That is what the Obama administration should be doing instead of this focused-on-military side,where they go in and then say, "OK, now how can we get out of this?" If you leave Afghanistan in the position where it can't sustain itself, it will just go back into conflict and more fundamentalism.
I would also tell the Obama administration,"whatever money you are spending, monitor it better." The problem is a wild west frontier -- the contractors and NGOs get the money and there is no accountability. They realize no one is checking up; they realize they can do whatever they want. It's creating these zones where people who are there to "protect" Afghanistan people are actually just there to help themselves.
I don't see just Taliban as the problem. I see the corruption, drug smuggling as bigger problems, men in suits taking money and not getting it to the community at all. We (the US) puts our money in and then steps back. That is a dangerous combination. People learn how to play the game, but the game is not on battlefield -- it's in halls of ministry. People learn how to take money, and their families are in India, Dubai, Canada. So money goes back out. And if things go south, they have an exit strategy.
The question is not who likes the U.S. more (under great presence). The question is who will the Afghan people see as a government that best represents their interests. They haven't had that. Now the game is all we have, all the millions of dollars coming in, and who can grab more of it. (It's) waste of resources. And people get disillusioned and angry; for seven years we haven't paid attention to the fact they have been oppressed.
JE: How, given the culture, do we get women at the table?
For the most part, the women leaders look out for interests of the village. You do have some women who are partnered with warlords, but comparatively, we risk less conflict if women are making decisions.
Economic empowerment is the best way to empower the women and give financial support to women who are demonstrating leadership abilities.
This election coming up in Afghanistan is not just presidential election but also province elections. I heard that in eight provinces, not one woman is registered. There are security issues, women are being targeted and feel fearful. But U.S. women have not helped bring them the tools they need to run. We can't demand women at the table if we do not provide the support they need. If a woman is campaigning, give her resources to campaign and print posters.
In some areas we see more women (in office) and there is great progress because they have created their own supportive communities. Sometimes the only women who win are those bankrolled by the warlords. They can win with the warlords' support but do so without their own voice.
Currently the Minister of Women's Affairs (Husan Bano Ghazanfar) (sic) that should be encouraging and supporting women is passive, she was appointed for exactly that reason. The new funding bill gives her money, but she does not represent the women and has failed at her job. But we send money anyway, without a way to monitor or guide.
Jodie Evans is the co-founder of CODEPINK Women for Peace and environmental, peace and justice activist for more than 30 years.
This article was originally published on the Huffington Post.
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