When U.S. pulls out, what happens to Afghan women like singer Latifa Azizi?

Latifa Azizi risks her life to sing in public in Afghanistan on the program 'Afghan Star.' (Still snip from video/Afghan Star)Many of us familiar with Afghanistan before the Sept. 11 attacks on America are very concerned about the lack of attention to the future of Afghan women once President Barack Obama finalizes the U.S exit. Afghan singer Latifa Azizi, currently competing on Afghanistan’s equivalent of American Idol, is an example.

Obama rarely touches on the subject; Western media follow suit.

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Tell the U.S. president freedom of speech matters—Malala risked her life for it

Sgt. 1st Class Manuel Delarosa, Provincial Reconstruction Team Zabul, Shinkai Detachment, finds a pair of shoes for a young girl as he helps Afghan National Security Forces distribute winter supplies in Safidar Village, Afghanistan, Feb. 1, 2011. [Photo: U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Brian Ferguson]As Malala Yousufzai rode in a school van in early October,  the van was stopped by men riding on bicycles. One man pointed guns at the children, asking, “Where is Malala?”

The Swat Valley in Northwest Pakistan has a population dominated by Pashtuns or Afghans sympathetic to Taliban. Sharia is the rule of law.

School girls had long become accustomed to oppression of women; that is a hallmark of fundamentalist Muslims and terrorists.

Malala's story isn't just a story about women's rights. Her story is about fundamental human rights.

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Cartoonist riffs on obscure film smokescreen in Mideast

~~Cartoon by Chris Carter, TUSR Asso. Editor 

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Media easier on Obama than Bush in Afghanistan; total body count at 29

Map: CIA World Fact BookDuring the administration of President George W. Bush, reportage on the war in Afghanistan was merciless. Anything bad that happened in that country was attributed to Bush.

On Monday media began to report the beheadings and slashing of 17 civilians in Helmand Province.

The headers announcing that 17 were dead should’ve noted a higher body count. The BBC reported more dead—“10 Afghan army soldiers were killed in a Taliban attack in the same province.”

That total comes to 27 dead, and we’re still not finished.

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Children killed in Green Village attack; tension between Secret Service and Karzai security

President Barack Obama visited ICU at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, May 1, 2012. Obama presented a total of ten Purple Hearts, three of them to soldiers in ICU. [Photo: Pete Souza; US Army website]Late Tuesday evening (U.S. time), messages began to flow about the attacks in Kabul after President Barack Obama’s departure.

As U.S. media published accounts of MSNBC pundit Chris Matthews’ praise for Obama, journalists positioned in Afghanistan were reporting (via social media) the Taliban’s announcement of a new spring offensive dubbed Al-Farooq and the deaths of children in a suicide bombers' attack.

Matthews said of Obama’s visit, "It was right out of Henry V actually, a touch of Barry, in this case, in the night for those soldiers risking their lives over there..."

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Few facts, many questions after U.S. soldier’s alleged shootings in Afghanistan

Credit: CIA World Fact BookFrom the moment I heard about the case involving a U.S. soldier allegedly shooting civilians in Afghanistan, things just didn’t feel right.

I knew there was a lot of insider killing going on, but that had been Afghans killing International Security Assistance Force soldiers.

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Killings, Taliban and the war on drugs in Afghanistan

Poppies grow a year after a prescribed burn, rebounding despite the removal of ground cover. (Photo—Daniel K Carpenter [Presidio]; US Army Image Gallery)

"Since Jan1 NATO's burnt 86741lbs pot, 13600lbs hash, 990lbs pot seeds & (shocker) only 15lbs opium in Panjwai alone (ISAF press releases)"
--John Wendle, a freelancer for Time, via Twitter.

The latest crisis in Afghanistan stemmed from the alleged killing of civilians by a U.S soldier. Not much is known yet, but officials and civilians in Kandahar as well as President Hamid Karzai want justice delivered swiftly. On Tuesday, Time magazine said two of Karzai’s brothers were in a delegation of officials who were fired on by Taliban. Fact is the Taliban is heavily into the drug trade and ISAF forces are busy disrupting that trade.

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