[Time Magazine] Afghan Women and the Return of the Taliban

The following is an abridged version of an article that appears in the Aug. 9, 2010, print and iPad editions of TIME magazine.

The following is an abridged version of an article that appears in the Aug. 9, 2010, print and iPad editions of TIME magazine.

The Taliban pounded on the door just before midnight, demanding that Aisha, 18, be punished for running away from her husband's house. Her in-laws treated her like a slave, Aisha pleaded. They beat her. If she hadn't run away, she would have died. Her judge, a local Taliban commander, was unmoved. Aisha's brother-in-law held her down while her husband pulled out a knife. First he sliced off her ears. Then he started on her nose.

This didn't happen 10 years ago, when the Taliban ruled Afghanistan. It happened last year. Now hidden in a secret women's shelter in Kabul, Aisha listens obsessively to the news. Talk that the Afghan government is considering some kind of political accommodation with the Taliban frightens her. "They are the people that did this to me," she says, touching her damaged face. "How can we reconcile with them?"

Forum

General

Re: [Time Magazine] Afghan Women and the Return of the Taliban

You — Thu, 5 Aug 2010 - 22:49

What do people think about this?

A thought that I have had (and it may have been influenced by other posts on this matter) is that using this picture as a picture to not leave Afghanistan is manipulative. It didn't happen before the western forces went there or after they left, but while they were present.

It shows that the forces were not able to protect the girl.

Secondly, the neighbours of the girl reported this to the authorities, so it shows that not everyone is like this.

Thirdly, this may be putting things out on a limb, but if there was one law there, even if it was of the taliban, I would suspect this sort of thuggery would not be allowed to happen. This can only happen when there is no law and order, not even of a harsh type that allows people to commit acts of terror such as this and avoid punishment or pretend to be following something that is right and moral.

I think the person/people who did this should be slowly tortured to death. remove one limb at a time without aneasthetic.

Re: [Time Magazine] Afghan Women and the Return of the Taliban

LookingToSee — Thu, 5 Aug 2010 - 22:50

She's brave to pose for this pic.
not long ago, i read a book about those afghan women who burn themselves alive to end their lives.

Re: [Time Magazine] Afghan Women and the Return of the Taliban

You — Thu, 5 Aug 2010 - 22:55

The picture gives me the shivers.

I have put it on the front page, but I struggle to look at it.

Re: [Time Magazine] Afghan Women and the Return of the Taliban

LookingToSee — Thu, 5 Aug 2010 - 23:55

n now that we are posting on this, it's going to appear as first thing everytime you go on revival page =/. and i thought that picture of the G was bad...

Re: [Time Magazine] Afghan Women and the Return of the Taliban

You — Thu, 5 Aug 2010 - 23:58

[quote=Lilly]...and i thought that picture of the G was bad...[/quote]

? what G?

G as in Gangsta?

Edit - oh, do you mean Napoleon?

Re: [Time Magazine] Afghan Women and the Return of the Taliban

LookingToSee — Fri, 6 Aug 2010 - 00:45

G as in GanstERRR, yes yes.
and yes i was referring to napoleon.

you saying "gangsta" gives a really wrong picture...

Re: [Time Magazine] Afghan Women and the Return of the Taliban

Vocalist — Fri, 6 Aug 2010 - 19:08

CNN did a video on their website about this poor woman

View it here

Re: [Time Magazine] Afghan Women and the Return of the Taliban

Suhail (not verified) — Mon, 9 Aug 2010 - 12:49

First of all it has to be said that this girl is really brave for allowing her picture to be taken and published with a news story.

Agree with YOU that if there was proper law and order (and that will IMO only be put in place once the troops clear out) then such acts wouldn't take place...the fact of the matter is that afghanistan is in no better possition now than it was before the war. As long as the troops are there, there will always be fighting and afganistan wont be given the chance to sort such problems out, as it wont even have uninfluenced law making powers that it should have.

Re: [Time Magazine] Afghan Women and the Return of the Taliban

You — Mon, 9 Aug 2010 - 13:00

The problem with that is an issue of ignorance.

People will apply their cultural norms and think it is islam.

While the Taliban were better then the void before them, that is what they also did to an extent - they applied the pashtun culture and tried to enforce that upon everyone with the mistaken idea that that is what Islam was.

If the people applying the law in places have a culture of mutilations such as what was done to that girl, when they become the law, they will do that and more, because they would think they are following Islam, any opposition would be sidelined with the idea "they are fighting not us, but Islam" and that is not a good position to be in.