To withdraw, or not to withdraw: that is the question. President Obama has slated next July as the time to remove U.S. troops from Afghanistan, and the decision has met with both opposition and sighs of relief. Will it be enough time to establish a stable government? Should we see July 2011 as the beginning of a mere phase-out of troops and not a full-scale withdrawal? What does this mean for the people of Afghanistan?
One particular group of people has had an interesting ride throughout the time of U.S. occupation: Afghan women. Many critics of the U.S.'s involvement in Afghanistan say that prior to our presence, when the Taliban was in power, the majority of people felt safer and had a better way of life. What we tend to forget is that many countries, especially Middle Eastern countries, are not as advanced in the way of women's rights as we or other westernized nations are. The majority of Middle Eastern countries are founded upon Sharia law, or the holy law of Islam. As we know, the law has been subjected to twists and turns by Islamic extremists to justify violent acts, including the stoning and marital abuse of women.
Fear that U.S. troop withdrawal in July 2011 will lead to a Taliban resurgence is not unfounded. In mid-August, a young Afghani couple was condemned to death by stoning because they had eloped against the wishes of their families. Another young woman had her ears and nose sliced off because she escaped an abusive relationship with her husband. This is all coming after the world thought Afghan women would be given a chance when the Taliban retreated in 2001. They left their homes without approval from their husbands, some ran for political office, many more attended school.
In April 2009, the Taliban passed a new law on Afghan home life with three different prongs. "One makes it illegal for a woman to resist her husband's sexual advances. A second provision requires a husband's permission for a woman to work outside the home or go to school. And a third makes it illegal for a woman to refuse to ‘make herself up' or ‘dress up' if that is what her husband wants," according to The New York Times. About 300 angry Afghan women marched two miles to the Parliament building in Kabul, and presented a petition to President Karzai. Karzai has asked his justice ministers to look it over, and many protesters believe this means many of the controversial parts of the law will be removed.
When the U.S. began its occupation of Afghanistan, there were massive efforts by both the military and civilians to establish security and build up other areas of the country's infrastructure. One civilian who stands out especially is Greg Mortenson, who built dozens of schools primarily for young women in Taliban territory. He wrote two books chronicling his journey and the stories and struggles of many young women in Afghanistan. The first is entitled Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace…One School At A Time and the second is Stones into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books, Not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Ihighly recommend reading these, as they represent the kinds of efforts the U.S. should be making. If we cannot completely suppress the Taliban, perhaps the population can become literate and educated enough to better defend themselves should we actually withdraw in July 2011.
We know we are currently the most powerful nation in the world — we need to take proper advantage of this before we can no longer claim this title.
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