Comments on: An Afghan Leader We Can Admire http://blog.sojo.net/2009/11/30/an-afghan-leader-we-can-admire/ A Blog by Jim Wallis and Friends Sun, 21 Mar 2010 21:26:40 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: An Afghan Leader We Can Admire | Mission & Justice http://blog.sojo.net/2009/11/30/an-afghan-leader-we-can-admire/comment-page-1/#comment-99073 An Afghan Leader We Can Admire | Mission & Justice Tue, 08 Dec 2009 03:54:51 +0000 http://blog.sojo.net/?p=13765#comment-99073 [...] See: http://blog.sojo.net/2009/11/30/an-afghan-leader-we-can-admire/  [...] [...] See: http://blog.sojo.net/2009/11/30/an-afghan-leader-we-can-admire/  [...]

]]> By: MarKatJac http://blog.sojo.net/2009/11/30/an-afghan-leader-we-can-admire/comment-page-1/#comment-111340 MarKatJac Fri, 04 Dec 2009 05:10:26 +0000 http://blog.sojo.net/?p=13765#comment-111340 I don't know the answer to the problem of Afghanistan. One one hand, the Taliban has done a horrible injustice to 50% of their population for many years, and we in the west tolerated their misdeads under the 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' policy. As long as they helped us hate the USSR, we let them treat their women lower than dogs. I can't help wonder what we can do to help the victims, the women for years suffer the attrocities against them; a country that doesn't have a punishment for the crime of rape, but will charge her of adultery, and stone her to death. Don't we have a responsibility to speak out against such injustice? Where are the 'moderate' Muslims who try to show the rest of the world they are not AlQuaeda in speaking out on this issue? What is their message to the women of Afghanistan? There is a serious moral issue that is being swept under the carpet, and women of all faiths must communicate that unless women are treated as humans, there is no 'winning' of any war. We cannot say, 'that is just their way' or 'that is their religion.' I, as an American taxpayer, am paying for this war, how do I use my voice? If we make nice with the Taliban (men) and incorporate them into running their country, what will happen to these women? I pray God's mighty hand deliver them future attrocities once we stop being the world's police... I don't know the answer to the problem of Afghanistan. One one hand, the Taliban has done a horrible injustice to 50% of their population for many years, and we in the west tolerated their misdeads under the 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' policy. As long as they helped us hate the USSR, we let them treat their women lower than dogs. I can't help wonder what we can do to help the victims, the women for years suffer the attrocities against them; a country that doesn't have a punishment for the crime of rape, but will charge her of adultery, and stone her to death. Don't we have a responsibility to speak out against such injustice? Where are the 'moderate' Muslims who try to show the rest of the world they are not AlQuaeda in speaking out on this issue? What is their message to the women of Afghanistan? There is a serious moral issue that is being swept under the carpet, and women of all faiths must communicate that unless women are treated as humans, there is no 'winning' of any war. We cannot say, 'that is just their way' or 'that is their religion.' I, as an American taxpayer, am paying for this war, how do I use my voice? If we make nice with the Taliban (men) and incorporate them into running their country, what will happen to these women? I pray God's mighty hand deliver them future attrocities once we stop being the world's police…

]]> By: MarKatJac http://blog.sojo.net/2009/11/30/an-afghan-leader-we-can-admire/comment-page-1/#comment-98829 MarKatJac Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:10:26 +0000 http://blog.sojo.net/?p=13765#comment-98829 I don't know the answer to the problem of Afghanistan. One one hand, the Taliban has done a horrible injustice to 50% of their population for many years, and we in the west tolerated their misdeads under the 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' policy. As long as they helped us hate the USSR, we let them treat their women lower than dogs. I can't help wonder what we can do to help the victims, the women for years suffer the attrocities against them; a country that doesn't have a punishment for the crime of rape, but will charge her of adultery, and stone her to death. Don't we have a responsibility to speak out against such injustice? Where are the 'moderate' Muslims who try to show the rest of the world they are not AlQuaeda in speaking out on this issue? What is their message to the women of Afghanistan? There is a serious moral issue that is being swept under the carpet, and women of all faiths must communicate that unless women are treated as humans, there is no 'winning' of any war. We cannot say, 'that is just their way' or 'that is their religion.' I, as an American taxpayer, am paying for this war, how do I use my voice? If we make nice with the Taliban (men) and incorporate them into running their country, what will happen to these women? I pray God's mighty hand deliver them future attrocities once we stop being the world's police... I don't know the answer to the problem of Afghanistan. One one hand, the Taliban has done a horrible injustice to 50% of their population for many years, and we in the west tolerated their misdeads under the 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' policy. As long as they helped us hate the USSR, we let them treat their women lower than dogs. I can't help wonder what we can do to help the victims, the women for years suffer the attrocities against them; a country that doesn't have a punishment for the crime of rape, but will charge her of adultery, and stone her to death. Don't we have a responsibility to speak out against such injustice? Where are the 'moderate' Muslims who try to show the rest of the world they are not AlQuaeda in speaking out on this issue? What is their message to the women of Afghanistan? There is a serious moral issue that is being swept under the carpet, and women of all faiths must communicate that unless women are treated as humans, there is no 'winning' of any war. We cannot say, 'that is just their way' or 'that is their religion.' I, as an American taxpayer, am paying for this war, how do I use my voice? If we make nice with the Taliban (men) and incorporate them into running their country, what will happen to these women? I pray God's mighty hand deliver them future attrocities once we stop being the world's police…

]]> By: An Afghan Leader We Can Admire | The Just Life http://blog.sojo.net/2009/11/30/an-afghan-leader-we-can-admire/comment-page-1/#comment-98614 An Afghan Leader We Can Admire | The Just Life Wed, 02 Dec 2009 09:15:16 +0000 http://blog.sojo.net/?p=13765#comment-98614 [...] An Afghan Leader We Can Admire The Just Life | Dec 02, 2009 | 0 comments [...] [...] An Afghan Leader We Can Admire The Just Life | Dec 02, 2009 | 0 comments [...]

]]> By: AbuelitaElPaso http://blog.sojo.net/2009/11/30/an-afghan-leader-we-can-admire/comment-page-1/#comment-98576 AbuelitaElPaso Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:30:31 +0000 http://blog.sojo.net/?p=13765#comment-98576 On the day that President Obama announces thousands more troops to be sent to Afghanistan, how difficult not to despair about the fate of its women and their families - and the soldiers from various countries that are stationed there! Our family lives in a military town and will send many U.S. young people to fight and some to die there. <br><br>In Spanish, "joya" means a jewel. Thank God for people like Malalai Joya who continue to stand up, to speak, to advocate for human rights and peace against the despots of the world. <br><br>May our country commit to spending its public tax funds on health, schools, roads and trade in something other than heroin in Afghanistan so that there are options to war lords and their drug trafficking. May we move away from our consumption of such drugs and an over-reliance on foreign oil, both of which strongly influence our country's foreign policy in the region. On the day that President Obama announces thousands more troops to be sent to Afghanistan, how difficult not to despair about the fate of its women and their families – and the soldiers from various countries that are stationed there! Our family lives in a military town and will send many U.S. young people to fight and some to die there.

In Spanish, “joya” means a jewel. Thank God for people like Malalai Joya who continue to stand up, to speak, to advocate for human rights and peace against the despots of the world.

May our country commit to spending its public tax funds on health, schools, roads and trade in something other than heroin in Afghanistan so that there are options to war lords and their drug trafficking. May we move away from our consumption of such drugs and an over-reliance on foreign oil, both of which strongly influence our country's foreign policy in the region.

]]> By: SisterMarie http://blog.sojo.net/2009/11/30/an-afghan-leader-we-can-admire/comment-page-1/#comment-98564 SisterMarie Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:18:12 +0000 http://blog.sojo.net/?p=13765#comment-98564 Though I greatly admire Joya's courage, I fear that she is fighting a battle that is doomed to failure. If our actions in Afghanistan have resulted in replacing the "bad guys" with the "good guys" (or at any rate, less bad), and the present government which we now support continues its oppression of women, then why the hell are we continuing to sacrifice American lives for such a regime?<br><br>We are now reaping the fruits of our misguided policies of the 1980s when Ronald Reagan provided Stinger missiles to the Afghan rebels to help to expel the Soviets. When you have two equally bad enemies fighting each other, our best interests would have been served by prolonging that conflict. At the very least, we would have avoided the creation of a nation-state whose government openly sheltered terrorists. Though I greatly admire Joya's courage, I fear that she is fighting a battle that is doomed to failure. If our actions in Afghanistan have resulted in replacing the “bad guys” with the “good guys” (or at any rate, less bad), and the present government which we now support continues its oppression of women, then why the hell are we continuing to sacrifice American lives for such a regime?

We are now reaping the fruits of our misguided policies of the 1980s when Ronald Reagan provided Stinger missiles to the Afghan rebels to help to expel the Soviets. When you have two equally bad enemies fighting each other, our best interests would have been served by prolonging that conflict. At the very least, we would have avoided the creation of a nation-state whose government openly sheltered terrorists.

]]> By: Ngchen http://blog.sojo.net/2009/11/30/an-afghan-leader-we-can-admire/comment-page-1/#comment-98538 Ngchen Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:02:27 +0000 http://blog.sojo.net/?p=13765#comment-98538 It's obvious that the security situation on Afghanistan is horrendous. Development is necessary for long-term stability; however, development is impossible without security. How to provide the security, and yes probably at the end of a gun barrel, is the challenge. The massive corruption and warlordism doesn't help either.<br><br>Speaking of which, I see some parallels between modern Afghanistan and early 20th century China. One of the reasons the Communist revolution succeeded there was due to the warlordism and corruption - the Communists provided an alternative, however bad it was. Now the Taliban are trying to do the same. May people like Malalai Joya actually get the reins of power, to use the power for good. It's obvious that the security situation on Afghanistan is horrendous. Development is necessary for long-term stability; however, development is impossible without security. How to provide the security, and yes probably at the end of a gun barrel, is the challenge. The massive corruption and warlordism doesn't help either.

Speaking of which, I see some parallels between modern Afghanistan and early 20th century China. One of the reasons the Communist revolution succeeded there was due to the warlordism and corruption – the Communists provided an alternative, however bad it was. Now the Taliban are trying to do the same. May people like Malalai Joya actually get the reins of power, to use the power for good.

]]> By: JoannaCW http://blog.sojo.net/2009/11/30/an-afghan-leader-we-can-admire/comment-page-1/#comment-98514 JoannaCW Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:36:51 +0000 http://blog.sojo.net/?p=13765#comment-98514 'ITs how do we get rid of them by building them back up' is a fairly good way of stating the impossibility of what we're trying to do militarily. We can't kill evil, oppression,violence or corruption by killing people. We might be able to weaken these things by helping people to get the basic things they need.<br>--Joanna, another Quaker 'ITs how do we get rid of them by building them back up' is a fairly good way of stating the impossibility of what we're trying to do militarily. We can't kill evil, oppression,violence or corruption by killing people. We might be able to weaken these things by helping people to get the basic things they need.
–Joanna, another Quaker

]]> By: quaker http://blog.sojo.net/2009/11/30/an-afghan-leader-we-can-admire/comment-page-1/#comment-98510 quaker Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:34:05 +0000 http://blog.sojo.net/?p=13765#comment-98510 again what we build they will destroy if they are still around. thats the whole PROBLEM. ignoring it doesnt help. its not like we dont know this already. ITs how do we get rid of them while building them back up. we did this in irag. And we do it in afghanastan as well I am sure. You make it seem way to cut and dry. again what we build they will destroy if they are still around. thats the whole PROBLEM. ignoring it doesnt help. its not like we dont know this already. ITs how do we get rid of them while building them back up. we did this in irag. And we do it in afghanastan as well I am sure. You make it seem way to cut and dry.

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