It's hip to be pro-Hamas and Hezbollah; what's wrong with the Taliban?

It's the same band but a different tune.

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Rallies and protests in Toronto, aside from the masked hooliganism and the violent vibe of many of the anti-Israeli mob, are now taking to sporting flags; you see Hezbollah, occasionally Hamas, but I’ve only heard one proudly flying the flag of the Taliban.   

The tune is different, but you know it’s the same band.  

Strangely, it isn’t hip to be pro-Taliban, but can you be pro-Hamas and Hezbollah and not pro-Taliban? 

Hezbollah, primarily based in Lebanon, is a Shia Islamist group with a distinct blend of political and military influence. They’re often described as a “state within a state” and receive substantial backing from Iran, which should already make you sceptical if you believe in things like sovereignty or the Enlightenment. Hezbollah’s political aspirations are straightforward: resist Israel at all costs, defend Shia interests, and spread Iran’s brand of political Shiism across the region. For longing for the good old 7th century days of Islamic imperialism, their rhetoric is modernised, full of terms like “resistance.” Still, it’s just old-school theocracy dressed up in modern grievance language. Hezbollah is like Hamas - another oppressive, authoritarian regime, just one with a slightly different brand.

Hamas is a Sunni Islamist organisation based in Gaza, and they are a more localised franchise of the Iranian Islamist franchise.  If Hezbollah were a McDonald's in Brussels, perhaps Hamas would be a McDonalds closer to the original one in Illinois, just a few states over. 

Hamas has its roots in the Muslim Brotherhood, so it comes with a historical side of Nazi love. Their charter mentions Palestinian liberation, but it focuses more on the eradication of Israel. Hamas, unlike Hezbollah, doesn’t hide behind the facade of political sophistication; they have made it clear that their vision of “liberation” is not just a free Palestine but a Palestine devoid of Jews. And after that, a world free of anyone who does not kneel before Iranian theocratic totalitarianism. 

The Taliban are the good ol’ boys from Afghanistan, the terrorist version of hillbillies. They are like a mom-and-pop BBQ in Texas, not looking to franchise and spread the brand.  But still, they are Sunni extremists whose interpretation of Islam is about as progressive as the Inquisition. Their goal? Enforce an ultra-strict version of Sharia law, and they have transformed Afghanistan into an Islamic emirate where human rights take a back seat to religious dogma. They like their home-style theocracy, just keep the woman out of school and a few steps behind their man. 

All three share an Islamist worldview—the belief that society should be governed according to their strict interpretations of Islamic law—and their opposition to Western values of democracy, individual rights, and freedom of religion.  It's hard to say you’re pro-Hamas and not be pro-Taliban. 

Imagine, if you will, that someone in the West, in 2001, pitched a tent on the Harvard campus and said, “I stand with the Taliban because they are resisting Western imperialism.”