Women’s rights are obviously not at the forefront of Pashtun or Afghan culture, and I disagree with how they treat women. But I think it will take some time for the culture to change. I don’t think it is some kind of failure on our part that we haven’t be able to do more to change their traditional way of doing things. It’s a tricky issue, too. Where is the line between universal rights for women and respect for indigenous culture? Forget about the U.S. as an occupying power for a moment and think about our obligations as a member of the United Nations.
Aren’t we supposed to support protections against child marriage, polygamy and violence against women? Why do the Pashtun think such protections are anti-Islamic? Polygamy I can understand, but child marriage?
It’s their country and we ought to leave, but all people should be concerned about how women are treated in Afghanistan.
