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Sun, Aug 5th 2012, 20:19

Erika Schulten, NYU Graduate Student, Center for Global Affairs, (4)

I agree with your comments regarding 30 years of war and want to make a few additional remarks. I do not know how we can foster tangible, lasting peace in Afghanistan; the multilateral concept does seem the most promising, but the idea that we can "negotiate a settlement" with the Taliban is a disappointing notion that I have seen reported many times. I am at a loss to understand what progress the last ten years of western involvement has afforded the people of Afghanistan. Yes, the Taliban is officially out of power and small cases of fragile success can be found, but perhaps the most pervasive root to failure here - the deplorable average literacy rate for men and women over the age of fifteen is still around 25%, with the literacy rate for women remaining stunted at 12%.

There can be no middle ground with the Taliban- their ideology and practices will never afford women and girls basic human rights. Just a month ago, the world was horrified to see the video of a woman murdered because of a dispute between two Taliban leaders who laid claim to her as property while a large group of cheering men looked on. 'Peace' will always be contrived as long as citizens remain burdened by the 'darkness' of illiteracy, they cannot move forward in peace as long as armed, uneducated groups with 'fluid' allegiances and corrupt government officials have power over the rest. We cannot negotiate with the Taliban. Women's rights are human rights and cannot be sacrificed.