War-torn Afghanistan
So, i was working on my required summer reading and one book on the list was "My Forbidden Face" which is a book written by an afghan girl who grew up under Taliban rule. It's a really good book that was probably even better in its original language and it really makes you think about US foreign policy, because you get the chance to look at it from another person's point of view.
Bush has said that his goal in foreign policy is to spread freedom and democracy across the globe. Surely, no one could have a problem with a goal like that, since democracy is widely considered a very good thing. I will discuss whether or not he has been doing anything remotely close to spreading democracy a little later, but first i want to relate the story of US foreign policy in Afghanistan.
It is a story of selfish interests and pretended ignorance, of catastrophic nearsightedness and reckless abandonment.
WWII. The Western Democracies mobilized against the threat of fascism. When Hitler made the poor desicion to invade Russia (probably because he was taking so many drugs at the time) the USSR entered the war and expanded west. Thus the Cold War was born.
The Cold War. Named partially for the fact that it wasn't officially a war and partially because it was fought in Russia, which is really cold. In order to realize the USSR's imperialistic dreams (the very dreams that they preached against when fighting the fascists, but what can you do when you're a superpower), the Great Communist State invaded Afghanistan to bring Great Reforms and Modern Freedoms to that country. Thus our story begins.
America immediantly responded by helping the mujahadeen (apology for the spelling errors) fight the Soviets. America did this to stop the 'spread of godless communism' (they really loved that phrase in the 50's. Ever wonder why 'under god' is in the pledge of allegiance? 50's!)
Of course, America wasn't concerned with what would replace the communists, and so we quickly abandoned Afghanistan after the Soviets withdrew.
Thus eventually the (Pakistan-supported) Taliban invaded. Most were probably not educated enough to read, which made it quite easy for them to horribly mistranslate the Koran (I use the term 'mistranslate' losely, 'make up stuff' might be slightly more appropriate). For many years rockets had daily pounded into Kabul, but the author of "My Forbidden Face" says that the oppressive silence of the Taliban was worse.
Little by little the Taliban took away every right the Afghan women had. Since women were not allowed to go outside without a male escort, widows and other women without families were forced to starve to death in their own homes. Thus it was that the Taliban finally took away the right of Afghan women to live. To live.
But the Taliban were not communists, so the U.S. didn't care much. We had won the fight against the godless communists! Oh glorious day! With the fall of communism every single last threat to world peace had been removed.
But then, what's this? September 11th? Are you telling me that if we ignore dictatorial regimes that oppress their people it could someday come back to haunt us?
Bush was right to invade Afghanistan and kick out the Taliban. The act of removing Saddam Hussein itself is not bad (though the manner in which it was done was a horrible bungle).
But Bush is no hero. He is good friends with the Saudis who also oppress their people and don't do much to stop terrorism (how many 9/11 hijackers were Saudis? A lot). And of course. In the modern Crusade against the middle east most people have forgotten about the crises in Africa. Dictators abound there, and it is only a matter of time before they realize the power of nukes.
Oh, and North Korea has nukes and is led by a psycho for a leader. It is not what i would consider a "diplomatic problem".
End.
Bush has said that his goal in foreign policy is to spread freedom and democracy across the globe. Surely, no one could have a problem with a goal like that, since democracy is widely considered a very good thing. I will discuss whether or not he has been doing anything remotely close to spreading democracy a little later, but first i want to relate the story of US foreign policy in Afghanistan.
It is a story of selfish interests and pretended ignorance, of catastrophic nearsightedness and reckless abandonment.
WWII. The Western Democracies mobilized against the threat of fascism. When Hitler made the poor desicion to invade Russia (probably because he was taking so many drugs at the time) the USSR entered the war and expanded west. Thus the Cold War was born.
The Cold War. Named partially for the fact that it wasn't officially a war and partially because it was fought in Russia, which is really cold. In order to realize the USSR's imperialistic dreams (the very dreams that they preached against when fighting the fascists, but what can you do when you're a superpower), the Great Communist State invaded Afghanistan to bring Great Reforms and Modern Freedoms to that country. Thus our story begins.
America immediantly responded by helping the mujahadeen (apology for the spelling errors) fight the Soviets. America did this to stop the 'spread of godless communism' (they really loved that phrase in the 50's. Ever wonder why 'under god' is in the pledge of allegiance? 50's!)
Of course, America wasn't concerned with what would replace the communists, and so we quickly abandoned Afghanistan after the Soviets withdrew.
Thus eventually the (Pakistan-supported) Taliban invaded. Most were probably not educated enough to read, which made it quite easy for them to horribly mistranslate the Koran (I use the term 'mistranslate' losely, 'make up stuff' might be slightly more appropriate). For many years rockets had daily pounded into Kabul, but the author of "My Forbidden Face" says that the oppressive silence of the Taliban was worse.
Little by little the Taliban took away every right the Afghan women had. Since women were not allowed to go outside without a male escort, widows and other women without families were forced to starve to death in their own homes. Thus it was that the Taliban finally took away the right of Afghan women to live. To live.
But the Taliban were not communists, so the U.S. didn't care much. We had won the fight against the godless communists! Oh glorious day! With the fall of communism every single last threat to world peace had been removed.
But then, what's this? September 11th? Are you telling me that if we ignore dictatorial regimes that oppress their people it could someday come back to haunt us?
Bush was right to invade Afghanistan and kick out the Taliban. The act of removing Saddam Hussein itself is not bad (though the manner in which it was done was a horrible bungle).
But Bush is no hero. He is good friends with the Saudis who also oppress their people and don't do much to stop terrorism (how many 9/11 hijackers were Saudis? A lot). And of course. In the modern Crusade against the middle east most people have forgotten about the crises in Africa. Dictators abound there, and it is only a matter of time before they realize the power of nukes.
Oh, and North Korea has nukes and is led by a psycho for a leader. It is not what i would consider a "diplomatic problem".
End.
posted by Placeholder at 11:32 AM
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