Many moons ago, as a younger man, I watched the tragedy of the Vietnamese war unfold. I can remember the bombing of Hanoi, the naked girl fleeing napalm, the My Lai massacre, Agent Orange and the resulting defoliation and birth defects. I can remember the bravery and tenacity of the Vietcong and the pictures of young Americans carrying their wounded comrades to waiting helicopters. Strangely, however, the pictures that caused me the most upset were beamed across the world during the final day of the final act of this bloody drama. We watched as frantic crowds of young and old men women and children pleaded to be allowed onto the last helicopters as the last Americans were evacuated from Saigon. Hundreds of thousands of South Vietnamese who had ‘pledged allegiance’ to the American banner were, during that final day, deserted and betrayed.
A few weeks ago our son travelled through Vietnam with his girl friend. They found a beautiful country enjoying yet another year of peace. Yes unexploded U.S.bombs and land mines still maim and kill. Yes birth defects related to defoliants still impact the lives on the North Vietnamese and yet, overall, life , especially rural life, has returned to its pre-war tranquillity. Peace and lasting stability required the withdrawal of U.S. military might. Although many South Vietnamese were ‘betrayed’ and forced into ‘re education camps’ after the South fell under communist control, overall, if press accounts are to be believed, most returned to ordinary life relatively unscathed.
Today President Obama has to determine whether or not another generation of Americans should be sacrificed in the name of ‘freedom and democracy’. Should he listen to arguments about ‘credibility’ and ’dominoes’ or opt for the planned but relatively speedy removal of N.A.T.O, forces from Afghanistan.
Even before the first G.I. landed on Afghan soil. battle hardened generals of the old Soviet Union, could probably have provided a few words of useful advice.
When Bin Laden’s fanatical followers brought down the Twin Towers on the eleventh of September a military response was inevitable. The global outrage following the attack meant that America’s understandable desire for revenge was quickly satisfied. Bin Laden’s safe haven was ‘destroyed’ and many of his followers were killed. A by product of this act of revenge was the toppling of the indefensible Taliban regime. Let there be no mistake about this however, no matter how N.A.T.O. apologisst wish to rewrite history, Afghanistan was invaded in order that Bin Laden’s terrorist network , a threat to the U.S. and it’s allies, could be destroyed. If, prior to September 11 anyone had argued that N.A.T.O. countries should sacrifice the lives of our soldiers and infinite resources in order to bring freedom and democracy to Afghans, they would have been dismissed as members of some rabid lunatic fringe.Today, however, N.A.T.O. finds itself 'occupying' Afghanistan. Each day trust between N.A.T.O. forces is being eroded as acts of apparent treachery committed by 'Taliban supporters' within the security forces, result in further deaths and mutilations. The Taliban, H.M.G. and the American President know full well that ordinary voters on both sides of the Atlantic will nor stand idly by as week after week flag draped coffins are paraded along their city streets.Psychologists will, no doubt agree that as a 'them and us' mentality becomes a common characteristic of N.A.T.O soldiers that My Lai type massacres will more and more likely to occur.When a Western reporter was recently rescued from the Taliban, his Afghan translator was shot dead.Who. we should ask, are best placed to conduct such rescue attempts, N.A.T.O. troops or Afghan security forces? Perhaps the judgement made is overly harsh but the point has been made.
However, before proceeding further, it is valuable, at this point in the discussion, to consider the Afghan perspective.I can, without doubt in my mind, say categorically, that any N.A.T.O. politician who has not yet read 'A Thousand Splendid Suns'by Khaled Hosseini should immediately, without reflection, take time out and do so. Only by 'experiencing' what ordinary Afghans have been through can an outsider understand that what they really need, what they all deserve, is not some temporary, unstable politically correct, corruptly elected government, but peace in their time.
Afghans have good memories and will not easily forget what hardship and misery the Taliban brought to their lives. The following quotation gives an outsider a glimpse of what life must have been like for the relatively sophisticated Kabul citizenry following the execution of Najibullah.He was dragged from the U.N. headquarters, tortured and executed and his lifeless body was then dragged through the streets.As with Sebrinika the U.N. and all it's 'civilized' supporters became ineffective onlookers.Then the citizens of Kabul ,like Afghans in other towns and cities, were at the mercy of religious fanatics.
Extract
"Our watan is known as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.These are the laws that we will enforce and you will obey.
All citizens must pray five times a day.If it is prayer time and you are caught doing something other, you will be beaten.
All men will grow their beards.The correct length is at least one clenched fist beneath the chin.if you do not abide by this you will be beaten....
Singing is forbidden.
Dancing is forbidden.
Playing cards, playing chess, gambling and kite flying are forbidden.
Writing books, watching films and painting pictures are forbidden.
If you keep paraqueets you will be beaten.Your birds will be killed.
If you steal your hand will be cut of at the wrist. if you steal again your foot will be cut off.
If you are not Muslim,do not worship where you can be seen by Muslims.If you do you will be beaten and imprisoned. if you re caught trying to convert a Muslim you will be executed.
Attention women:
You will stay inside the house at all times.It is not proper for women to wonder aimlessly about the streets.if you go outside, you must be accompanied by a
mahram,a male relative.If you are caught alone on the street you will be beaten and sent home.
/you will, under no circumstances, show your face.You will cover with a burqa when outside.if you do not you will be severely beaten.
Cosmetics are forbidden.
Jewelry is forbidden.
You will not wear charming clothes.
You will not speak unless spoken to
.
You will not make eye contact with men.
You will not laugh in public. if you do you will be beaten.
You will not paint your nails.if you do you will lose a finger.
Girls are forbidden from attending school.All schools for girls will be closed immediately.
Women are forbidden from working.
If you are found guilty of adultery you will be stoned to death.
Listen.Listen well. Obey. Allah-u-akbar
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From 'A Thousand Splendid Suns'.
It is safe to say that there are hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of ordinary Afghan men and women who reject nearly all, if not everything that the Taliban stand for.It should be our goal to turn these citizens into a powerful political even military force.We did not ask Afghans to fight for our freedom when Hitler's forces faced us across the Channel so progressive Afghans should not expect our young men to fight their battles for them.What the West and progressive Islamic governments should do is provide the funds, inspiration, expertise and technology
the rejectionists require to defeat the Taliban with their own hands.If, at the end of the day, Afghan women can work, get an education and show their faces in public while their husbands and sons enjoy kites and games of chess, what will it matter if their government is an authoritarian dictatorship? Put yourself in their place.
Question. How did Turkish and Egyptian women escape from the burqa?
RJMA
To be continued.
.