I Wonder How Hillary Would Handle It - Or Sarah

I hate war! That's not new information. What makes them even worse than we see on the news is what goes on behind the scenes. I'm referring to the coziness between Hamid Karzai and the Taliban. Supposedly to get lower level members to switch sides and join the fight against al Qaeda. I figure it's little more than a pact with the devil.

There's an evil, sordid side to it. When one chooses to deal with the devil they know versus the one they don't, it's sometimes forgotten both are devils. Such is the case, according to The Wall Street Journal, with the Taliban when it comes to women. While they are no longer throwing acid in the faces of schoolgirls, women are still facing peril. In what are being called "night letters" because they are delivered at night, women who have jobs are being told to stop working or die. Those who have resisted the bullying have indeed been killed.

Activists are trying to get explicit guarantees for women's rights into the negotiations but even if successful it's doubtful anyone will abide by them. Such is the nature of the culture. We can no more do anything for the rights of women than we can make Islamic extremists like us. Yet we continue to try as our young men die.

I find it interesting that even technically savvy and civilized Japan is but beginning to level the playing field when it comes to women. Just recently they have appointed the first branch manager of a bank and announced the first female pilot! They have been hovering with Malaysia and Cambodia when it comes to gender equality. Two you'd expect to be near the bottom of the barrel. But Japan? With truths like this how are we going to help Afghan women? Realistically.

One the bright side, those with the highest ranking are Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Cold. Tough climate. If a woman were up to the task as President I'd have to give the nod to Hillary. Cold. Tough. Warm and fuzzies won't cut it.

Seriously though, I don't think a woman, no matter how able in our culture, could sway the likes of these people who feel just as strongly about their stand as we do ours. It's perhaps better left to the men. They seem to like tilting at windmills. Where, however, are we going to find one who is cold? And tough. And will actually fight for the issue.