On fast learners – Sabawoon Samim in Harper’s:

‘From interviews with former Taliban fighters conducted in Kabul and published by the Afghanistan Analysts Network in February. Translated from the Pashto.’

(…)

‘I joined the Taliban when I was twenty. The time of jihad was very good for us. I myself, for example, was not responsible for contributing to the livelihood of the family since my other brothers took care of it. However, everything has changed since then. Your family wouldn’t openly tell you to bring home your entire salary so they can feed your children, but you can feel from their behavior that this is exactly what they mean. It’s difficult not to miss the days of jihad. Back then, we weren’t under strict supervision. Now, if we complain or don’t come to work, they cut our salary.
When we were doing jihad, it was a holy path that gave us real delight. I sometimes miss that life. Now I spend most of my time on Twitter. Many mujahedeen, including me, are addicted to the internet, especially Twitter. When I started my job, I didn’t have a clue about how to deal with the tasks, so my supervisor told me to take a computer course. I learned many computer programs during this period. You might not believe me, but let me tell you a fact about the Taliban: we are fast learners.’

Read the (short) article here.

From jihad to Twitter, it’s just a logical step.

And that the Taliban are fast learners should surprise nobody.

The news cycle got bored with Afghanistan, it’s left to its own devices, as we know. In five or ten years the news caravan will return to Afghanistan.
And we will once again be reminded that Twitter and jihad go well together. If Twitter is still there. Jihad will outlive Twitter, needless to say.