Tobias Ellwood: Praising The Taliban?

A senior Conservative MP faces being ousted from a Commons Select Committee. Four members of the select committee will vote to oust the MP for his comments. These MPs are Conservative MPs Mark Francois and Richard Twigg, and Labour MPs Kevan Jones and Derek Twigg.

Tobias Ellwood appeared to praise the Taliban regime. As one member of the select committee, "It wouldn't be the first time that Tobias Ellwood has made controversial statements". Ellwood has made statements before that have gone against the general view of a parliamentary select committee.

Ellwood now faces being thrown out of the select committee. The vote will take place on September 14. MPs of all hues have told Tobias Ellwood to stand down from the committee. Of course, Mr. Ellwood, will not stand down. He will no doubt, face the vote to oust him. Whether he stays or goes will remain to be seen.

Mr. Ellwood Himself has apologised saying his words were taken out of context. However, once the genie is out of the bottle you cannot take them back. That is the case with Mr. Ellwood's words allegedly praising the Taliban. Only Ellwood Himself will know what his words about the Taliban meant. But we know how easily words can be misconstrued or taken out of context. Especially, in these so-called 'Woke' times. Maybe, Ellwood did intend to praise the Taliban for bringing some kind of order to Afghanistan. But order at a price where free speech is no longer allowed, where women's rights have been trampled in the dirt, where men must wear long beards and Afghanistan has been transported back to the time of the Prophet Mohammed.

The Taliban were ousted from power by the American invasion of Afghanistan. This followed the attack on the Twin Towers in 2001. The Taliban would not give up the alleged Mastermind of the attack Osama Bin Laden. Thus a war longer than both world wars ensued where NATO battled the Taliban. Eventually, peace talks were held between the Taliban and the foreign powers that occupied their country. The Americans and others agreed to pull out.

When the Americans, British, Germans, etc, did pull out the government propped up by NATO collapsed. The NATO-trained forces simply crumbled and ran away in the face of a Taliban advance on the capital Kabul. The Taliban once in power inherited American weaponry like humvees, armoured personnel carriers, and various aircraft. These vehicles had been put out of action by the departing Americans. However, it seems the Taliban have been able to repair much of this stock. The Taliban have operated American vehicles as well as flying aircraft.

The Taliban recently clashed with Iranian forces. Which ever side started it there was an ensuing battle that lasted for a while. Then just as soon as it started the battle was over. Part of the dispute may be over a river that supplies Iran with water but is now under the control of the Taliban. The Taliban and the Iranian regime have never actually seen eye to eye. Both are extremists but their version of Islam is the bone of contention here. The Taliban are dyed-in-the-wool Sunni Muslims whereas the Iranians are Shia. The bone of contention is who is the rightful heir and successor to Mohammed. It's a schism similar to that of Catholicism v Protestantism in Christianity.

To some fundamental Christians in the US also with beards and guns, the Taliban victory was applauded. For them, it was real men asserting their authority. These kinds of people are often Trump-supporting people. Which if you are on the left of American politics says it all really.

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