Something has been on my mind and it has been bugging me for over a week, so I have to blog about it. When I blogged about the law passing in Afghanistan allowing men to legally rape their wives, I noted that “Europeans, although they endorse and support America’s strategy, they are ‘more enthusiastic about increasing humanitarian and development aid than adding soldiers’, and especially in light of the new controversial law”. What I neglected to put in my blog that day is President Obama also had a response to the Afghan law and I think that it is worthy of printing. So many people are so ready to pounce on our president’s every move that I want to do as much as I can to support his every move. Not that he is perfect (who is?) but he is doing a damn good job in my mind.
That being said, here is the transcript from the news conference when President Obama was in Strasbourg, France:
Q Thank you, Mr. President, and good afternoon. I’d like to ask you about a law that’s recently been passed in Afghanistan that affects the 10 percent of the Shia population there. A summary of it says it negates the need for sexual consent between married couples, tacitly approves child marriage, and restricts a woman’s right to leave the home. The United Nations Development Fund for Women says this legalizes the rape of a wife by her husband. I’d like your assessment of this law, number one. Number two, will you condition future troop movements of the U.S. to Afghanistan on the basis of this law being retracted or rewritten? And if not, sir, what about the character of this law ought to motivate U.S. forces to fight and possibly die in Afghanistan?
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, first of all, this was actually a topic of conversation among all the allies. And in our communication — communiqué, you will see that we specifically state that part of this comprehensive approach is encouraging the respect of human rights. I think this law is abhorrent. Certainly the views of the administration have been, and will be, communicated to the Karzai government. And we think that it is very important for us to be sensitive to local culture, but we also think that there are certain basic principles that all nations should uphold, and respect for women and respect for their freedom and integrity is an important principle.
Now, I just want to remind people, though, why our troops are fighting, because I think the notion that you laid out, Major, was that our troops might be less motivated. Our troops are highly motivated to protect the United States, just as troops from NATO are highly motivated to protect their own individual countries and NATO allies collectively. So we want to do everything we can to encourage and promote rule of law, human rights, the education of women and girls in Afghanistan, economic development, infrastructure development, but I also want people to understand that the first reason we are there is to root out al Qaeda so that they cannot attack members of the Alliance.
Now, I don’t — those two things aren’t contradictory, I think they’re complementary. And that’s what’s reflected in the communiqué.
Q But do you object to the law –
PRESIDENT OBAMA: We have stated very clearly that we object to this law. But I want everybody to understand that our focus is to defeat al Qaeda and ensure that they do not have safe havens from which they can launch attacks against the Alliance.
Ah…I feel so much better. I just don’t enjoy having something on my mind for days on end. Now it is resolved and I can move on. Thoughts? Comments? Blog me.
I just want to end with congratulating our president for putting the right people in the right place at the right time. I’m speaking of those sharpshooter Navy Seals who took out those Somali pirates and rescued Captain Richard Phillips. A big congrats to ‘them’ too! I’m sure the repugs were just biting their nails hoping that Obama would fail. Oops not today. Chalk up another one for Obama and of course the trained eye and steady hand of those Navy Seals.
Jata: Are you eating your words yet or do you still want to put your fate into the Chinese or Russians?
Frank: The problem with comparing ‘real life’ to an ‘American movie’, is that is just it; it is ‘a movie’. There is no comparison. ‘Real life’…is rarely portrayed in the movies. Oh, how I wish it was that romantic. We all love the drama and a good ending. But hey, who ever these Navy Seals are, they did their job. And the ending?…Well, you tell me….a success, yes? Absolutely. For once, ‘real life’ ended just like in the movies. Kudos to the ‘Real life’ James Bond(s)? Oh….I knew I’d find the romance somewhere in this story. :)
Zen Lill: Thanks for adding to the convo. I have never heard that justification before. To me, that says that someone who might go after a married man, just might have some commitment issues too. They may just want all of the good stuff which they may get with some ‘afternoon delight’, but they are not willing to accept it all. And with a married man who is already in a so-called ‘committed’ relationship, they don’t have to. Hmm…Interesting. Sorry ladies…The justification does not warrant the behavior. Somewhere the marriage is going to suffer. And I’m not talking one-night-stands here that may or may not be discovered, and may or may not bring hurt to the marriage, but an ongoing affair.
As far as your one-liner to the unknown married man – powerful comeback – love it.
And in regards to ‘barking up the wrong tree’….I totally get where you are coming from. There are many scenarios, and each marriage going through a separation or divorce is different. But if the marriage is over and the two people involved have come to an agreement, whatever agreement….and it works for both…hey, I’m all for that. It’s all about being honest and communicating.
Hello Anna: My pleasure.
Mela: I have dabbled in pork skins before but yours sound supperb. I’ll have to pop by one of the places that you mentioned. And as bad as they may sound for you, healthwise, correct me if I am wrong, but I have heard that pork rinds are actually good for you. Do you have anything to substantiate this? Maybe health Info will post something.
And on that note, dear readers, I will communicate that I am done for the day. Have a good one….
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: Your Bad Ass Bitch Editor
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