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2009-10-08 Home Front: Politix
'Code Pink' rethinks call for Afghanistan pullout - Afghan women told them troops critical
Kabul, Afghanistan - When Medea Benjamin stood up in a Kabul meeting hall this weekend to ask Masooda Jalal if she would prefer more international troops or more development funds, the cofounder of US antiwar group Code Pink was hoping her fellow activist would support her call for US troop withdrawal.

She was disappointed.

Ms. Jalhal, the former Afghan minister of women, bluntly told her both were needed. "It is good for Afghanistan to have more troops – more troops committed with the aim of building peace and against war, terrorism, and security – along with other resources," she answered. "Coming together they will help with better reconstruction." Without international troops armed groups could return with a vengeance – and that would leave women most vulnerable.

Though Afghans have their grievances against the international troops' presence, chief among them civilian casualties, many fear an abrupt departure would create a dangerous security vacuum to be filled by predatory and rapacious militias. Many women, primary victims of such groups in the past, are adamant that international troops stay until a sufficient number of local forces are trained and the rule of law established.

During their weeklong visit here, in which they met with government officials, politicians, ministers, women activists, and civil society groups, the small team of Code Pink members had hoped to gather evidence to bolster their call for US troop withdrawal within two years, and capitalize on growing anxiety back home about the war. While the group hasn't dropped its call for a pullout, the visit convinced them that setting a deadline isn't in Afghanistan's interests, say Ms. Benjamin and fellow cofounder Jodie Evans.
I must regroup. I did not consider them capable of learning from those living in the real world.
Posted by trailing wife  2009-10-08 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11134 views ]  Top

#1 ...must have been the altitude and rarefied air. Then again, they could have been down wind from an opium burn.
Posted by Procopius2k 2009-10-08 08:40||   2009-10-08 08:40|| Front Page Top

#2 This seems to be at odds with what Ms. Benjamin was saying last night in her interview on the O'Reilly factor. She was adamantly against any troop increase over there although she didn't call for a total immediate withdrawal, either.
Posted by eltoroverde 2009-10-08 09:14||   2009-10-08 09:14|| Front Page Top

#3 OReilly told her her problem was dealing with reality!She wanted to spend the money for troops to pay off the Taliban so they wouldn't be bad guys anymore!
Posted by Lumpy Elmoluck5091 2009-10-08 09:32||   2009-10-08 09:32|| Front Page Top

#4 Well, she can't exactly climb down from her position entirely, that would admit she was wrong in the first place.

Just set her in the corner and let her babble.

And she needs to realize that nobody on the planet wants these troops to be there. They need to be there, which is different. She probably has her desires confused with what the world needs, and figures if she gets rid of the troops then the problem will go away. I'd like her to have to live there after the troop pullout and see how she feels about the timing of the whole thing then.
Posted by gorb 2009-10-08 12:14||   2009-10-08 12:14|| Front Page Top

#5 Just set her in the corner and let her babble.
Sorry for this outburst BUT, WHO IN THEIR RIGHT FREAKIN' MIND GIVES A SHEEEEEET ABOUT ANYTHING THIS WOMAN HAS TO SAY........She is an insignificant little piss ant...I can't believe O'Riely of all people is giving her air time.
Posted by armyguy 2009-10-08 13:40||   2009-10-08 13:40|| Front Page Top

#6 Prove it, Ms. Benjamin. Head on over to the WH and bitch slap Mama Sheehan.
Posted by Woozle Uneter9007 2009-10-08 14:03||   2009-10-08 14:03|| Front Page Top

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