Afghanistan - Almost Free!!!

Despite suspicions that the row is a first shot against Hamid Karzai's less than pliant leadership, Barack Obama is to be credited for his support of women's rights in Afghanistan. His predecessor (George Bush, remember Media?) would be unlikely to ruffle feathers of his favored puppets in Iraq, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. Unfortunately, Obama is less inclined to break with Bush over the so called war against the Taliban, Al Queda or whomever.

This renewed folly comes despite the fact that NATO allies are very cool on a broadened commitment, with Canada and Italy threatening to withdraw troops - using the women's rights legal row as a pretext. Furthermore, Allies like Portugal, Greece and Croatia are exempted from serving in danger areas. Little doubt then that the 38,000 US troops (close to 70,000 with Obama's expansion) will bear the brunt of fighting in hotspots like Hemland province.

The media have done a good job belittling the mostly peaceful G20 protesters and have declined to report on their messages with any substance. However, worldwide protests go beyond G20 meetings and also focus on NATO's 60 anniversary, its Afghan commitment and the incompatibility of this plan with democratic intent in Europe and the US. Fact is, elite and popular opinion in Arab, Western, and NATO nations, as well as the US and Afghanistan are expressly against this escalation. Platitudes about women's rights fade amid this affront to democracy.