Question

State the speaker of the following quote, "You don’t know the meaning of the word ‘liberating’ until you’ve done that, stood in a roomful of targets, let the bullets fly, free of guilt and remorse, knowing you are virtuous, good, and decent. Knowing you’re doing God’s work. It’s breathtaking." What is ironic about the meaning of the word liberating and his concept of "doing God’s work"?

Answer 1

The speaker of this quote is Assef. He has become a Taliban official, and in these lines, he explains what he believes is the work of the Taliban. He argues that, by working with the Taliban, he feels "liberated." He also tells us that he believes his actions (murder, destruction, etc.) are the work of God. These statements are ironic because we do not normally associate the work of God with suffering and destruction. The statement is meat to demonstrate how the Taliban has twisted the ideas of Islam to its benefit.