Afstan: "On That Law"--and some things personal

Some points of detail on the female human rights controversy, from The Canada-Afghanistan Blog, that one can guarantee will not be considered in the Canadian major media (or by some bloggers, see further down this post)--take a look here.

More here and here. And more, maybe, on a reason "Why we fight" (via George Wallace):

Female politician's murder a 'blow' to Afghan society
The brutal murder of a female member of Kandahar's Provincial Council on Sunday afternoon is "a big blow" to Afghan society, says the council's chair.

Slain Afghan women's rights advocate had Canadian ties
Canadian relatives of a women's rights advocate slain in southern Afghanistan over the weekend say they warned her of the dangers of working in the country.

And this from Terry Glavin:

Sitara Achakzai Is Dead.

Gunned down in Kandahar. The Taliban has claimed responsibility...

But, gosh, the Karzai government--or any other Taliban alternative--is just as bad, indeed morally equivalent, right [links in original]?

...
Besides the inevitable support for the cause from milbloggers who have a stake in the mission, an ever-decreasing number of gung-ho civilian apologists for the doomed cause, like Terry Glavin and the vulgar puppet show known as the "Canada-Afghanistan Solidarity Committee," are grasping at fewer and fewer straws.

A full year ago, the signs of the Talibanification of the Karzai regime were already becoming apparent. In fact, when it comes to the judiciary, the rot set in well before that. Then, more recently, came a law that apparently applies to only one section of the population, but puts women in their mediaeval place...

Disclosure: I am a founding member of the Canada Afghanistan Solidarity Committee. Such a "vulgar puppet" am I. Wish I knew who was pulling my strings; and sure do wish they were paying me. My cover is so deep it blinds even me. I have no "stake in the mission" other than what I conclude based on experience, reading, viewing, listening--and reflection. Plus exposure to other, er, media.

Mark Collins

Update: From, nicely, the Toronto Star (for non-Canadians: the Star--Canada's largest circulation newspaper--is often disparaged by many as the Red Star; nonetheless the paper does not infrequently go well beyond such blinkers:

Is it time to give up in Afghanistan?
Women are still dying, but advocates say fight is worthwhile

Now, just take a look at this:

Afstan: Why writing letters to the Toronto Star (gasp!) can pay off