Women back under wraps with Taliban vice squad

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19885281-2703,00.html

AFGHANISTAN'S notorious Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which was set up by the Taliban to enforce bans on women doing anything from working to wearing nail varnish or laughing out loud, is to be recreated by the Government in Kabul.

The decision has provoked an outcry among women and human rights activists who fear a return to the days when religious police patrolled the streets, beating or arresting any woman who was not properly covered by a burka or accompanied by a male relative.

"This is a very bad idea at a bad time," said Sam Zia-Zarifi, the Asia research director of Human Rights Watch. "We're close to the edge in Afghanistan. It really could all go wrong and it is alarming that the United Nations and Western governments are not speaking out on this issue."

President Hamid Karzai's cabinet has approved the proposal to re-establish the department, and the measure will go to Afghanistan's parliament when it reconvenes. The conservative complexion of the assembly makes it likely to be passed. snip

Laura Bush took over her husband's weekly radio address in November 2001 to boast that "because of our recent military gains in much of Afghanistan, women are no longer imprisoned in their homes. They can listen to music and teach their daughters without fear of punishment".

[Armstead]

1. Another victory....But no matter. We got bin Laden at least

Er, ah, let me correct myself. We haven;t gotten bin Laden, but at least we liberated Afghanistan.

Er, no that's not it......

What was that war all about again?

[MadMaddie]

2. War in Afghanstan...what war? Not on the front pages can't

be happening....:sarcasm:

[don954]

3. according to our meda, we got the Taliban

great media, hu?

[Monkeyman]

4. Fox News is the best huh

lol

[The_Casual_Observer]

5. As if anybody really expected that half ass cut rate

coup we did was going change the whole society. It won't be long before Karzai is high tailing it to Morocco on an extended vacation, lest he end up hanging from a fruit tree in the palace garden.

[madeline_con]

6. Laura's delusional, and taking medication for it, obviously.

So, Kabul finally caved. It was basically the only area where human rights was making any gains. The rest of the country's been the same as always all along.

What's with the pathological gynophobia?!!

Is that a word? You know what I mean!

[wiley]

7. This is an outrage.

Yet where are all the advocates for human rights now? The tradional media is even covering this, but for reasons other than to stop the brutalization and enslavement of women. Does anybody else agree that really extremist, psychotic religious leaders have hijacked the entire world, victimizing or working on victimizing everyone? Why do Muslims seemingly support their terrorists? Why do Jews seemingly support these terrorists? Why do Christians seemingly support these terrorists? Because that's what they are, terrorists. If Arabs can hook up effective terrorist networks like Hezbollah or Hamas or Al Q'aeda, why can't they create non-terrorist networks that liberate their people? Why can't Jews or Christians do it? Because of the power of religious extremists, and the manipulation of these extremists by others who just care about power. None of these religions really care about the dignity or sanctity or rights of women except as breeding vectors for their perpetuation; good victims to demonstrate punishment for the transgression of the day (or from two or three thousand years ago); and evidence of their masculinity, control over someone, and affirmation of their acceptance into the club. Maybe it's time for at least 99% of the world to be run by women.

[NNN0LHI]

8. This is Bush's Afghanistan now n/t