[Stirner]

This is an tough, inflammatory situation. I hate the way women are treated in Afghanistan, but it is a deep-seated part of their culture, and will only change slowly, if at all. When ordinary villagers hear about women being searched, they probably will go (even more) nuts. I hope to hell the searches were conducted by women. If an unrelated male (especially a foreigner) goes under some woman's veil, it is a killing offense.

[meenie]

Vaht else iss under der Burkha?

[grania]

I hate the way women are treated in Afghanistan, but it is a deep-seated part of their culture, and will only change slowly, if at all.

When the troops went into Afghanistan, I thought it would be a relatively quick expedition to get the bad guys, maybe tighten up the Pakistani border, and get out.

We shouldn't be trying to change that culture. If the women use their burquas to hide weapons, well, it kind of indicates how interested they are in Western style reforms. We really shouldn't be trying to change a culture and society that is so different from our own.