Recently, the Taliban declared all Buddhist statues inAfghanistan to be heathen idols. The Taliban, a group of young men who developedan extremist interpretation of the Islamic religion while in refugee camps inPakistan, have come to rule 90 percent of Afghanistan. While more than a millionAfghani are starving, the Taliban has ordered the slaughter of hundreds of headsof cattle and destroyed nearly two-thirds of the country's statues - all on thebasis of religion.

The fact that the Taliban claims to exist in order tobetter Afghanistan by adhering to strict Islamic rule and rid it of disorder addsa strange element to this claim of religious devotion. Since the Taliban came topower, it has banned women from working, closed schools to girls anddiscriminated against those not part of their religious group. Yet, they showdisgust at what they deem the world's lack of interest in "the plight of theAfghani people."

The Taliban is alienating Afghanistan from othercountries that could be of aid in its time of need. With the recent destructionof two third- and fifth-century Buddhist idols - one the tallest statue of Buddhain the world - the Taliban is only confirming Afghanistan's pariah status. Thedestruction of these idols shows the Taliban's lack of respect for the religionand history of others.

The Taliban's mission is to turn Afghanistaninto a pure Islamic state. Yet, their unique interpretation of the religion iswidely disputed by Muslims. Their version of the Islamic religion has resulted inwhat some call "sexual apartheid," and claimed dominance over peopleand their basic human rights. No religion should call for intolerance anddisrespect of other religions. All should have respect for all people, somethingthe Taliban doesn't.

Although what the Taliban has done, and continues todo, is disrespectful and even immoral, the country of Afghanistan is in need. TheTaliban's actions must be overlooked so that the people of Afghanistan - most ofwhom are not part of this extremist movement - receive the aid they desperatelyneed.

The people hidden behind the Taliban's extremist and arrogantattitude are the ones on whom the attention should be focused. It is importantthat the rest of the world not get too caught up in denigrating the Taliban'sactions, because the most important issue is the suffering of the Afghani people.