My Life with the Taliban - book

My Life With the Taliban, by Abdul Salam Zaeef (Columbia University Press, 2010).

This autobiography of Abdul Salam Zaeef was edited by Alex Strick van Linschoten and Felix Kuehn, writers and researchers permanently stationed in Kandahar. They were helped over the almost four years it took to prepare this account by a number of translators who translated the work from the original Pashtu.

This is an autobiographical account of the life of Abdul Salam Zaeef. As representative of that genre it leaves much to be desired. There is far too little detail about all of Zaeef’s interesting life and you are left with wanting to know much more than you are told. I suspect this is so because the motive for writing this book was not really to tell about Zaeef’s life, but, rather, to put his life in the context of the ongoing Afghan struggles with both Russia and the U.S., to explain the origins and behavior of the Taliban, and to express his outrage at the treatment he received at the hands of American forces.

Zaeef remembers little of his childhood. Although his father was educated, he was born into a relatively poor family living in a small village with no running water, electricity, or conveniences. The family moved while he was too young to fully understand why. His mother died when he was still a child and he was raised by relatives. It was the case that during his childhood Afghanistan was at peace, both males and females attended college, conditions were relatively progressive. Even miniskirts and Hippies could be found in Kandahar. Abdul Zaeef’s life was mostly uneventful until at the age of fifteen he ran away from home to fight against the Russians who were occupying his country. Here again there is little detail, but it is clear that he was a success in the military and eventually rose a bit in the ranks. After the Russians were defeated he returned home to resume his (mostly) religious studies. However, with the Russians gone, chaos quickly broke out across Afghanistan as different warlords and others attempted to claim land and control of various places. There was incessant fighting and killing on all sides. The situation was so bad it led to the formation of the Taliban, who vowed to take back control of the country. Many veterans of the Russian conflict joined together with still others and, after a time succeeded in restoring order to the country. As one of the first organizers of the Taliban group Zaeef was given various important positions which increased in importance as time passed. He was, at the time of 9/11, the Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan, a vitally important and sensitive post at that time as there was considerable animosity between the two countries. This became exacerbated as Pakistan elected to join with and support the Americans to the detriment of Afghanistan when the U.S. attacked their country in revenge for 9/11. It is quite clear from Zaeef’s account the Taliban did not initially arise and come to power to fight the United States. It is also clear by now they (understandably) do not want to be occupied and would like the U.S. to leave.

Zaeef says virtually nothing about the religious extremism of some of the Taliban, scarcely mentioning the strict behavior mandated for both males and females, and his own position on such matters is not expressed. He does indicate the position of women is decreed under Shari’a law and lets it go at that. He also does not discuss Shari’a law as such. But it is obvious from his account he is a dedicated Muslim, observes his prayers religiously, and is absolutely dedicated to its country and its independence.

As the “war” continued Zaeef became more and more critical of the Pakistan position and lost his Ambassadorship. Eventually the Pakistani authorities turned him over to the Americans where he was held for a time at Bagram and then for four years at Guantanamo. His account of his treatment at the hands of the U.S., however unpleasant, seems honest and straightforward. Perhaps I would not have believed it had I not seen the pictures from Abu Graib, and read the accounts of other released prisoners and their lawyers. I can truthfully say it makes me ashamed of my country. No, I should say it makes me ashamed of the Bush/Cheney administration in particular, war criminals that still go unpunished for their crimes against humanity. I am ashamed that such evil people were allowed to attain positions of such power in our country and institute and continue their criminal “pre-emptive” policies for so long.

If the book disappoints as an autobiography I believe it clearly succeeds at the job it seems to have been intended to do. The general account of this talented man’s life does give the reader a much better understanding of life in Afghanistan, the Taliban, Muslim dedication to their religion and country, and the shameful treatment they received at the hands of the U.S. It is also makes clear the Afghans are never going to be defeated in their own country. They are tired of the incessant fighting and killing and want the whole (by now) ridiculous charade to be over so they can once again be independent and manage their own affairs. For anyone with an interest in Afghanistan and the “war” that has now raged there longer than any other war in American history, this is definitely a book not to be overlooked.

This “freedom” put a proud people in chains
And turned free men into slaves
“Independence” made us weak
And slaughtered us
In the name of kindness
This is democracy by the whip
And the fear of chains
With a whirlwind at its core

Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef
(written in Guantanamo)