[tetromino_]

> Even the Taliban in its fight to retake Afghanistan largely constrained itself to military targets.

Are you kidding? If you are a civilian and the Taliban think you were affiliated with or benefiting from the old regime, you were and are a target.

The same applies to any revolutionary or independence movement anywhere in the world. If you are an ordinary poor farmer or a laborer, they will probably leave you alone (might requisition your home or your crops though). But if you are a professor, a policeman, an official, a business owner, a journalist, writer, or artist, or simply a prominent person in some way (in terms of your education, wealth, influence, loudly voiced opinions, religion, ethnic origin, etc.) - watch out, because there is a good chance they'll want to hang you.

[JumpCrisscross]

> If you are a civilian and the Taliban think you were affiliated with or benefiting from the old regime, you were and are a target

Governments brutalising their own citizens aren’t terorrists.

> there is a good chance they'll want to hang you

Fair enough, I suppose I should qualify political violence against non-military targets with indiscriminate. There is a difference between murderous revolutionary regimes and terrorism. (One key element, however, being the word “regime.” Killing professors after taking power isn’t terrorism. Killing professors before seizing control is.)