting Its 'Culture'; From Fast Food Chains Selling Barely Palatable Snacks To Immoral Hollywood Movies And Sitcoms..."
"Dancing to the master's tune
"Besides violently imposing itself internationally through invasions and occupations, the United States has also been actively busy in exporting its 'culture.' From fast food chains selling barely palatable snacks to immoral Hollywood movies and sitcoms, all this seems to be designed to create an international public that would be less violently opposed to the ideal of an American Empire.
"A clear case of exporting the American Culture is the TV show 'Idols'. From American Idols to Afghan Star (the Afghan name for the program); the program has been seen in 46 regions around the world, with its various versions broadcast to 150 countries and an estimated 6.5 billion viewers around the world having watched variants of the show. The shows concept elevates the singing and dancing ability of its participants to a virtue, and the winners of this frivolous show may call themselves their nation's next Idol. The participants and winners of the show, and millions of its viewers are being brainwashed with concepts alien to most countries where it is shown.
"Taghut [Rulers Who Rule Not By Allah's Orders]
"An Idol in Islamic jurisprudence is called a Taghut. The Islamic term Idol/Taghut is much broader that the statues prayed to by polytheists. It encompasses all that is willingly worshipped to, besides Allah. So the Pharaoh in the story of Moses is a Taghut for calling himself a god. The Devil is a Taghut trying to lure men away from the straight path. But also legislators, judges and politicians ruling with a law other than the Law given by God are termed Taghut. This because they allowed themselves to take a position which is reserved to Allah alone. Allah is the Legislator and all laws should be in compliance to the Sharia, or religious laws."
"And So We Had Two Elections Of The Next Afghan Idol/Taghut In 2014; One Of The Singing And Dancing Variant, And One Of The Puppet And Tyrant Variant [i.e. Afghan Presidential Elections]"
The Taliban statement, quoting U.S. media reports about corruption in the Afghan presidential elections, went on to allege:
"And so we had two elections of the next Afghan Idol/Taghut in 2014. One of the singing and dancing variant, and one of the puppet and tyrant variant [i.e. the Afghan presidential elections].
"The contestants
"The semblance between both the Idol contests starts right from the beginning. There were the singers who are being vetted and chosen by a Studio panel even before the actual voting by the audiences at home, there is the selection of potential presidential candidates and their henchmen by the [U.S.-led] occupation forces. And that is why we don't see teachers from Laghman or doctors from Jalalabad participating. No, instead we see the same pro-Western crooks that have been selling out the country, bleeding it to death.
"The actual elections
"The actual election saw the participation of 7 million Afghans (the votes weren't counted yet but the number of voters was splashed all over the news) that braved the rain, and of course potential violence, which shows that Afghans want democracy. The elections were a show of the declining power of the Taliban. This at least, is what we were told by all major media outlets. But the real picture was far from what the media wants us to believe. And even this part is not very unlike the music contest.
"'Ghost Polls' and the stuffing of ballot boxes
"'The Ghost Polls of Afghanistan' an article on Harpers.org tells the story of what election day looked like in the province of Wardak, and it is safe to assume it was similar in the rest of Afghanistan outside the main cities. When visiting a site of which the Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan claimed would accommodate as many as 1,200 voters, they found that 'The building was shuttered, and the surrounding streets were vacant.' What follows next explains the high turnout: 'When Nasim had showed up earlier to look for voters, he said, he saw men stuffing ballots into boxes.'"
"One Thing Is Sure, When The Taliban Do Return Into Power, The Idols Stand No Chance"; "An Afghanistan Under The Taliban Will Be An Afghanistan Without Idols"
The statement cites similar reports of corruption in this year's presidential elections, including from The New York Times. It goes on to narrate how Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, who was initially projected to win but began losing in the second-round of voting, and his rival Ashraf Ghani both are following their own, rather than Afghan, interests. "Whatever happens during the following elections, the threat of a civil war on ethnic grounds is just around the corner," it adds.
The Taliban statement offers its own solution:
"The solution
"The solution to the problems facing Afghanistan is the same solution that united the Afghans, ended the civil war [during the second half of the 1990s when the Taliban took over power in Afghanistan], unarmed the warlords and brought back peace and justice. The former warlords and corrupted politicians will never bring positive change to Afghanistan. Real change will come only under the incorruptible Taliban.
"One thing is sure, when the Taliban do return into power, the Idols stand no chance, whether it's the corrupted politician version, the dancing and singing version or the one hewn out of rocks [i.e. the Western-backed democracy and its leaders]. An Afghanistan under the Taliban will be an Afghanistan without Idols."
Source: Shahamat-english.com (Afghanistan), August 9, 2014. The original English of the statement has been lightly edited for clarity and standardization.
