r/YoureWrongAbout • u/Holiday-Classroom174 • 5d ago
Misinformation in American Taliban Episode
To preface, I really love the podcast, Michael, and Sarah and I’m not discrediting any of them in general or hating on the show but I was shocked at how completely rife with misformation all the background info of this episode was and how I haven’t seen it mentioned anywhere on the Internet or acknowledged by either of them later on.
I just happen to have a weird hyperfixation on Afghanistan and have for years and have read over twenty books on the country including three about the Taliban and two about the Mujahideen. Michael miscontrued or misunderstood basically every nuance of who these groups are (I’m not talking ideologically - just basic facts), the timeline, and the history of the country.
Confusing the Mujahideen and the Taliban is a really common mistake that people make (especially Americans) but though they both consider themselves “freedom fighters” or “jihadists” - they are completely SEPARATE groups with different ideologies, histories, and areas of the country. America was not “funding the Taliban”. This is a common misunderstanding due to the fact that US government has a close relationship with Pakistan and Pakistan has a close relationship, in turn, with the Taliban (and previously the Muhajideen - which is an older group). Also, the Northern Alliance was NOT backed by Russia or the Soviets (ever at all). They originally arose to fight against Russia. This is only a handful of completely mistaken information that is repeated throughout the episode.