kirbygirl87
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According to CommonDreams.org, "Women's rights groups in Canada and the United States are butting heads over the planned withdrawal of NATO troops from Afghanistan, and whether it will benefit the women of the war-torn country or will simply intensify their pain and suffering."
Wow!
"This is not an issue of security for the United States and Canada. We have 15 million women in (Afghanistan). If they are not secured, there will be a humanitarian catastrophe of immense proportions. It will be a terrible mistake and these countries will live to regret it,'' said Esther Hyneman, a board member for the New York-based group Women for Afghan Women.
So, what does that say? Do we pull out of Afghanistan at the risk of more torment and pain being brought to the women who continue to risk their lives daily for other women or do we stay and risk the lives of our soldiers and women in battle who have continuously fought for our safety?
This is a tough call but a great time to generate discussion on Afghanistan and how American Troops being their benefits the people or cause more harm once they pull away the resources the people have relied on so heavily for the last couple of years. Women in Afghan have been fighting hard for the women's safety during this violent time. Women are said to have been harassed, rape, and violently beaten for standing up for themselves and making sure their voice is heard during this tumultuous war.
The group has called for an increase in the number of US troops and an extension of their mission.
Without it, Hyneman says, she believes the country will fall easily back into the hands of the Taliban, which will destroy any progress made in improving the lives of women.
So, again I ask you, what do we do? Do we increase troops and resources just for the protection of Afghan women or do we pull out and run the risk of more violence and bloodshed of women?
According to CommonDreams.org, "The planned withdrawal of Canadian troops from Afghanistan is set for 2011. U.S. President Barack Obama announced earlier this month he would inject 300, 000 more troops into the country before also initiating a pullout at the same time as Canada."
``We would have to pull out (of the country) too,'' Hyneman said. ``Our local staff, about 100 local Afghans, will be in serious danger. I don't know how they'll protect themselves if these cities and provinces fall to the Taliban.''
A Canadian military presence helps maintain a level of security that gives organizations the freedom to operate schools and increase access to health care, said Lauryn Oates.
``In essence, we think the military should definitely be there,'' said Oates, a program director for Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan. ``If there are no international troops, there would be a civil war on a much bloodier scale than what we're seeing now.''
Many are still worried that if the troops pull out that women will have to return to the day of the Taliban during the 1990s, where women couldn't work outside their homes, education not being allowed, and even forced marriages for young girls.
But, not every Women's Rights Organization wants to see an increase of troops or even for the troops to stay in such a dangerous situation.
Judy Rebick, a Ryerson University professor and social justice advocate, said life couldn't get much worse for women in Afghanistan and it's time for the troops to leave.
``Even though women have more access to school and there are women in parliament, the level of violence against women is much higher and the unpredictability of it is much worse,'' Rebick said. ``Women are just as oppressed now by the warlords in some places. My view is that you don't liberate people by occupation.''
So, what do they do? Do they increase and risk the lives of the American Soldiers? or Pull Out and Risk the lives of the Afghan Women?
According to CommonDreams.org, "Joya co-wrote a book about Afghanistan with Derrick O'Keefe, a Canadian activist and co-founder of StopWar.ca, and in it calls for the end of the military presence in Afghanistan."
``The war was always waged under false pretences,'' O'Keefe said. ``It's never been about women's rights. The longer we stay in Afghanistan, the worse the eventual situation is going to be for women and people . . . in general.''
My Thoughts...
What are your thoughts? This is deep.
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