I like it where they are...more thoughts on Afghanistan

The better angels of my nature lead me to believe that even the Good Guys need to be constantly looking over their shoulder or else they will become Worse Guys, or worse yet, Bad Guys.  On that basis, I hope that some day the Republicans get it together well enough to become a party of sufficient appeal to the electorate to credibly threaten the Democrats.  That's the better angel.  (My Inner Trotsky, yea, my Inner Stalin is constantly whispering...a different prospect)

But right now, despite their huge majority, the Democrats have enough DINOs in their ranks to credibly threaten a Good Guy agenda--an agenda that would be even better if it weren't for the DINOs, so right now the Democrats don't need the threat of a revitalized Republican Party to keep them in line. 

I hope the Republicans stay stuck in their self-induced political purgatory at least through Obama's second term.   Health care reform (minimally with a public option),  a decent energy & environmental policy, EFCA, the beginnings of an effective strategy to help secure a (relatively) civilized rule of law in Afghanistan & Pakistan, education reforms (sans vouchers),  financial regulation, withdrawal from Iraq, accountability for the Bush torture regime, an end of the drive toward privatization of government services...that's all I want.  Oh.  And a peaceful solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.  That would be nice too.   And, actually, all of those are doable & politically feasible in terms of the what the public wants, DINOs notwithstanding.  (DINO--Democrats-in-name-only)

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I did not realize that even after the Soviets left, the Communist government in Afghanistan hung on for another three years.    Despite the brutal civil war that ensued, I suspect the Communist did manage to plant the seeds of modernism in Afghanistan, or else you wouldn't have the several organizations for women's rights that exist in Afghanistan. 

I have an overbelief, ungrounded in actual research, that the liberation of women is the key to success in bringing a minimum of social justice to Afghanistan and similar societies.   More later--if I can find out what I'm talking about. 

R.

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