There are more similarities between American religious extremists and Afghani extremists than differences. No doubt, there are differences. It would be absurd to say that the MAGA right is as violent as the Taliban, but the MAGA right is increasingly willing to use violence as what they see as a “legitimate” means to hold power or establish power. We see poll after poll reflecting such. The biggest similarity, however, is that neither movement particularly cares about democracy, at all. Both claim a divine right to rule. Again, there is no question that the Taliban is worse than the MAGA right, after all – even MAGA girls play soccer, basketball, debate, drive, and go to school, so the comparison only goes so far.

But with respect to their beliefs in democracy and a divine right to rule? George W. Bush CIA Director Michael Hayden has the MAGAs pegged. According to the British press, the Daily Mail:

A retired top US military general and former CIA chief sparked outrage over the weekend by comparing supporters of former President Donald Trump to the Taliban and calling a suggestion to send ‘the MAGA wearing unvaxxed’ to Afghanistan a ‘good idea.’  

Retired four-star Air Force General Michael Hayden on Thursday retweeted a split image of armed militants in a caravan of white pickup trucks with the caption ‘Their Taliban.’ Under that was a picture of cars adorned with Trump 2020 and American flags along a highway…

Good idea https://t.co/pn6xcWTtc8

— Gen Michael Hayden (@GenMhayden) August 22, 2021

Hayden also retweeted the following meme, which is accurate?

Some MAGA congressional members didn’t appreciate the tweet:

‘Sad and unbecoming even from you, Mike,’ replied GOP Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana, a combat veteran who supported Trump’s efforts to cast doubt on the election. While he didn’t respond directly, Hayden retweeted another user responding to Banks, ‘Mr. Banks, General Hayden doesn’t need to hear from you.’ 

Any politician that “cast doubt upon the election” has no right to call anyone out as sad and unbecoming. That entire affair was an attempted coup and each of those congress critters, with the possible exception of Louis Gohmert and a couple of others that lack the intellectual capacity, know that Biden won, fair and square, just like any other election. Banks is simply acting as the American version of the Taliban, playing the referee, and deciding who is right and wrong. On that, the similarities outweigh the differences.

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[email protected] and on Twitter @JasonMiciak