But But But... FREEDOM (and assorted things like things like it) IS ON THE MARCH!!! Let's all wave Blue Fingers in the air!
what are we fighting for?
I suppose we are fighting for the things that you would wish for Afghani's as well.
The fact that the changes you might want don't happen in the span of a few years hardly invalidates the motive.
Not in span of a few years. Try NEVER, absolute power is too tempting.
Much like the extremists in Canada who cry freedom of speech while all the time doing their damnedest to work to prevent others from exercising the same right, religious and political dogmatists will use people to further "their" ends.
When will the truly decent folk of the world realise that a dogmatist doesn't care for the niceties of civilised life. There is no compromise, no give and take and no respect for both sides. They know for certain exactly how life should be lived and everyone else is wrong end of chat.
Religion and extremist politics the greatest subversive institutions in history and probably the largest cause of misery and death.
The abuse of the Canadian human rights tribunals by the extreme right and religiously motivated recently undermines what is a terrific idea - access to redress for those other than the wealthy.
Afghanistan is another bunch of intolerant, dogmatic, religious old farts using other people to fight their enemies so they can taste the absolute power that the previous lunatics enjoyed.
It really does take dogma for ordinary people to commit evil.
Dr Dawg: I suggest you read this rather more, er, nuanced piece in the Globe and Mail by Doug Saunders in Kabul:
"Afghanistan with a laugh track
Is TV censorship in Kabul really a sign of 're-Talibanization'?"
It is an imperfect world. One awaits your posts on HAMAS internal policy in Gaza, and that of the Iranian government.
And what about Islamist persecution of writers in Bangladesh?
Not to mention similar things in The Netherlands?
You do seem to limit the scope of your outrage.
Mark
Ottawa
Also Dr, do you take the MAWO view?
Mark
Ottawa
Mark:
We already have troops in Afghanistan propping up an Islamist regime. If we had them doing the same thing in Bangladesh, Gaza and the Netherlands, I'd have rather more to say.
Incidentally, I should probably have referenced the Saunders article, which put me on to the other sources I cited. My bad. He doesn't conclude that there isn't re-Talibanization going on, though.
I won't respond to your later query.
Dr Dawg: You err. Not "Islamist" but "Islamic". Check what is on Afghan TV (which the Taliban eliminated). Along with, I believe, most music and kites.
It's all a matter of proportion. You might take that into account rather than demanding absolute, Western, perfection. Unless you are a culturalist unwilling to give Muslims a bit of leeway. What do we accept? Only 100% accordance with our ways (whatever they may now be?). That smacks to me of neocolonialism.
Mark
Ottawa
Mark:
What we have here is a difference of degree--and that difference is narrowing. We are dealing here with more than minor imperfections.
Dr Dawg: "minor imperfections..." In the application of Islam to daily life? Surely then that issue should be your target, not the rest of us.
Mark
Ottawa
So tell me, Mark, how much worse would the Karzai government have to get before you would conclude that Canadian soldiers should not be propping it up? Is there a point, for you, or does it continue to be OK for as long as the US says it is?
Purple Library Guy: Saudi? Sudan? Zimbabwe? Gaza? Actually you might do well to pay attention to UN sources:
Special Representative
Secretary General
But then perhaps you are unaware of all that in your rage against the US.
Mark
Ottawa
More:
Security Council
Security Council
Mark
Ottawa
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