In case you missed it, the ruling Taliban have broken a heartfelt and sincere promise and are forbidding Afghan girls above the sixth grade from going to school. Who on earth could’ve seen this coming?
Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers decided against opening schools to girls above the sixth grade, appeasing their hardline base and going back on a previous promise. The move is certain to receive widespread condemnation from the international community. https://t.co/xHPZ3gFZTa
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 23, 2022
If you think you’re shocked, just imagine how U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West is feeling right now. He sounds like he’s just been completely blindsided:
1/3 I join millions of Afghan families today in expressing shock and deep disappointment with the Taliban’s decision to not allow women and girls to return to school above grade 6.
— U.S. Special Representative Thomas West (@US4AfghanPeace) March 23, 2022
You really didn’t see this coming, huh, Tom?
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2/3 Education is a fundamental right of all human beings and is essential to Afghanistan’s economic growth and stability. This is a betrayal of public commitments to the Afghan people and the international community.
— U.S. Special Representative Thomas West (@US4AfghanPeace) March 23, 2022
Interesting. Because from where we’re sitting, this looks a lot more like a public commitment to betraying the Afghan people (and the international community).
3/3 The Taliban have made clear that ALL Afghan citizens have a right to education. For the sake of the country’s future and its relations with the international community, I would urge the Taliban to live up to their commitments to their people.
— U.S. Special Representative Thomas West (@US4AfghanPeace) March 23, 2022
The Taliban’s “commitments to their people” are pretty much just commitments to terrorizing Afghan citizens, raping and enslaving and oppressing women and girls, and executing people for kicks and giggles. We’d say they’re living up to their commitments and then some.
There’s literally nothing shocking about any of this. At all.
“deep disappointment” seems like an appropriate reaction but “shock”? Really? Who could be shocked by the literal Taliban making a decision like this? https://t.co/8Df13rdzLl
— Jerry Dunleavy (@JerryDunleavy) March 23, 2022
Exactly. Exactly. Like, this is the effing Taliban we’re dealing with. If they were running for office, preventing girls from going to school would be one of the key components of their political platform.
how on earth are you shocked? it's the Taliban lol
— Craig Nipples (@Nuke_Putin_2) March 23, 2022
The Taliban is just doing exactly what we’d expect them to do. Living down to our worst expectations, if you will.
Does President Joe Biden still have no regrets about his decision to allow a terrorist group to take over a country? https://t.co/S3PzMosO4d
— Alexander Saunders (@ColSaunders1855) March 23, 2022
As soon as Joe Biden pulled the trigger on the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, we predicted that we were in for an absolute humanitarian disaster. And wouldn’t you know it? We were right. Because even Stevie Wonder could’ve seen this coming. Literally everyone should’ve seen this coming.
We are sorry the terrorists you signed a peace deal with and pushed their "Taliban 2.0" narrative disappointed you. Such a heartache must it be. To hell with us and our pain and suffering and the broken hearts of our girls today. Lets focus on your shock and disppointment. https://t.co/eWkN5A2akp
— Zubaida Akbar (@ZubaidaAKBR) March 23, 2022
The Taliban’s triumph is the Biden administration’s eternal shame. An indelible stain. To all those young girls whose lives are being destroyed by the Taliban, to all the Afghan people whose lives are being destroyed by the Taliban, we are so sorry. We are deeply disappointed in Joe Biden and his administration — but, truth be told, we’re not even remotely shocked by what they’ve done.