In Memory of George
Animals are special.
This dog gave his life to protect five children from a pit bull attack (there were 2 pit bulls).
In Memory of George
Animals are special.
This dog gave his life to protect five children from a pit bull attack (there were 2 pit bulls).
The United States didn't go to Afghanistan to create an Afghani democratic government; that was Iraq. The U.S. went to Afghanistan to root out Al-Quaeda.
The report that women in Afghanistan are still treated as objects and have no real identity makes we think about the women in Iraq (see CNN's article: http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/05/09/afghan.women/index.html). I haven't heard any profiles on the women in Iraq. How were they treated before Saddam was deposed? How are they treated now?
I did find a report by Human Rights Watch called Background on Women's Status in Iraq Prior to the Fall of the Saddam Hussein Government. It states that before the first Gulf War, Iraqi women had more freedoms than other countries in the Middle East. However, after the fist Gulf War, more restrictions were placed on women "by the last years of Saddam Hussein's government the majority of women and girls had been relegated to traditional roles within the home." I haven't done enough research to see how they're treated now, post Saddam.
I hope that our nation's leaders are considering the women of Iraq in their definition of a democracy. It would seem to me that this is a vital part of any truly democratic nation.
I also wonder why this isn't a priority in Afghanistan: creating a democratic Afghanistan. The United States must have a method of selecting countries to democratize while not attempting it in others. It would seem to me, however, that the motivations for going into Iraq were similar to going into Afghanistan: to root out terrorism and make the world, especially the United States, a safer place (at least thats what we're told).
Maybe we see that Afghanistan isn't culturally ready for democracy, including improving their women's rights, but we see that Iraq is.
The report that women in Afghanistan are still treated as objects and have no real identity makes we think about the women in Iraq (see CNN's article: http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/05/09/afghan.women/index.html). I haven't heard any profiles on the women in Iraq. How were they treated before Saddam was deposed? How are they treated now?
I did find a report by Human Rights Watch called Background on Women's Status in Iraq Prior to the Fall of the Saddam Hussein Government. It states that before the first Gulf War, Iraqi women had more freedoms than other countries in the Middle East. However, after the fist Gulf War, more restrictions were placed on women "by the last years of Saddam Hussein's government the majority of women and girls had been relegated to traditional roles within the home." I haven't done enough research to see how they're treated now, post Saddam.
I hope that our nation's leaders are considering the women of Iraq in their definition of a democracy. It would seem to me that this is a vital part of any truly democratic nation.
I also wonder why this isn't a priority in Afghanistan: creating a democratic Afghanistan. The United States must have a method of selecting countries to democratize while not attempting it in others. It would seem to me, however, that the motivations for going into Iraq were similar to going into Afghanistan: to root out terrorism and make the world, especially the United States, a safer place (at least thats what we're told).
Maybe we see that Afghanistan isn't culturally ready for democracy, including improving their women's rights, but we see that Iraq is.
