Ten Reasons People Should Know Massoud (in no particular order)

1. He was instrumental in the defeat of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan which lead to the breakup of the USSR
   
2. He was a visionary for a free and democratic Afghanistan
   
3. He was a long-time friend to the United States
   
4. He warned the West about the dangers posed by Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda
   
5. He supported equal rights for women in Afghanistan
   
6. He was a moderate, tolerant, wise man who appreciated diversity
   
7. He sacrificed his entire life in the cause of freedom for his people
   
8. He was charismatic and intelligent
   
9. He was a once-in-a-century kind of man and leader
   
10. He was a true 'man for all seasons,' and no one in Afghanistan has risen to take his place