Is this what Pat Tillman, et. al., died for in Afghanistan?
The editor of an Afghan women’s rights magazine has been arrested and thrown in Kabul jail after he was accused by a presidential adviser of publishing unIslamic material, officials said today.
Minority Shiite Muslim clerics in Kabul objected to two articles in the monthly Haqooq-i-Zan, or Women’s Rights, edited by Ali Mohaqiq Nasab, that were critical of Islamic law. Police arrested Nasab on Saturday.
Late last week, the clerics approached Mohaiuddin Baluch, religious adviser to President Hamid Karzai, who said he forwarded the magazines to the Supreme Court.
“I took the two magazines and spoke to Supreme Court chief, who wrote to attorney general to investigate,” Baluch told The Associated Press.
He said one of articles was critical of the punishment under Shariah, or Islamic law, of 100 lashes for those guilty of adultery. Another article argued that giving up Islam was not a crime. Baluch said that was directly against Quran.
I honestly fear this is what will ultimately make our MacWar on Terror a miserable failure: those whom we help place in power in the name of freedom will be nearly as bad as those we spent so many lives and dollars to toss out. This article is proof that this scenario is not at all far-fetched. Remember all those glowing words about womens rights Bush was spouting after our Afghanistan victory? I wonder what he’s saying now. (Never mind, I know: He’s saying nothing because, as he freeely admits, he doesn’t read the newspapers. It might snap him out of his self-woven cocoon.)
Via LGF Watch, one of the best sites on the Net for those who recoil in revulsion from the Little Green Lizardoids.
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By RJT
Not to mention that opium production, by some accounts, is UP some 75% since the ‘liberation’.
October 5, 2005 @ 9:34 am | Comment
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By Leo
Some guys see the glass half empty while others see it half full. If you see this government almost as bad as the former one, I will say it is almost as perfect as you ever can get. Look, it is not jihaddist, not communist, not anti-American, free elected, and surviving completely on KFors and the U.S. funding. What’s wrong with it? Answer: No, absolutely nothing.
A feminist, sober, Afganistan? Why? Isn’t it already too much for the U.S. taxpayers?
October 5, 2005 @ 12:47 pm | Comment
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By richard
Leo, my objection is that Bush always points to womens liberation as part of his freedom spiel, and it’s just a crock.
Afghanistan is better off than it was under the Taliban, that’s for sure. But Bush has us believing both here and in iraq that the people will be enjoying the freedom and liberty experienced in Western democracies. It simply isn’t true. And I wouldn’t want to give up my life or the life of my children to install a government that can throw people in jail simply for saying one needn’t be a practicing Moslem.
October 6, 2005 @ 12:48 am | Comment
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By Leo
Yes, I can understand your disappointment, Richard. However, you have to see, you might install women’s right there, but it won’t be the free choice of the Afgan men and a majority of Afgan women, at least not for now.
As to the democracy we experience in the west, a small circle of élites may have such expectations, but the most people just want to be a decent moslem and make a passable living, which are already hard enough for them. When their life is really improved, they may raise their expectations. What G.W. promised us really doesn’t matter.
October 6, 2005 @ 4:17 am | Comment
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By richard
Unfortunately as an American, what GWB promised matters to me, as he made big politcal hay out of his championing womens’ rights in the Middle East and used it as a campiagn theme. Only trouble was, it was bullshit. While he sucks the Saudi sheik’s dicks, they’re beheading women in the public square and we don’t say a word; in fact, we give them more aid. This administration simply knows no shame.
Otherwise, I agree with all your points, Leo.
October 6, 2005 @ 7:11 am | Comment
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By Conrad
So, when the US demands that foriegn countries comply with its agenda, it’s imperialist. When, on the other hand, it allows them to run their own affairs, its irresponsible.
The invasion of Afghanistan, in the wake of 9/11, was absolutely necessary and required. To try to dimish the sacrifice of men like Tilman, while sitting safe on your big fat ass at your computer is, again, degenerate.
Tilman gave up fame and fortune for a cause he felt was right, and it cost him his life. How dare you, me, or anyone else denigarate his sacrifice.
October 7, 2005 @ 2:17 am | Comment
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By richard
I don’t denigrate his sacrifice, which I have praised time and again – as much as I’ve slammed the military for lying about how he died; they’re the ones who truly denigrated him. What I wonder is simply whether he’d look at this and say that he’s satisifed with the outcome of the cause for which he died. I’m just wondering. He was quite a liberal, as you probably know, and a strong admirer of Noam Chomsky – seriously.
October 7, 2005 @ 2:42 am | Comment