The Buddhas and the Taliban

The Buddhas of Bamiyan are gone. These giant statues, constructed 1,500 years ago in Afghanistan, were recently destroyed by the Taliban, the ruling party of Afghanistan.  Two Buddhas, one 120 feet tall and one nearly 175, have been destroyed despite unanimous international condemnation.  The official reason for their destruction is that they "idolized infidel gods" and were an "insult to Islam." News analysts suggest that there were political reasons as well including divisiveness within the Taliban and UN sanctions seeking the extradition of Osama bin Laden. The story was covered extensively and the following links are only a selection that provide some historical background on the statues themselves, efforts to stop the destruction, and analyses attempting to understand why the decision was made.  The BBC story on "Icon Smashing" is particularly interesting as it demonstrates that Islam is not the only religion to destroy historic properties considered to be sacrilegious:

• Taliban Show Off Remains of Ancient Buddha Statues Times of India

• Afghan Cultural Heritage Crisis UNESCO

• Giant Buddhas Completely Demolished by Taliban New York Times

• UNESCO Confirms Destruction of Bamiyan Buddhas CNN

• Taleban's Struggle Over Statues BBC
• Bamiyan: Wonder of the Ancient World BBC
• Icon Smashing - The Precedents BBC
• Explosions Tear at Afghan Buddha Statues National Geographic News
• Through the Lens  [Afghanistan's Buddhist Heritage] CNN
• Buddhas of Bamiyan Keys to Asian History New York Times
• Analysis: Buddhas' Fate Signals Taleban Divisions CNN
• Eyewitness: In the Shadows of the Buddhas of Bamiyan CNN