Tough Love in Afghanistan and Elsewhere

I have said that I have no love for the hateful treatment of women and children in Afghanistan, and, indeed, much of the Islamic world.  Save your letters trying to promote Islamic, “elevation” and, “protection” of its women.  I don’t buy any part of it.  This is a culture where women can’t drive, can’t walk in public save in the company of a close male relative, and are routinely beheaded for reasons that gets prison time with probation in this country.   And then, of course, there are the ridiculous requirements of clothing that make my 90 year old mother look like a hussy.  Again, save your letters.  I am a religiously tolerant person.  You get to practice any religion you want and I get to have my opinion of its practices. 

            I have also said that I admire the work of Pulitzer Prize winning historian Frederick Jackson Turner.  His landmark work in detecting and defining the unique American character, derived from our continuous Westward Movement and frontier mentality, gave scientific veracity to what it meant to be an, “American.”  Since I got my undergraduate degree in the mid-1960’s, about the time that Turner’s, “Frontier Thesis” was being rejected by more liberal historians I am lucky to have had exposure to Turner and his teachings.  I should also point out that while I lived through the, “sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll” 60’s I was never a part of them.  When you go to college on your own dime and a $5/week grocery budget you don’t have much opportunity for nonsense.  [Thank you, God, for letting me grow up poor!] 

            Turner’s reflection on the American character provides us with both a reason to get our troops out of Afghanistan, and a way to still provide help to those who deserve it.  First, his assertion that you can not give democracy to those who have never experienced it is absolutely correct.  Democracy isn’t just a way of governance; it is an expression of the soul.  Second, the frontier values of independence, self-sufficiency and egalitarianism could show us how to both educate and assist people who want something better.  In Turners view, charity for others is a moral imperative, not a government mandate.  It is time we took that idea and used it to guide our foreign policy.  If you want our aid, we are duty bound to give it to you, but only if your actions reflect like mindedness with our own. 

I wouldn’t give a dime to Afghanistan’s government.  But if they want us to build a school for girls, or a hospital for women, or even driving lessons for girls I would be all over that.  I would even expand that to all of our aid to Middle Eastern and other countries.  No money for the governments but help for substantive projects that promote—yes, I will say it—Western values.  Why Western?  Doesn’t that make it sound like we have a better lock on the truth than other people?  Hell, yes.  And it is about time someone said it. 

But, of course, all of the good deeds for good reasons in the world won’t help if there is the occasional crazy despot.  I have a suggestion for that, too.  Seal Team Six.  Stop sending troops after the ants.  Go for the fat, bloated queen in the nest.    Go back to the days of rock tight intelligence; find the radical rats early and simply put a bullet between their eyes. 

Well, I have sufficiently roiled the waters for the weekend.  See you on Monday, Keep the faith.