Fresh Air, Thomas Goutierre and Sebastian Junger

The Taliban, on this edition of Fresh Air. Last week, the Taliban, the Islamic militants ruling Afghanistan, issued a decree to demolish all pre-Islamic religious images. Reportedly, they have partially demolished two of the regions most important ancient works, a pair of 17-century Buddhas located 100 miles west of Kabul. Thomas E. Goutierre, Director of the Center for Afghanistan Studies at the University of Omaha, discusses the Taliban. Journalist Sebastian Junger traveled to Afghanistan to profile Ahmad Shah Massoud, known as the "Lion of Panjshir", the legendary leader of the guerrilla war against the Soviets, who is now fighting the Taliban. Junger traveled with photographer Reza Deghati who spent several years covering the war there. Junger's article "The Lion in Winter" appears in the March/April issue of National Geographic's Adventure magazine. It's also the subject of a recent National Geographic Explorer program, Into the Forbidden. (Broadcast Date: March 7, 2001)