Suicide bomber strikes in western Afghanistan

By AP Published Tuesday, April 10, 2012

"A suicide bomber in a four-wheel-drive vehicle has blown up his cache of explosives in Herat province in western Afghanistan, killing or wounding more than 20 people. 

Nasar Ahmad Popul, the chief of Guzara district, says the explosion occurred Tuesday morning at the entrance to the district headquarters. 

He says there are casualties among civilians and police and damage to the police and district headquarters. 

The attack occurred as people were gathered outside the building waiting to go inside to see government officials about various business matters. 

Raouf Ahmedi, spokesman for the regional police commander, says more than 20 people have been killed or wounded." (source)

Well this time it wasn't an American, so we might not here as much fuss from the Muslim World.

Quran Burning Resolved

Why did about 30 people have to die for this?

Koran-burning probe clears troops of malicious intent

Afghan Women Rights?. Blah

The culture war over Afghan women is heating up. Just over ten years have passed since the international community overthrew the notoriously misogynist Taliban regime, and Afghan women are again at the center of a volatile national debate over whether basic rights and freedoms should be extended to the female half of the population. With the US and Afghan governments reaching out to the Taliban for peace talks and conservatives within the Afghan government making statements in support of restricting women’s dress, freedom of movement, and rights to work, to justice, and to be protected from violence, activists fear they are witnessing the beginning of a major crackdown on women.

Influential conservatives have increasingly focused their advocacy on rolling back aspects of women’s progress ranging from hard-won guarantees of rights to expressions of individuality and happiness. A few of their pet projects:

2010: The Ulema Council, Afghanistan’s advisory council of religious leaders, called for the reintroduction of the death penalty as a punishment in adultery cases.

2011: Conservatives within the Ministry of Women’s Affairs unsuccessfully attempted to take over the country’s NGO-run women’s shelters, and the Ministry of Justice proposed a law banning mixed gender wedding parties and wedding gowns that show women’s curves.

2012: The Ministry of Culture and Information sent a letter to television studios stating that, "all female news presenters must avoid heavy make-up and wear a headscarf.”

Then, this week –as if timed to dominate the discourse around International Women’s Day– the Ulema Council released a statement saying that "men and fundamental and women are secondary.” The statement called for the strict segregation of the sexes in public spaces, and for women to veil and avoid traveling without a male guardian. Disturbingly, it also appeared to sanction violence against women under some circumstances. (The line in question reads: "It needs to be said that teasing, harassment and beating of women without a Shariah-compliant reason, as set forth clearly in the Glorious Qur’an, is prohibited.”)

Heather Barr of Human Rights Watch summed up why the statement caused widespread alarm among human rights activists. (source)

If American "liberated" Afghanistan. I'm the Queen of England.

US soldier kills 16 Afghan civilians in Kandahar

A US soldier in Afghanistan has killed at least 16 civilians and wounded five after entering their homes in Kandahar province, senior local officials say. He left his military base in the early hours of the morning and opened fire in at least two homes; women and children were among the dead. Nato said it was investigating the "deeply regrettable incident". Anti-US sentiment is already high in Afghanistan after US soldiers burnt copies of the Koran last month. US officials have apologised repeatedly for the incident at a Nato base in Kabul, but they failed to quell a series of protests and attacks that killed at least 30 people and six US troops. Local people have reportedly gathered near the base in Panjwai district to protest about Sunday's killings, and the US embassy is advising against travel to the area. Lt Gen Adrian Bradshaw, deputy commander of Nato-led forces, said he was unable to "explain the motivation behind such callous acts", adding that "our thoughts and prayers are with those caught in this tragedy". (more here)

 I thought it was only a matter of time before this happened. This shameful act is more evidence America should leave Afghanistan. And while I think it's utterly disgraceful, you have to think that it was partially American factors that caused this, such as Obama's subjugation of his own troops. Apologizing and showing weakness, distributing pamphlets on how to handle the Quran, advocating the trial of the Quran burners, not adequately dealing with the Americans who were killed. This solider obviously lost the plot. Going to be interesting to see the "investigation" behind why he went insane.