Peace and stability in Afghanistan need regional cooperation

First of all it must be discussed and cleared that why regional cooperation is important or why the neighbors of Afghanistan or regional power should help afghan government to gain peace and stability in Afghanistan. The Importance of Afghanistan today is very obvious and well known. the United States has its own interests in Afghanistan, this country is important to the United States for a range of strategic, moral, economic, and historic reasons. Afghanistan is still a haven for some of the world’s most lethal anti-U.S. terrorists. However, instability in Afghanistan can spread outside its borders. Many terrorists and extremists in the West receive training in Afghanistan and Pakistan border areas. These extremists can cause violence and instability in some parts of the world where U.S. interests are engaged. These extremists pose a threat to U.S. soldiers and civilians, and to the stability of its allies in the world. As the world’s second largest producer of opium, Afghanistan also is a major exporter of drugs, both to Europe and increasingly to the United States.

In addition, Afghanistan itself occupies a vital geo-strategic position, near the Persian Gulf and the Indo-Pakistan border. Indeed, the importance of Afghanistan will grow in the coming years, as Central Asia’s oil and gas reserves, which are estimated to rival those of the North Sea, begin to play a major role in the world energy market. Afghanistan could prove a valuable corridor for this energy as well as for access to markets in Central Asia. Also, Afghanistan can serve as a trade link between Central and South Asia. Over two million Afghan refugees live in Pakistan and Iran, destabilizing Pakistan and constituting an ongoing tragedy in both of these countries. So this huge number of refugees should come back to their country and it needs Iran and Pakistan help and cooperation. One of the fundamental problems which remained from the time of Taliban is Relations among ethnic groups. This relationship has deteriorated since Taliban forces massacred different parts of afghan people and tribes. It means that if any regional power or countries try to support Taliban and help them they are going to play a bad role against the regional stability, development and peace. Narcotic trafficking which still is the main problem in Afghanistan and its neighbors unabated. These problems need to be solved. But of course Afghanistan itself and lonely could not do anything, that’s why the regional cooperation is a must.

Reconciling the interests of the regional powers seeking hegemony in Afghanistan is also one of the most important issues in Afghanistan that afghan government and the western powers specially the U.S. should concern it. Actually it is a necessary pre-condition for long term regional stability. In the past Pakistan was in favorable position to be the dominant external player in Afghanistan as the force it backs the Taliban appears on in a stronger position than those backed by Iran and Russia. Iran and Russia continued to back anti-Taliban forces and tried to intimidate the Taliban. Now days these regional powers and also the outside powers seek to control events in Afghanistan, the flow of arms and money to Afghanistan will continue, and in this way Afghanistan will remain unstable. It is clear that Pakistan’s quest for hegemony destabilized Afghanistan in the time of war and Taliban. Islamabad worked against peace when a settlement might reduce its influence. But Islamabad now also fears a lack of control in Afghanistan might create an additional security threat. According to some evidences many members of Pakistan’s military and intelligence services share the Islamist agenda of the Taliban. At the same time, it is not clear whether Iran, Russia, and other regional states favor mutual accommodation among Afghanistan’s various ethnic groups and sects or not.

But we can finally conclude that despite their many differences, the regional states also have several common interests that could lead to greater cooperation. Both Iran and Pakistan wish to end the large, and potentially destabilizing, refugee presence in their countries. All the regional states fear that Afghanistan will become a breeding ground for terrorists of all stripes - including ones that destabilize Pakistan as well as neighboring states. Any settlement must build on these common interests, both positive and negative. Most importantly, all regional powers must come to recognize that peace is preferable to continued conflict. To encourage this sentiment, afghan government should promote a set of guarantees, including agreements that no power will deploy troops in Afghanistan or use it as a base to destabilize neighbors. Pakistan must accept the new condition of Afghanistan, while Iran and the Central Asian states will avoid creating unrest to prevent a pipeline from being built or to weaken the government there. Finally, the powers must work together to ensure that no major ethnic group is a victim of extreme discrimination.

Afghan government and The United States should try to foster regional cooperation through multilateral initiatives and direct leadership. The UN effort a long-standing but somnolent diplomatic grouping that includes Afghanistan’s neighbors as well as the United States and Russia has achieved little. Although all participants supposedly support an end to outside interference in Afghanistan, most meddle actively. Afghanistan should try to convince all regional powers to agree to a common set of "rules of the game," which must be announced as part of a joint effort. This would entail a series of U.S. approaches to regional states to identify common ground and to build a consensus for a constructive Afghan alternative. The United States should also consider broadening the Pakistan Afghanistan dialogue, including sympathetic regional powers that share U.S. concerns over terrorism, and narcotics. Multilateral initiatives, however, are likely to meet with at best limited success without more active direct U.S. involvement. The reluctance of some states to cooperate on their own (and the internal instabilities and struggles occurring today in Russia, Pakistan, and Iran) will require a more forceful U.S. and Afghanistan policy. But Afghanistan stability and peace is more helpful and useful for Afghanistan neighbors or regional powers.

Poverty and corruption are the tow arms of war in Afghanistan

Rohullah rohani rohullah_rohani@yahoo.com

Beside Violence, drug production, public disapproval and casualties, we have another big problem in our country which influences our people life. We all accept that an uncorrupted social or economic transaction would be suspicious in its own way in our country. Most accounts of living or working in Afghanistan touch on corruption for a reason, while we are as exhausted by it as others are. Unfortunately it is more than the bribes offered to be seen sooner in a clinic, or those required getting access to appropriate and unexpired medicines, or those requested for an official’s signature on a cooperative agreement. It is actually the corruption of priorities that challenges the very core of what we should try to do. Corrupted decision-making processes, whether through intentional subversion of a more appropriate option or, more commonly, through the desire to influence an outcome for a tribe, family, clan, party, sect, or for monetary gain, keeps the health status of Afghans one of the lowest in the world. For Afghan people, corruption is particularly deadly. It leads to disease outbreaks and an (understandable) lowering of confidence.

Poverty is one of the main causes of corruption in Afghanistan and these tow causes strengthen the war and conflict. Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world, and the last few decades of war have seriously disrupted its mainly agricultural economy. The illicit opium trade which is the one economic activity now days in Afghanistan is widespread throughout. It is not only survived, but flourished, during and after the war. Now it accounts for more than half of GDP and is said to involve corrupt government officials at every level. Tribal warlords in south Afghanistan misuse the poor people for their own illicit business and control the poppy-growing areas, using the proceeds to fund their militias and arms purchases.

It seems that illegal or illicit trade and business spread in Afghanistan is also because of poverty. Unfortunately we could not expect the expansion of business and trade in a good way in Afghanistan which leads to richness of the poor people. Afghan market and economy are actually highly regulated by informal social norms that restrict competition and participation and ultimately result in a consolidation of market benefits in the hands of the already wealthy and powerful. The major traders in today’s market are the same ones who emerged in the 1970s and operated under the Mujahideen and the Taliban, often from Pakistan. They are a relatively small group of businessmen who dominate the sectors in which they are involved, having access to capital and political influence that small and medium-sized businesses do not. Most deal in many commodities within their region of operation, e.g. carpets, dried fruits and nuts, televisions and fertilizers — depending on price and demand — allowing an exporter of carpets to import televisions to get his money back into the country.

Corruption and collusion between government and business is believed to be commonplace. Business is conducted based on personal, familial, ethnic and historical relationships, and businesses must negotiate a maze of bribes, taxes and murky government requirements that raise the risks and costs of doing business. Those businesses with the right connections are able to sidestep many of these costs and risks. They are also more successful in getting access to land and capital, two critical constraints in the business enabling environment of Afghanistan. However, for small businesses and potential new investors or entrepreneurs without political influence, there are significant and sometimes insurmountable barriers to entry.

One of other main problem in Afghanistan is that Rural Afghans are extremely conservative and generally resistant to new ideas from the outside. The resistance seems to come from a combination of limited education, decades of isolation from modern advances, the necessity for extreme self-reliance to survive protracted periods of conflict, and the distrust, suspicion and presumption of corruption that permeates society after so many years of conflict. The other problem is that the officials and there cronies are, in many cases, at the center of the corruption. Earlier in the year, the reform drive seemed to be moving forward; the Obama administration was funding a massive anti-corruption program and training a cadre of Afghan investigators. Then, this summer, their wiretaps caught one of Mohammed Zia Salehi, soliciting bribes. He was arrested and thrown in jail—but then released. The New York Times' Mark Mazzetti and Rod Nordland report in today's paper that since that summer scandal, progress in several other corruption cases has screeched to a standstill.

The judicial branch is quite weak and regarded as corrupt. Property rights are a major constraint on business expansion. Land ownership is required as collateral for bank loans, and many people do not have title to the land they have occupied for generations. Other land has been appropriated by the military, police or government. Popular perception is that property rights are for sale by the government to insiders with influence. Thus acquiring land or the rights to use land for business purposes is regarded as a bureaucratic ordeal fraught with many risks, including that the government might grant title to land but then re-appropriate it after investments have been made. Whether this is actually a prevalent practice or not, the perception that it is seems to be a strong hindrance to new investments.

The weakness of the judicial organization makes the criminals feel safe, relax and unpunished; even, many of the worst offenders are now members of the current local, provincial or national administrations. This obviously can anger the population, sowing mistrust and bitter disillusionment that yet another corrupt, predatory regime has replaced the last. The Afghan National Police is part of the problem; ill trained and badly paid, they are notorious for preying on the citizens they are supposed to protect. Security is a problem throughout the country, and getting worse in the east and southeast. Insurgents attack the population, government and international peacekeeping forces. The police are widely seen as incompetent and corrupt, allowing criminal behavior to increase and perpetrating a fair amount of it themselves. Police, like bandits, are said to stop trucks hauling produce to market and order them to pay “taxes” and bribes before they can continue.

Finally it can be concluded that until government could not cut these powerful arms of war and conflict; peace couldn’t be reachable. Holding many conferences or jirgas and making tens of peace comities or councils couldn’t help us to reach peace and stability. The best way to get the peace is improving governmental abilities and atone the peoples trust by serving them honestly and diaphanously.

The challenge of democracy in Afghanistan

The father of modern sociology, Max Weber, pointed out that governments draw their legitimacy from three basic sources: traditional, religious, and legal. The first two are self-explanatory; by "legal," Weber meant Western-style democracies based on popular representation and the rule of law. But according to Afghan history demonstrates in the past legitimacy of governance there was derived exclusively from Weber's first two sources: traditional (in the form of the monarchy and tribal patriarchies) and religious. Either there has been a king, or religious leadership, or a leader validated by the caliphate (or afterwards by indigenous religious polities). In this case can we conclude that political failure in Afghanistan was baked into the cake in the 2001 Bonn Process? So it was a rush to stand up an overnight democratic success story, and the US and Europe overlooked Afghan history and finally was it a historical mistake?
May be we can prove our idea by giving some historical examples of leader ship and governance in Afghanistan. Often in Afghan history, legitimacy thus derived has been reinforced by other means, usually coercive and often brutal. For example, the rule of Amir Abdur Rahman, "The brute Amir," (1880-1901) and that of the Taliban (1996-2001) were predicated on accepted sources of legitimacy of governance (dynastic and religious, respectively), but reinforced by totalitarian methods. These two examples make the point that legitimacy should not be conflated with popularity: having the authority to rule is quite distinct from being a popular ruler. This historical reality poses a major problem for the US. Democracy is not a coat of paint. A feudal society in which women are still largely treated as property and literacy hovers below 10 percent in rural areas does not magically shortcut 400 years of political development and morph into a democracy in a decade. The current government of Afghanistan's claim to legitimacy is based entirely on a legal source – winning an election. Yet this has no historical basis for legitimizing Afghan rule. The winner of today's election will largely be seen as illegitimate because he is elected.
Some analysts may say that as same as An American cannot declare himself as a king and be seen as legitimate: monarchy is not a source of legitimacy of governance in America. Similarly, a man cannot be voted president in Afghanistan and be perceived as legitimate. Because Systems of government normally grow from existing traditions, as they did in the US after the Revolutionary War, for example. In Afghanistan, they were imposed externally. Representative democracy is simply not a source of legitimacy in Afghanistan at this point in its development. This explains in no small measure why a religious source of legitimacy in the form of the hated Taliban is making such a powerful comeback.
But these kinds of pessimistic ideas and opinions about Afghanistan could not be acceptable mow days in Afghanistan. We have a strong central government in Kabul which is genuinely seen as legitimate in the eyes of the Afghan people and which has significant public support across the country's ethno-sectarian divides.Talking about positive developments we should focus just on the potential which existed there. Talking about the changes, we all are witness to the changes. The tragedies of September 11th and later on, action led by the United States, support from the people of Afghanistan in the resistance which existed there prior to September 11th against terrorism. The efforts of the international community as a whole led to the Bonn agreement later on, loyal jirga and formation of transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan. This government was not the continuation of or did not start it as the continuation of another government in Afghanistan. It started from dealing with a country which was ruined for 30 years. It started from below zero. Our main priority was security, and it still is.
Overall, the security situation has improved throughout the country. It is talking about the security in a country that hasn't got a national police force, it hasn't got a national army, and other security institutions. The people of Afghanistan have turned against terrorism, the world has joined in a coalition, has started a campaign in Afghanistan against them. Afghan government is now working with its international partners in termination of national landmines. National formation of national police forces and National Judiciary Council is done. Humanitarian situation in some parts of the country is still in humanitarian phase or crisis, humanitarian crisis phase. While reconstruction activities have started, the people of Afghanistan, the people themselves they started before any other organization or any other country which is supportive of goverment efforts. Millions of school children have gone to school these years. Loya jirgas and elections were the process of democratic selection or election.
Afghanistan has been able to improve its relations with its neighboring countries with the hope looking towards the future, for a better future for our neighboring countries as well as Afghanistan. In that field Afghanistan has taken serious steps, important steps and historical steps. It is a fact that afghan neighboring countries will only benefit from a stable Afghanistan, their interest is in stability in Afghanistan, in a country which has a central government, a government which has got support from the people. In the past they had their own designs for Afghanistan, which didn't work, which has led to the disasters for our people, for our region, and worldwide. This is time to see the situation in the context of the new circumstances. Afghanistan relations with all its neighboring countries are good. the public policy of Afghanistan neighboring countries, Iran, Pakistan and the others, which is the support for the central government in Afghanistan.
Finally the most important issue which should be mention is the violation of law by some organizations and preference of tribal benefits to the national interests. In the case of parliamentary election results all organizations must support the decision of the independent election comity. Otherwise democratizing of Afghanistan
could not be possible.

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Islam and women education

One of the most controversial subject which Islams opponent propound is the women education in Islam, and they claim we have an essential rule in islam which says Moslem woman should stay at home, even for praying they shouldn’t go out and its better to pray at home.
If they shouldn’t go out then there is no need to learn knowledge and go to school or university, also staying at home doesn’t need any knowledge and any thing to be learned.
Because they can send there children to some special institute to be trained and grown up, also there husband can cook or bring every thing for them.
If so the woman doesn’t have any role in the home and society except that they should serve there husband all the time and try to satisfy them.
While in modern societies women do every thing in both inside home and out side and they are as same as man in all positions and jobs hence there countries are developed and power full in all areas.
Women are half of the population, if they don’t work it means that the incomes are very low also the rate of poverty is very much high and the condition of life is the worst
Finally we can conclude that Islamic countries do never progress or become developed.
What is the Moslems answer and there solution to these problem do they accept this point of view or not if not what they may say?

Is Islam against women education?

Firstly we should say that the rule that opponent support their self with and based there argument on it is not acceptable and not an Islamic law or rule.
We have a lots of verses in holy Qoran and many traditions that says learned is not equal with ignorant, and many others encourage the Moslems to learn knowledge even in the hardest and the worst condition.
There is no differences between male and female both of them are Moslem and the traditions include them similarly.
Ruther learning knowledge is an obligation in Islam there is a very fames tradition from holy prophet which tell all Moslems that they have to learn knowledge from the cradle to the grave.

Secondly islam does never say Moslem women are not allowed to go out of home absolutely and unconditionally, they can go out by there husbands permission and if the situation or condition is suitable and secure, there husband definitely permit them.
It is because of their safety and being hale that the man and women shouldn’t go some where.
So we should make a secure society and city then our daughters and whiffs can go to the university,offices,banks and else where.
Making a secure places for women is our duty it means that Moslem first should make a suitable society and situation by training the people according to Islamic laws and orders.
Then their daughters and whiffs can do every thing out of home. They can do their jobs and study and …
Finally we can conclude that Islam is not against womens education and learning knowledge. It depend on situation and condition which Islam says.

Does Islam discriminate against women?

Why men and women don’t have the same right in Islam? they are different in many areas like inheritance ,witness , judge or adjudicate , blood money , and … while they are both human and there is no differences between them in humanity.
We believe that god is just then why he distinguish and treat them unjustly?
First we should define the justice then we would see werther he is just or unjust.
Justice means putting some thing in its proper places and give someone his deserving things or the thing which he is worthy of it , there for justice does never mean equality and being the same.
Secondly we believe that men and women are not the same rather they are different physically and bodily, if so we cant say man and woman should have the same right and equal, but there must be some differences. Because having the same right is contrary to justice.
Lets see what is the differences between them that there for they shouldn’t have the same right because its unjust.
One of the most important differences between them is different physical power and ability for doing some thing, we know the things that men can do women are not able to do specially hard works and jobs, women cant do them and if we want them to do that its cruel.
And also we know that doing these kinds of hard works need much energy and power so they should spend much while women doesn’t need these things, hence men should be paid much.
Also Islam give the responsibility of the family to man , and he should make a good and proper live for the family while woman can pay nothing even she cant milk the kids if milk can take the price from the man , and doing nothings in home like washing , cooking , cleaning and ….
There for if Islam makes some differences in their rights it is not prejudice and doesn’t mean that Islam prefer some of them I mean man or women, but the one who are more purified and believer is more valuable and worthy.
The differences are for the sake of there physical diversities and different sympathy, sensation and other things.
The creator knows better than any one else these differences, and he can say what is the mans right and what is the womens right and they shouldn’t consider equally and the same.
We as creature cant understand the exact reason of these commands and religious recepts
Because of our weakness, limitation and restriction in knowledge, power ….
These kinds of arguments and proofs are just the things that we may understand and realize by our intellect and mind.
While what is the real or factual reason we cant say any things except we can claim that these are the reasons that we can say.

Islamic customs limit women!

Like women in other developed countries Moslem females are demanding their rights.
They want to prove their selves as women that they are equal, that they could do the same job as men, that they could make a good life.
But in reality we see Moslem women in Islamic societies are not able to be in a good position as same as men.
For example: in many Islamic countries most of them are not educated, most of them don’t have professional careers, non of them are allowed to vote, in some cases if they can find a job they lost the family, because most of those women who have job they are not married, if some of them are educated Moslem men don’t want to marry a woman who is educated and is in the same level as them.
Educated women even found difficulties with prospective mother in law, because their husband usually took them to live with his family and his mother doesn’t know how to read well, it is very difficult.
Educated women also have other problems most if them when attend classes wearing the latest fashion of Paris and Rome, Moslem men don’t like to marry them till they do these and women don’t want to left and put away these kinds of fashions.

Is it correct if we say its because of Islamic laws that women cant make a good life. Cant vote, aren’t educated, don’t have a professional career, couldn’t get married and things like these…..?
I believe Islamic law is very good for the equality of woman but the people who interpret the Islamic law are men, It’s the serious problem because they try to do it in a way that is right for them not for women.
There for I think we need the sacrificial generation who must fight against these men who cant accept their rights and they should gain their rights.According to Islam Moslem must learn knowledge both men and women, women are free to choose their husband, women can do the jobs if the conditions are proper and suitable, they can vote and …. But unfortunately in some Moslem areas men don’t want to send their daughters or wives to school, university, cities for doing jobs, then they claim that it is because of Islam, while in many other Moslem countries the percentage of Moslem women student, office workers, bank clerks, doctors, nurses, teachers, professors, and … are in some case more than half. Rohulla rohani