The real end of the Taleban?

I caught a news piece some days ago, and another article just jogged my memory, on the use of mobile phones in Afghanistan. Since 2001 they've been cropping up in the country like weeds, the report I watched even showed that phone shops were appearing that allowed people without a mobile to use one instore. From a Western perspective this seems a little surreal, but if considered in context it makes sense. When fixed lines first appeared they were expensive and few had them, public phonepoints were slowly rolled out for those without. Now imagine if we'd skipped the lines and gone straight to wireless; I think the situation would resemble the Afghan model. With no lines to lay or maintain it's cheaper and easier and you have the potential to gain a huge market base.

So why my headline? Well it seems someone's not happy about all this - yep the Taleban. According to them authorities are using the phone network to target them; as such they are 'banning' everyone from using them, but only at night. To enforce this they've been shooting up masts and transmitters and in capitulation some of the mobile companies shut down at night.

Now the excuse is an odd one, if you're a Taleban member and worried that you'll be targeted when using a mobile - don't use a mobile, it's hardly difficult. However in a last fit of pique it seems to be the understanding that if we can't use them no-one can that may completely alienate them from the populace. See the 'normal' people like the ability to call their family and friends whenever they like and being told by a bunch of armed thugs that they can't isn't going down to well.

Asimov in the Caves of Steel put it well when he had his character muse that a person who's never known luxury will put up only a small fight for it, but threaten to take luxury from someone and you've a fight on your hands. Through this one simple declaration the remains of the Taleban may have galvanised the populace to completely turn against them.

Other politicians take note.