Dean: I’m going to continue to be supportive of the president on Afghanistan.

[ProSense]

DEAN: I’m not so sure I’m the liberal wing, but I guess I’m the -- I’m appointed by you the head of the liberal wing or whatever. No, I -- look, I’ve supported the president on this one. I think this is different than Iraq. I think there are people who mean the United States harm over there.

I think -- I was very pleased to say the -- hear the president a few months ago say, “Look, we can’t win this war militarily.” He gets what we have to do here. And it is true that American public opinion is not supportive of the war effort anymore.

I think this does have something to do with security to the United States. I do believe it has something to do with the role of women in these kinds of societies. I think we ought to be supportive of the role of women and their ability to get an education and things like that. I don’t think that’s the only reason we’re there.

But I’m supportive of the president, and I’m going to continue to be supportive of the president on Afghanistan.

link

[ixion]

1. the illegal occupation of Afghanistan is just as lame now as it was under Bush

And I'll support none of it.

[bvar22]

2. Then the good Dr Dean can stand without me on this one.

Out Now!

No Military Objective + No Exit Strategy = Quagmire

How will we know if we win?

[Creena]

3. I stand with Dr. Dean on health care.

But, not on Afghanistan. I don't understand how anyone can support the occupation. How can one support an indefinite war? Where's the end? What's the goal? When is enough, enough?

I wish his view differed on this one. :(

[Deja Q]

4. I agree with him - on both issues.

[goclark]

7. I'm with Dean on this one ~ if we only knew

what Dean and Obama know about the trash left by Bush, we would probably agree with them.

We are not walking in their shoes so IMO we are the sit down quarterbacks that can sit back and relax and complain.


I'll trust them to do the thinking.

[Jennicut]

5. Dean is allowed to have his own opinions.

I was torn over being there but I think its time to go.

[grantcart]

6. As the President has said there are no good choices in Afghanistan

Dr. Dean's response is intelligent and reality based.

[customerserviceguy]

8. Let them fight their own battles

I'm sick of seeing ten to fifteen body bags a week coming home from those places. We're going from babysitting them to adopting them. Neither one needs to be done.

Is it going to suck to be a woman in Afghanistan? When didn't it? And do we really think we're going to change that without shooting a majority of the men there?

[grantcart]

9. From 1959-1989 Women in Afghanistan lived under one of the most liberal regimes

in the Islamic world.




In 1959, the male-oriented government of Prime Minister Daud Khan supported the voluntary removal of the veil and the end of seclusion for women. The 1964 Constitution automatically enfranchised women and guaranteed them the right to education and freedom to work.<1>

For thirty years after 1959 growing numbers of women, most from urban backgrounds, functioned in the public arena with poise and dignity, with no loss of honor to themselves or to their families, and with much credit to the nation. Nevertheless, family pressures, traditional attitudes and religious opposition continued to impose constraints which limited the degree to which women could find self-expression and control their lives.<1>


and this

Following the end of the Second World War, Zahir Shah recognised the need for the modernisation of Afghanistan and recruited a number of foreign advisers to assist with the process.<11> During this period Afghanistan's first modern university was founded.<11> During his reign a number of potential advances and reforms were derailed as a result of factionalism and political infighting.<12>

Zahir Shah was able to govern on his own in 1963<8> and despite the factionalism and political infighting a new constitution was introduced in 1964 which turned Afghanistan into a modern democratic state by introducing free elections, a parliament, civil rights, liberation for women and universal suffrage.<[br />


Afghanistan's strong move to liberation for women and universal suffrage was a direct result of the Soviet Union's invasion and the rise of the Taliban (with the help of the US) to combat the Soviet invasion.

[Hippo_Tron]

10. I think it depends on the part of the country you lived in

Life was much better for women in Kabul or the other major cities. But in many of the tribal areas I think it was a different story.

[grantcart]

11. That is always true

however the tribal areas did not become hyper reactionary until the reaction to the communist invasion.


Pakistan also has had universal sufferage and women politicians.


Most people don't realize that the areas that are currently fundamentalist were largely secular with traditional superstitions and religious practices a few years ago.

In the story of India on PBS they documented how most of the people that lived in rural areas didn't even identify themselves with a particular religion until British census forced themselves to sign up to a particular group.

Up until that time people of Islamic descent would go with their friends to Hindu temples and Hindus would go with their friends to the local Mosque.

Hyper religious identification only arouse in rural areas fairly recently.

[Hippo_Tron]

12. I'm with Feingold on this one

I support the President but we need a clearly defined mission and exit strategy. It makes no sense to stay there for another decade and to try and to conquer the place.

[Sebastian Doyle]

13. Even Howard Dean isn't perfect.

I'm with the good doctor 99% of the time, but I gotta part company with him on this one.

[Mari333]

14. too bad. thumbs down for Dean from me. nt

[Individualist]

16. +1

[spanone]

15. there are many nations who 'mean us harm' should we occupy all of them dr. dean?