Letters
New Afghan government may improve rights
Shirin Vossoughi writes that “Feminism becomes U.S. war pawn” (Daily Bruin, Nov. 27).
Her assertion is that the fall of the Taliban does not guarantee the position of women will improve. She is correct, there is no guarantee. But it is highly probable that the new coalition government now being developed in meetings in Bonn, Germany, will produce improvement.
Fatima Gailone, daughter of the head of the Peshwar group, reports that all four major groups in these meetings, including the Northern Alliance, have pledged such improvement. The groups know that the much-needed economic and humanitarian aid depends in large part on honoring these pledges.
A former Pakistani student of mine here at UCLA, Sheik Manzour, has been active as a staff member of World Bank in bringing foreign capital to Afghanistan to help develop its energy resources.
The Unocal program to build a natural gas pipeline is similar in its goals. Such programs help the Afghans obtain much-needed jobs, income and advances in their standard of living.
Admittedly serious social problems remain, but long-term gains in living standards should still be sought. One half a loaf of bread is better than nothing.
Theodore A. Andersen Professor Anderson School
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