Afghanistan - the reality

[ahinton]

It would be nice to see an interpretation of Jesus' alleged words:

"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." (Matthew 5:44)

which could provide a justification for invading countries and bombing people. Just asking.

Only just seen this - apologies. Very well said!

[ahinton]

Women human rights defenders include activists, journalists, teachers, health professionals and politicians. These are exceptional women doing often ordinary jobs, risking their safety to speak out for women's rights and work to defend women's human rights in Afghanistan.

The work that they do puts them at serious risk. In recent months two female parliamentarians have been attacked and the last two most senior female police officers in Helmand province have been murdered. This September, Sushmita Banerjee, a well-known author who had written about life under the Taliban was dragged from her home, shot 15 times and left to die.

The UK government has an opportunity to make a big difference to the lives of these women and the women they represent across Afghanistan. Our government needs to lead on supporting and protecting women's human rights defenders in Afghanistan.

https://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions/stop-violence-against-women-activists-afghanistan?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=niche_email&utm_campaign=women&utm_content=button1

Perhaps readers might like to make contact with their MP about this?

Yes, they might well and for eminently good reason - but fat chance that the current "adminstration" would take the slightest notice, sadly...

[amateur51]

Only just seen this - apologies. Very well said!

Yes indeed.

If only ...

[amateur51]

Yes, they might well and for eminently good reason - but fat chance that the current "adminstration" would take the slightest notice, sadly...

Is that the current administration in Westminster or in Washington or in Kabul?

[ahinton]

Is that the current administration in Westminster or in Washington or in Kabul?

Any and all, for the record, but it happened to be the Westminster one in particular to which I was referring at the time of writing and I apologise if indeed I made this fact insufficiently clear...

[amateur51]

Any and all, for the record, but it happened to be the Westminster one in particular to which I was referring at the time of writing and I apologise if inded I made this fact insufficiently clear...

Well I've bunged off a missive to Sarah Teather MP for what it's worth - she's been behaving quite well of late.

[aeolium]

This forthcoming two-part documentary on the UK's involvement in the war in Afghanistan may be worth watching (part 1 this Sunday):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04nd3rq

The BBC's coverage of this conflict has imv been poor, with far too many interviews with politicians and senior military and not enough with diplomats, historians and other specialists in the region. It would be good if this documentary belatedly provided some more searching analysis.