Is this worth dying for?

The study, called 'Pashtun Sexuality', said that as well as willing sex between young men, "boys are appreciated for physical beauty and apprenticed to older men for their sexual initiation".

The practice of 'bache bazi' or boy play, is known throughout Afghanistan, but is particularly renowned in the city of Kandahar next to Helmand, where prepubescent boys are widely admired.

Western soldiers often report feeling unease at the attentions of their Afghan comrades, who are affectionate with each other and sometimes wear make-up.

British troops have also talked of their disgust at police or militias keeping young boys as hangers on.

Anna Maria Cardinalli, author of the report, said British officers requested the research in the summer of 2009 when she worked with them in Lashkar Gah.

 

 

 

Comments

[Becky]

Well, I'm not necessarily saying that Afghan soldiers are more liberal as such than 'Western' soldiers, DG. However, Paul seems to be saying here that Afghan soldiers are more liberal when it comes to tolerance of men wearing cosmetics and that they tend not to be as paranoid about showing affection to their male colleagues. Like most people, I share Paul's horror at 'bache bazi', but I really do not understand why he puts men wearing make-up and showing affection towards other adult males on a par with the evils of child abuse. After all, most abusers are cissexual males - but strangely nobody saying it's them that we should be suspicious of - because heterosexual gender conformist white western males are considered 'normal', whereas anyone else is considered 'dangerous'.

[Becky]

"Becky, please could you confirm if I understand you correctly - are you saying that you think Afghan soldiers are more socially liberal than Western soldiers?"

No.

[D.G.]

Becky, please could you confirm if I understand you correctly - are you saying that you think Afghan soldiers are more socially liberal than Western soldiers?

[Becky]

"Western soldiers often report feeling unease at the attentions of their Afghan comrades, who are affectionate with each other and sometimes wear make-up."

Maybe it's because 'western soldiers' have a tendency to be transphobic, sexist and homophobic. Most paedophiles and sex attackers are cissexual males, Paul.

[HuwOS]

The Western world engages in what is not but should be illegal activity in destroying what little there was in Afghanistan.
When they then realise they are not going to reach their goal of a compliant western outpost in the middle east there, we talk loudly about how terrible these people are who we have gone to such efforts to "help".

Apparently their untrustworthiness, their tribalism, their dark ages outlook, their corruption, their misgynism is not enough so let's attack them as a nation of paedophiles, after all in this time you can't go wrong with a well placed "will no one think of the children".

I believe Paul that your aim of withdrawing forces from Afghanistan and thereby reducing the number of pointless deaths is a good one, but I also believe that it is dangerous to join in with the narrative that effectively says that if the Afghans' weren't such backward sub-humans then everything would be okay.

[Generic Viagra Online]

This article is just too amazing. I am so impressed by the article that I shall request my near and dear ones too read it too. The piece of information written by you is so interesting. I have never read such a good and fully informed article like this.

[Gerald]

Paul I looked at the flyer for Newport Friends of the Earth. Unless I'm mistaken all the speakers are against Nuclear Power, so it's hardly a discussion more a foregone conclusion in their minds and opinions.
I have no objection to them building or re-building a Nuclear Power plant at Hinkley or nearer, if they want to knock down The Handpost and build one there I'd not object.

[Kay Tie]

But Paul, you're not allowed to criticise other cultures! You of all people should know this: you just spent a decade writing the tenets of cultural relativism into law.