The American Spectator

“Afghanistan *was* a sovereign state,” he writes. “They didn’t ask for any ‘help.’ They didn’t ask to be invaded.”

Well, that’s debatable considering the Taliban were harboring the terrorist masterminds responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks. Nevertheless, statements like this are immaterial to the argument I made, which was, there’s a chance that after two decades of war and fundamentalist rule, life is getting better in Afghanistan for women. I believe that to be true, but others can accept or reject that, but it is not reasonable to do so by being dismissive of the torture, rape, murder, and suffering of Afghani women or taking the side of theocratic fascists.

Like all pure partisans, my critic refuses to believe even the strongest evidence that may weaken his position, but will embrace the flimsiest piece that bolsters it. In this case, even eye witness testimony of Taliban atrocities leave him demanding, “Where is the PROOF?” But his own proof — i.e., “Some women have said that it is *WORSE THAN BEFORE” — does not quote an actual source or person.

“Mr. Macomber might try, instead of spewing distortions and caterwauling, try to report on the GOOD things in Afghanistan culture and society,” he writes. “He seems quite the pessimist. Yet, he doesn’t do the obvious: criticize the USA for its substantial part in the degradation of the culture in Afghanistan with respect to women. Macomber completely misses that part. That is hardly an accident.”

The entire point of my article, actually, was that good things are happening in Afghanistan and lamenting that nobody was interested in reporting on them. If it’s pessimism to mourn the past suffering of those who suffered at the hands of a brutal, patriarchal terrorist government, then I suppose I am a pessimist.

“Macomber may mean well but he is just a bit too inexperienced to provide any insights,” he concludes.

Or maybe I’m just not interested in defending the theocratic fascists who ran one of the most oppressive regimes in the history of the world? If that’s a lack of insight I’m curious what an enlightened position would be…I mean aside from brushing off the rape and murder of young girls by radical fundamentalists. I wonder what the author thought of Hitler’s Brownshirts? Were they just misunderstood as well?

I will say this: Whether you were for or against the war with Afghanistan, there is literally no civilized reason to defend the Taliban government.