President Obama Criticizes Afghan Rape Law, Thinks This Law Is Abhorrent

[babylonsister]

Run time: 03:32 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceP3VAgR4qo   Posted on YouTube: April 04, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: April 04, 2009 By DU Member: babylonsister Views on DU: 1020

 
Obama in Strasbourg, France

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/04/04/afghan-rape-law-obama/

snip//

In a written statement, the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), said the law “legalizes the rape of a wife by her husband. … The law violates women’s rights and human rights in numerous ways.”

This morning, Obama said, “I think this law is abhorrent” and that his administration’s views are being communicated to the Karzai government. “We have stated very clearly that we object to this law.” But Obama added, the priority for the U.S. right now is al Qaeda. “But I want everybody to understand that our focus is to defeat al Qaeda and ensure that they do not have safe havens from which they can launch attacks against the Alliance.” Watch it:

The Afghanistan law poses a difficult diplomatic challenge for Obama and for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who said recently, “Women’s rights are a central part of American foreign policy in the Obama Administration; they are not marginal; they are not an add-on or an afterthought.”

President Karzai said he ordered his Justice Ministry to review the law, and if anything in it contravenes the country’s constitution or Shariah law, “measures will be taken.” But he added that he had studied the law earlier in the day and, “I don’t see any problems with it.”

[bluestateguy]

1. This ought to be a lesson to liberals who lecture us about "respecting other cultures"

No, there are some things about other cultures that I refuse to respect. Period.

[Deja Q]

3. Respect or tolerate? And what if * said the same things?

We both know it's barbaric. We have the right of free speech to say it's barbaric.

But if I were to tell another country what to do, I'd better have good reason to do so. And is it our business to do? Are we the world's policemen? And would you die to set them straight?


(I might have interchanged the two words myself. But as much as that is a sovereign country in which they can do what they want, I am not obligated to say it's right. I'm just glad we're living in America, with rights and due process and regulations.)

[ZombieHorde]

5. If Bush said what exactly? nt

[Bicoastal]

8. ABSOLUTELY IT'S OUR BUSINESS TO *TELL* THEM WHAT TO DO!

We are a large nation, and large nations interact with other nations. So ABSOLUTELY we can and should say--OK, you want to continue a practice that our country and most of the world finds abominable? Fine by us--BUT less trade, less aid, and less economic or military support. As our allies, they have the obligation to listen.

That's how diplomacy works. It's only when we militarily FORCE them to do what we think is best that it truly becomes a difficulty moral issue. But we are perfectly within our rights to speak out an issue such as this and threaten them with the lessening of favors we're already doing for them.

[burning rain]

9. Within the part of Afghanistan that the Karzai government controls,....

which is to say Kabul, anyway.

[Bicoastal]

10. Well, yeah, but they're the ones that passed the law...

And the city of Kabul alone is 10% of the country.

[burning rain]

11. I certainly agree with pressuring them to reject retrograde garbage like this.

I'm just noting that their real jurisdiction is quite limited.

[Bicoastal]

12. Eh, it's better than doing nothing about it. n/t

[burning rain]

13. Agreed.

*

[ZombieHorde]

4. I agree. Either I don't understand the 'can't judge other cultures' arguement,

or that argument is silly.

[MADem]

6. No shit!!! Bravo, President Obama. This was the RIGHT thing to do.

Fucking Karzai (Bushco buddy, still smarting because he doesn't get a daily call from George anymore, like he used to) signed this law to get the Shi'a vote (he's up for reelection in August). They're a minority in the country, but they want their own sharia law that's closer to the (cough, choke bullshit) law in Iran, where women have damn few rights as well.

[ZombieHorde]

2. Good question, good answer, good video, K&R&nt.

[glitch]

7. Excellent! K & R nt