Feminists For Choice

As we look towards a new year, one usually hopes for peace and happiness. Unfortunately, peace seems to be a far off notion for the U.S. Escalated violence in Afghanistan resulted in 317 U.S. military deaths last year. So this number doesn’t include deaths of coalition soldiers or Afghani citizens.

A month ago, President Obama announced an increase of 30,000 troops to the region. The goal of this strategy is suppose to be the following:

• Reverse the Taliban’s momentum and deny it the ability to overthrow Afghanistan’s government
• Strengthen Afghanistan’s security forces and government
• Deny al Qaeda a safe haven

A mission that is glaringly left out of these goals is improving the life of the average Afghan citizen. Many people rallied behind the war due to 9-11 and justified it even further by claiming this will result in the liberation of Afghan women. Under Taliban rule women faced horrible repression and persecution. High illiteracy rates, maternal deaths and intensified domestic violence were just some of the results.

 The banner of “save the women” has fallen. If the U.S. actually cared about the livelihood of these women they invest more in education, healthcare, economic development and basic needs. These actions would do a lot more for the women of Afghanistan than warfare, violence, home raids and uniformed troops. 

 I have heard criticism from some on the right that peaceniks such as myself have been quiet since President Obama took office. However, I find this not to be case. Here are just some of the actions that have continued through this year.

 Annual rallies were held for the anniversary of the Iraq war on March 21^st

Unite for Peace demonstrated on Wall Street April 4^th of this past year in protest against outrageous military spending. The U.S. military budget is approximately equal to the rest of the worlds spending combined.

Veterans for Peace continue to post tallies of wounded and killed American soldiers despite the fact that the general media has stopped reporting death totals from the beginning of each war.

Troops Out Now held a rally in Times Square in December regarding the troop expansion plan.

These are just of few of the actions for peace that I found after a quick search. I also know that in circles of friends and colleagues many conversations about the continued war effort have occurred. So to say that the anti-war movement doesn’t care anymore because the president is now a democrat is unfair and wrong.

 However, I do warn that we must keep our voices up so these wars are stopped and peace is a little closer.

Photo Credit: UNHCR