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Week in Review: A Voice from Afghanistan
Barack Obama announced this week that the US would be sending 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan. (No word on how many private contractors would be accompanying them.) He did not explicitly use the Afghan women as justification, but many politicians have, claiming that we cannot leave the women to their fate.
RAWA, the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan, is an underground women’s organization and one of the groups that predicted a long, deadly engagement. Zoya is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of RAWA and she joined us to talk about what would really be best for the women--and all the people--of Afghanistan. The Afghan Women's Mission has coordinated her speaking tour.
Zoya is a pseudonym and her face is obscured to protect her identity.
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Thank you Laura…Thank you Zoya. You are one brave woman. Thank you for your insights. Will spread this interview far and wide
By Leen on December 5th, 2009 at 8:20 am
(I doubt that private contractors will be accompanying the troops. They have to travel on their own.)
Why does Zoya need to protect her identity? Is she afraid of the US troops? Or the private contractors?
By macaquerman on December 5th, 2009 at 8:14 pm
You are kidding, right? Listen to the interview.
By newtonusr on December 5th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
This women should testify before congress.
SHE is an expert on her country, not the blowhards in the DOD, CIA and State Department.
By SanderO on December 5th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
These women are very, very brave figures fighting a quixotic fight. I personally hope that not a single one of them again is “martyred”. My speculation is that Afghanistan is not yet ready for a radical womens’ group.
By sfriendly on December 5th, 2009 at 9:26 pm
We should see a segment that focuses on what the Nobel awards speeches will list as evidence Obama deserves his prize, eh? Maybe they can start with clips from this interview, and move on to . . . what? Bush clips? to contrast? If there was ever an absurd nomination, it turns out Obama does indeed, hold the prize. I wish the woman the very best.
By tompoe on December 5th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
I’m only kidding to the extent that I’m trying to point out that the plight of these women is mainly due to the men of the area.
After listening to Flanders dishonestly try to suggest that the root of the problem rests with the US, I got a little snippy.
The Bush admin never gave a damn about these people, and even if the Obama admin does, how are we going to find a group of people with a decent attitude and promote them into prominence and governance any time soon?
I would like to see someone helping Zoya and the women of RAWA but the likelihood is that no one will.
Saying that the US or someone else should disarm everyone in Afghanistan is the best that she has to offer. That is not even a remote possibility.
The Kalishnikovs are too plentiful and come from too many sources.
Her alternative suggestion that the US simply leave is also unlikely to improve things for her.
By macaquerman on December 5th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
Thanks for presenting RAWA and the Afghan Women’s Mission.
I just wish they’d allow themselves to be audited(?) as a charitable organization, so their authenticity and accountability would be easier to evaluate and recommended.
Bob in AZ
By bobschacht on December 5th, 2009 at 10:27 pm
it is nation building for profits
when we leave like we did in nam they will suffer beyond anything we can imagine.
we are an immoral people trying to pretend we are moral.
we are hated by being in their country
they know history and they know countries are their to stay and steal their resources and use any excuse to do just that.
capitalism is an immoral corrupt system of wealth generation.
the very nature of capitalism is immoral as it is based in survival of the fittest.
the christians support a darwin economic system.
and they dont have a clue they do
By researcher on December 6th, 2009 at 1:18 am
I kinda doubt that nations go to Afghanistan to steal the resources and certainly find it hard to think that we have.
What’s there and what have we taken?
Do you have a clue?
By macaquerman on December 6th, 2009 at 9:51 am
The US military-industrial complex, the neo-con imperialists
and the pro-war Americans are in favor of this war and occupation of Afghanistan.
The only way the US will withdraw from Afghanistan is if it is defeated
by the Afghan people like it was defeated by the Vietnamese people.
By elkojohn on December 8th, 2009 at 4:50 am