And you thought the Catholics had all the trouble

[Gravekeeper]

We can't fix them, but we can help their society evolve and progress to a point where they can fix the problems themselves. Have them see that women and girls ARE people by treating them as such. Give the more liberal and moderate people a strong voice so that they can be heard.

Restrict weapons usage and punish those who abuse others' human rights. Extra punishment if they use their religion to justify it. This will be hard, since we've used our religions before to justify human atrocities and Americans are very fond of guns and the Second Amendment, but hey, we don't have to worry about living near terrorist groups. They do.

If it was that easy we'd have already accomplished it in the preceding 13 years we've been there. What you suggest would require complete totalitarian control of the country. Which would require more manpower and resources than NATO can muster. This is not an industrialized nation. Most of it is basically hills, mountains, desert and caves. With poorly controlled borders with Pakistan and Iran on top of that. It also has the most notoriously corrupt government in the world.

[cindybubbles]

If it was that easy we'd have already accomplished it in the preceding 13 years we've been there. What you suggest would require complete totalitarian control of the country. Which would require more manpower and resources than NATO can muster. This is not an industrialized nation. Most of it is basically hills, mountains, desert and caves. With poorly controlled borders with Pakistan and Iran on top of that. It also has the most notoriously corrupt government in the world.

That's why I said it would be so hard, and not just because of our love of guns and because of our own actions. However, because we are withdrawing, the women and girls fear that they are slowly losing their rights which they have gained when we came.

[Gravekeeper]

That's why I said it would be so hard, and not just because of our love of guns and because of our own actions. However, because we are withdrawing, the women and girls fear that they are slowly losing their rights which they have gained when we came.

Afghanistan is a NATO coalition security force remember, not an American one.

While it is true that women's rights and education has improved ( at least in more stabilized areas NATO keeps an eye on. ) the situation as a whole is a complete quagmire. Its not that Afghanistan supports the Taliban. The vast majority oppose it. But they're between a rock and a hard place. The Afghanistan government and military are horribly corrupt ( and became more corrupt during the occupation than before it ) so people do not trust them. But US troops draw Taliban attacks simply by being American so not everyone wants them around either. Much of the livelihood of people in remote regions also comes from the opium trade. Which in turn finances the Taliban ( and the bulk of it is sold to Russia ). But we can't shut that down without damning people to poverty and turning them against us. Toss in a number of high profile war crimes by US troops and its a mess.

So many Afghans want America gone at this point. While different from Iraq, US troops and assets have a similar issue in Afghan as they do in Iraq. Which is rather than driving terrorists out their presence provides terrorists with an easily accessible target and draws them in instead.

[cindybubbles]

Well, what can our countries do to help, then? We can't just sit back and do nothing.

[Gravekeeper]

Well, what can our countries do to help, then? We can't just sit back and do nothing.

Arguably this entire mess is because the US has never been capable of sitting back and doing nothing. Both Al-Qaeda and the Taliban were originally financed by the US to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars never mind however much they made by the US turning a blind eye to their opium production. They were made to be a proxy force for the US in Afghanistan to fight the Soviets. They ended up becoming a proxy force for the US, Pakistan ( The US paid Pakistan to train them and Pakistan instead used them as a proxy for for regional expansion ), Saudi Arab ( Who provided and arguably still does provide millions of dollars in funding ) and Iran.

The entire problem is because everyone keeps sticking their thumbs in the pie. The US wanted to stop the evil Commies and in doing so created their next opponent.

Any interference in the region should be strictly humanitarian and strictly under UN peace corp troops.

[cindybubbles]

All right! I concede! You are right. For real.

I must admit, you are the bona fide expert here, but I just have to ask you this: how the heck do you find the time to research everything?

[Kheldarson]

All right! I concede! You are right. For real.

I must admit, you are the bona fide expert here, but I just have to ask you this: how the heck do you find the time to research everything?

Because that's literally all he can do anymore?

[Gravekeeper]

Because that's literally all he can do anymore?

^
.....<sob>

[Kheldarson]

^
.....<sob>

I'm sorry I shouldn't have been so blunt.

[cindybubbles]

I'm the one who should be sorry; I shouldn't have asked.

I asked, Gravekeeper, because you seem to be an expert on all the issues that are posted here on Fratching. I don't know about your current situation, so I wondered how you could make time in your busy life to do all the research. That's all.

I won't bother you again about it, and if I do, you can hold me to it.

Sorry.

[Gravekeeper]

No worries, I'm not sensitive about it. I'm technically and soon to be legally disabled right now is all. Hence I have the time to research things. I don't exactly get out of the house much nowadays.

[cindybubbles]

No worries, I'm not sensitive about it. I'm technically and soon to be legally disabled right now is all. Hence I have the time to research things. I don't exactly get out of the house much nowadays.

Ok, thanks. Hope you are doing well.

[Panacea]

No worries, I'm not sensitive about it. I'm technically and soon to be legally disabled right now is all. Hence I have the time to research things. I don't exactly get out of the house much nowadays.

That sucks Is there any chance you can go back to school or be retrained for something?

[Gravekeeper]

That sucks Is there any chance you can go back to school or be retrained for something?

Yes, Canadian disability comes with the option of vocational rehabilitation / retraining to try and fit you to a new vocation that works with your disability. So, we'll see in the long run I guess. But I am still in the arduous process of just trying to be stable never mind anything else.

[Panacea]

Yes, Canadian disability comes with the option of vocational rehabilitation / retraining to try and fit you to a new vocation that works with your disability. So, we'll see in the long run I guess. But I am still in the arduous process of just trying to be stable never mind anything else.

I'm sorry to hear it. Well, if you can't even get your pain under control (and I'm assuming that's still an issue), it's hard to retrain for new work.

I wish it were possible for physically disabled folks to have jobs that require only a few hours a week or to job share or something. I suppose if someone figured out how to spread a single job among four or five disabled folks who put in what their bodies will allow, that someone would be a millionaire.