Should Buddhas Blasted by the Taliban Be Rebuilt?

[Shabaz Sharif]

It all depends; who will fund a project of this magnitude? Afghanistan if stabilized can certainly benefit from the reconstruction since Bamiyan would very likely become a major tourist attraction. However peace and stability still remain elusive which in turn will make it harder to procure adequate financing.

Also, the Bamiyan Buddhas are only one of the many ancient Indian sites that have undergone rough times. The entire region is littered with sites of immeasurable historical, archaeological and cultural importance that have been razed, defaced, burnt or trampled. And sometimes I feel like the rubble should be kept as is to serve as a reminder of the high magnitude of ignorance and stupidity that prevails through mankind.

Buddhas destroyed by Taliban terrorists were not ancient Indian sites. Indians should stick with the ancient sites within India and not all over the world.

 

[JK!]

Buddhas destroyed by Taliban terrorists were not ancient Indian sites. Indians should stick with the ancient sites within India and not all over the world.

Buddhism originated in India and given the countries now close relationship with Afghanistan they can offer assistance based on similar sites in India.

 

[roadrunner]

Have you considered that perhaps the only reason the Buddha was still partially intact (it had been vandalized pretty badly) is because dynamite had not been invented as yet?

Dynamite wasn't invented?

Dynamite was invented in 1866 (patented in 1867) by Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel.

The Afghan warlords had a history of defacing images and idols, and perhaps it was only a matter of time?

Come on. The Afghan warlords had tanks, anti aircraft guns, RPG, even dynamite. I'm sure they could have destroyed it before if they really wanted to, instead of creating some tyre marks on the Buddha's head.

As for "starving people blowing up statues", gee....the Taliban warlords were hardly starving. They had the money to get hundreds of kilos of RDX or dynamite or whatever they used to blow up the statues.
The real starving people were the millions of farmers in Afghanistan, who had no hand in blowing them up.

Obviously they weren't starving, but their people were. Like I said before, you can't try and imagine their thinking, how they felt, when you've been spoon fed all your food, house, computers by your parents, who've had jobs to supply you with money. Some people in the world have not been as fortunate or spoilt as you. Starving people are not known for rationality. well fed leaders would not be known for rationality either if they've grown up under warfare without an education and watching their people starve..doesn't take much of an imagination for such people, with no knowledge of pre-Islamic history, to fail to understand the cultural importance of the Buddhas, does it? Shouldn't take much imagination to see that human life is more important than a statue. However, I kind of agree that singling out the other religions isn't correct.

Also, as someone pointed out, it had been quite a while since rich pilgrims "showered the statue with gifts", whatever that means....it was abandoned long time ago.

They were quite popular before warfare, but what is your evidence to suggest that cultural heritage organizations did not turn up in Afghanistan with money and tools to care for these statues more so than the human population?

 

[Flintlock]

Dynamite wasn't invented?

Dynamite was invented in 1866 (patented in 1867) by Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel.

OK now this is ridiculous and extremely immature.

Its not like the Afghans will immediately start destroying relics the moment dynamite is invented.

Come on. The Afghan warlords had tanks, anti aircraft guns, RPG, even dynamite. I'm sure they could have destroyed it before if they really wanted to, instead of creating some tyre marks on the Buddha's head.

They did eventually, didn't they?

Obviously they weren't starving, but their people were. Like I said before, you can't try and imagine their thinking, how they felt, when you've been spoon fed all your food, house, computers by your parents, who've had jobs to supply you with money. Some people in the world have not been as fortunate or spoilt as you. Starving people are not known for rationality. well fed leaders would not be known for rationality either if they've grown up under warfare without an education and watching their people starve..doesn't take much of an imagination for such people, with no knowledge of pre-Islamic history, to fail to understand the cultural importance of the Buddhas, does it? Shouldn't take much imagination to see that human life is more important than a statue. However, I kind of agree that singling out the other religions isn't correct.

And whose fault is it that they are uneducated? Isn't it the fault of Afghan society?
Its their own damn history, and they are bent on destroying it, as they always have been since that particular phase of history ended.

This is just false reasoning. I am blaming Afghan society for the destruction, and you are trying to absolve Afghans of the blame by pointing out the inadequacies of their own society! How does that work?

They were quite popular before warfare, but what is your evidence to suggest that cultural heritage organizations did not turn up in Afghanistan with money and tools to care for these statues more so than the human population?

Oh please, so you are telling me that the Afghans were jealous because the statue was getting more attention than them?

Those statues were in the middle of nowhere in a country which receives little or no tourism.

If anything, they should have been jealous of the Afghan warlords who lived in luxury while their populations starved.

 

[roadrunner]

OK now this is ridiculous and extremely immature.

Its not like the Afghans will immediately start destroying relics the moment dynamite is invented.

You said it.. "Have you considered that perhaps the only reason the Buddha was still partially intact (it had been vandalized pretty badly) is because dynamite had not been invented as yet?". How else is one supposed to take this? Dynamite was invented over a hundred years before, The Taliban had 5 full years to destroy the statues with anti aircraft guns, mortars, RPGs, and dynamite, until they finally bothered to. The Afghans had some jets during the 50s and 60s that could have fired rockets and destroyed the Buddhas, if they really wanted to. All this means that a decision to blast the Buddhas was taken for some reason. That reason was probably just that so much money was being devoted to these statues and not to the human population.

They did eventually, didn't they?

Yes. And? Like I said it was obviously a U-turn in their policy that they took. It wasn't in their nature to have destroyed the Buddhas. If it was, they'd have destroyed them long before.

And whose fault is it that they are uneducated? Isn't it the fault of Afghan society?
Its their own damn history, and they are bent on destroying it, as they always have been since that particular phase of history ended.

Good God, are you really this naive? Saying that the fault that Afghans are uneducated is the fault of Afghan society is simply the opinion of some useless, spoilt, child been gifted everything he has in this world, or someone with his head buried in the sand without a clue of history of the region. The simple answer as to why Afghan society is uneducated, is because of the constant interference by powers, mostly superpowers, in Afghanistan, "the Great Game", the Anglo Afghan wars, the Soviet invasion, and not that it's weak enough the Arab invasion. To say that the fault Afghans are uneducated is the fault of Afghan society is just ignorant. It's the fault of warfare, and interference by other countries.

This is just false reasoning. I am blaming Afghan society for the destruction, and you are trying to absolve Afghans of the blame by pointing out the inadequacies of their own society! How does that work?

Where have I pointed out the inadequacies of Afghan society, OR absolved Afghans of any blame. It's a matter of not being so blinded or narrow minded not to be able to understand the situation of an Afghan or the situation of Afghanistan. You're the one that says that the fault that Afghans are uneducated is the fault of Afghan society. You sound confused.

Oh please, so you are telling me that the Afghans were jealous because the statue was getting more attention than them?

Actually, I'd say they were the ones behaving rationally (though I'm sure jealousy might be there). I'd say human life is more important than a pair of statues.

Those statues were in the middle of nowhere in a country which receives little or no tourism.

Perhaps you didn't understand my quote then. What of all the money pumped into maintaining these statues by cultural organizations, without them giving any money for the human population? In fact, wasn't Afghanistan sanctioned? Punish the human population for doing nothing wrong basically, whilst look after the Buddha statues like they're babies or something? Sounds wrong to me if that were the case.

If anything, they should have been jealous of the Afghan warlords who lived in luxury while their populations starved.

Living in a cave could be considered luxury I suppose. Mind you some of them were for sure living in relative luxury like Dostum, the chameleon.

 

[Flintlock]

Alright fine. You win. the statues were destroyed by jealous ignorant Afghans, whom God for some reason decided to keep ignorant and uneducated, and who were jealous of the fact that the statues were being cared for like babies.

 

[roadrunner]

Alright fine. You win. the statues were destroyed by jealous ignorant Afghans, whom God for some reason decided to keep ignorant and uneducated, and who were jealous of the fact that the statues were being cared for like babies.

No reply then.

For someone claiming to be atheist, you seem to believe in divine justice on earth

 

[Vinod2070]

Perhaps you didn't understand my quote then. What of all the money pumped into maintaining these statues by cultural organizations, without them giving any money for the human population? In fact, wasn't Afghanistan sanctioned? Punish the human population for doing nothing wrong basically, whilst look after the Buddha statues like they're babies or something? Sounds wrong to me if that were the case.

Why is it only the cultural organizations responsibility to look after the poor Afghanistani population? There are Muslim neighbors all around, some of them earning billions of unearned dollars without having to move their *****! Don't they have any responsibility?

Doesn't the idea of a stupid Saudi "prince" losing 25 million dollars in one night in a European casino sound worse than what you mention here? Happens all the time.

 

[roadrunner]

Why is it only the cultural organizations responsibility to look after the poor Afghanistani population? There are Muslim neighbors all around, some of them earning billions of unearned dollars without having to move their *****! Don't they have any responsibility?

Doesn't the idea of a stupid Saudi "prince" losing 25 million dollars in one night in a European casino sound worse than what you mention here? Happens all the time.

What sort of response is that? Doesn't it reinforce my comments? That people were too busy spending money on statues, or on gambling, or on other matters to bother about the human population of Afghanistan? A Saudi prince can do what he wants with his money anyway, the Afghan people would never know, though they would see a pair of statues given honorary status.

Come up with something relevant, or logical, else there's no point responding.

 

[Flintlock]

No reply then.

For someone claiming to be atheist, you seem to believe in divine justice on earth

Ah, so you didn't get the sarcasm.

 

[roadrunner]

Ah, so you didn't get the sarcasm.

Sounded quite reasonable to me. Like I said, broaden your horizons

 

[Vinod2070]

What sort of response is that? Doesn't it reinforce my comments? That people were too busy spending money on statues, or on gambling, or on other matters to bother about the human population of Afghanistan? A Saudi prince can do what he wants with his money anyway, the Afghan people would never know, though they would see a pair of statues given honorary status.

Come up with something relevant, or logical, else there's no point responding.

Obviously it is the same old habit. Make a villain of everyone else. Everyone else is to blame for their plight except Afghans themselves.

Wasn't much of the chaos in Afghanistan a result of the warlords (the so called Mujahideen) indulging in the the loot and destruction of the country as soon as the Soviets had been repelled? Was it the mistake of outsiders too?

Afghans have caused much misery in other regions (mainly in Pakistani regions and northern India) and in turn have been through much misery in recent history. In overall terms, they are no victims.

Anyway it is up to them what they want to do in their land. This act did revolt much of the world including many Muslim countries. If you support and justify the act, I am not surprised.

 

[Goodperson]

Ofcouse Taliban will be decimated hence they cannot rebuild Buddha's they will be rebuilt by money payed by Buddhist and people from other religions including moderate Muslims from all over the world including China and Japan (These two have sizeable followers of Buddhism).

 

[roadrunner]

Obviously it is the same old habit. Make a villain of everyone else. Everyone else is to blame for their plight except Afghans themselves.

I'd disagree. The Afghans have always fought against interference in Afghanistan. It just so happens it's an important bit of land. One can blame the Indians for letting in foreign powers rule them though. The Afghans I don't think so, because they always fought back (not including the Tajiks and Uzbeks in this).

Wasn't much of the chaos in Afghanistan a result of the warlords (the so called Mujahideen) indulging in the the loot and destruction of the country as soon as the Soviets had been repelled? Was it the mistake of outsiders too?

Is your knowledge of Afghanistan this thin? You have never heard of the Great Game? More than centuries old.

Afghans have caused much misery in other regions (mainly in Pakistani regions and northern India) and in turn have been through much misery in recent history. In overall terms, they are no victims.

I don't agree with that at all. Firstly, there are no Afghans in Northern India. The Pashtuns in India have become fully dravidianized. Secondly, there have been isolated incidents of Afghans (perhaps even they were Tajiks) causing suicide bombs in Pakistan. Drugs is the other thing people refer to. Again, Afghans turn to drugs because they have no other income. They have no income due to constant warfare, much of which isn't their own fault.

Anyway it is up to them what they want to do in their land. This act did revolt much of the world including many Muslim countries. If you support and justify the act, I am not surprised.

Which is worse? Indian soldiers shooting dead thousands of innocent Kashmiri families, or blowing up a pair of Buddha statues? If I could bring one back but not the other, I'd not be choosing the Buddhas that's for sure. It just shows how much Indians like you value human life, especially when it's Kashmiri

 

[Flintlock]

I'd disagree. The Afghans have always fought against interference in Afghanistan. It just so happens it's an important bit of land. One can blame the Indians for letting in foreign powers rule them though. The Afghans I don't think so, because they always fought back (not including the Tajiks and Uzbeks in this).

Fighting for the sake of fighting is really stupid.

You must know when to fight. You must also know when it is advantageous to fight and when it isn't.

Afghanistan would have done far better if they had let the Brits rule them for a while and learn something from them. Perhaps learn enough to finally overthrow them.