War and women in Afghanistan

I have to be honest: I was against the war in Afghanistan from the beginning. Before all of the deaths. Before it seemed as though it would stretch on forever. I just don’t believe in war as a way of solving disagreements.

But it seems to me that those who did support the war (like, say, our government) have now lost their last argument. How many times have we been told that all of the death and destruction in Afghanistan was for a higher purpose – that we had to help women in that country have the freedom they do here, and help girls get an education?

Well, the new law passed by the government we support in Afghanistan is about as far from that as you can get. To start with, it legalizes rape within marriage – that’s right, a husband is entitled to sex four times a week, whether or not his wife agrees. Women are also not allowed to leave the home without permission of their husband.

True, at the moment this law applies only to Shia women, which comprise approximately 15% of the population. But isn’t this moving in exactly the wrong direction? We were told Canadians were losing their lives (and taking those of Afghanis) so that women would have more freedom, not less.

The politicians on all sides are expressing their unhappiness with this law, and discussing what they might be able to do about it. There is one thing Canada can do, without winning the support of Hamid Karzai first. We can leave Afghanistan. Now.

Even Stephen Harper has admitted we cannot “win” a war there. It is now obvious we are not having other successes either. Let the Americans stay and add more troops if they so desire, but the best thing Canada can do, for everyone, is bring our soldiers home.