Am I the only one who is more than a little angry at the U.S. government/CIA handing out Viagra to warlords in Afghanistan for their cooperation against the Taliban?
In theory, I suppose I could come up with some arguments justifying this "strategy". Let's start with the fact that Viagra was invented to treat a legitimate medical problem. Even if it wasn't just for the ED issues, what's the harm in a man having a little fun with one of his wives? They all look so damn sweet in the commercials in that "show your wedding ring pre-coital" pose in the bathtub (can we talk about that double bathtub on the cliff thing? WTF?").
So let's get down to what is seriously pissing me off about this issue.
1. In Afghanistan it is estimated by human rights agencies that approximately 25% of women have been subject to sexual violence.
2. Rape, especially the rape of children, in the post-Taliban Afghanistan is becoming an epidemic.
3. Hundreds of women are serving terms in Afghani prisons for the crime of having sex outside of marriage. Whether that means she ran away from her husband she was married to at 7 years old or whether she was raped by soldiers. The interpretation of Sharia that they are using calls for a woman to be imprisoned for sex outside of marriage.
4. Now for their cooperation, let's give these men some boner-makers. Which I'm certain makes some very happy men and some rather terrified women.
For objectivity's sake, I can imagine a nice 60 year old warlord who is having trouble getting it up with his four consensually married wives and they are, all five of them, thrilled for the opportunity to have intimate marital relations once again with the old man.
I can also imagine the other extreme. And I'm having a really hard time believing that women are not being raped on a more regular basis thanks to our CIA.
In theory, I suppose I could come up with some arguments justifying this "strategy". Let's start with the fact that Viagra was invented to treat a legitimate medical problem. Even if it wasn't just for the ED issues, what's the harm in a man having a little fun with one of his wives? They all look so damn sweet in the commercials in that "show your wedding ring pre-coital" pose in the bathtub (can we talk about that double bathtub on the cliff thing? WTF?").
So let's get down to what is seriously pissing me off about this issue.
1. In Afghanistan it is estimated by human rights agencies that approximately 25% of women have been subject to sexual violence.
2. Rape, especially the rape of children, in the post-Taliban Afghanistan is becoming an epidemic.
3. Hundreds of women are serving terms in Afghani prisons for the crime of having sex outside of marriage. Whether that means she ran away from her husband she was married to at 7 years old or whether she was raped by soldiers. The interpretation of Sharia that they are using calls for a woman to be imprisoned for sex outside of marriage.
4. Now for their cooperation, let's give these men some boner-makers. Which I'm certain makes some very happy men and some rather terrified women.
For objectivity's sake, I can imagine a nice 60 year old warlord who is having trouble getting it up with his four consensually married wives and they are, all five of them, thrilled for the opportunity to have intimate marital relations once again with the old man.
I can also imagine the other extreme. And I'm having a really hard time believing that women are not being raped on a more regular basis thanks to our CIA.
Stumble It!
The story of Michael and me.
5 Comments:
That just makes me feel ill. "Whatever it takes to make friends and influence people" - scary words coming from the wrong people.
That 25% statistic from RAWA and UNFPA seems low, actually. 25% is about the rate of sexual assault of women and girls in Anytown, U.S.A. I'm guessing they've got an under-reporting issue there.
And I loath what a "cute" little watercooler story this issue is being made out to be.
They can hand out Viagra to the men, but ONLY if they hand out brass knuckles to the women at the same time.
Faith - horrendous. Horrendous. And you know, I've heard that insurance pays for Viagra but of course doesn't cover birth control pills....or wossname; the details have gone fuzzy in my mind because I was so enraged when I heard it. Also-- call me stupid or old or old-fashioned or whatever you want. *I* think that "ED" is just not a problem requiring all the teevee time. Considering cancers (for example) the fact that an old guy can't get it up doesn't trip the radar for me. Sorry for the rant, mah frien' - I just have a problem with this whole thing. As for the bathtub deal? Wrong. On SO many levels. Sheesh.
{{boggled mind}} Wrong on so many levels. Mostly, I vehemently agree with D-H. ED, really? That's the most important health issue you (they) can address? Oy.
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