Women were better under the American and the previous ousted Afghan gov't because the elites were able toThis is the claim, this is the statement I don't agree with.
In what ways are Afghan women "objectively" better under the US occupation than under the Taliban? What measures? Life expectancy? Literacy? Happiness Index? Purchasing Power?
Remember that since you are saying "For the Afghans under occupation", you are presumably talking about ALL of Afghanistan, and not just the middle class or the wealthy living in cities.
Why it's a pity? It's their country, their religion and culture. Whatever your views on their cultural practices is immaterial and must not take precedence over what the vast majority of people over in that country think, feel, and want. I mean if that country was trying to truly persist on adopting some of the cultural practice that America and the west have instilled in that country then they would have fought tooth and nail to prevent the Taliban from taking over don't you think?
The U.S. and NATO wouldn't have been in Afghanistan if it wasn't for the attack that happened in 9/11 which means the Americans didn't give a hoot whether the women in that country were tethered at home and not allowed to do anything other than be subjected at the whims of the strictest interpretation of Islam, the tribal practices etc. I don't understand all the gnashing of teeth and the omg what's going to happen to the poor women and children of Afghanistan now that the ghastly Taliban are back in power. There are so many shitty places for women and children around the world that's not getting the same sympathetic feel or attention that women of Afghanistan are now receiving which goes to show really how powerful and effective the western propaganda machine is and how influential their media in terms of creating this confusion as to what was the original purpose and mission of the U.S. in Afghanistan. It wasn't for nation building and it certainly wasn't for bringing rights to the women in Afghanistan or to bring western style democracy on a country that's steeped in archaic tribal system.
As long as Afghanistan doesn't export, breed, and spouse terrorists and terrorist activities, run their country that's able to serve the interest all of its citizens on the countryside and not just city centers then that's all we must look forward to. And if the future continues to trend positively for that country then the rights of women and others will follow through to it's natural order. The process must not be rushed and must not be based from a western time f..ng table to expect Afghanistan to have the same level of sophistication with respect to women's rights is just plain old idiotic and silly. No western countries were able to arrive or treat their women "rights" within 20 years of those countries modern foundings.