Karzai: Controversial Afghan women's law to be reviewed »
Posted By tehranchik 7 months ago in Political NewsResponding to criticism from around the world, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Saturday that a new law that critics say makes it legal for men to rape their wives will be studied and possibly sent back to parliament for review.
Karzai said he ordered the Justice Ministry to review the law, and if anything in it contravenes the country's constitution or Shariah law, "measures will be taken."
The law, signed by Karzai last month, is intended to regulate family life inside Afghanistan's Shiite community, which makes up 10% to 20% of the country's 30 million people. But the United Nations Development Fund for Women has said the law "legalizes the rape of a wife by her husband."
The United States has urged Karzai to review the law, and Karzai said he has spoken with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton about it. Canadian officials have also criticized the legislation.
One of the law's most controversial articles legislates the frequency of sexual relations between Shiite husbands and wives. Article 132 says the husband has a right to sex every fourth night unless the wife is ill.
Karzai did not mention Article 132 during a news conference Saturday. But he said he had studied the law earlier in the day and that "I don't see any problems with it." He complained that Western media outlets had mistranslated it. He read an article of the law during the news conference that appears to restrict Shiite women's right to leave their homes, though Karzai underscored a provision that allows women to leave in emergencies.
Still, he said the law should be reviewed in consultation with scholars and religious leaders. "I ordered the justice minister to review the law, and if there is anything that would contravene the country's constitution or Shariah law or the freedom our constitution gives to Afghan women, without any doubt there will be changes in it, and again it will be sent to the parliament of Afghanistan," he said. "Measures will be taken."
The issue of women's rights is a source of tension between the country's conservative establishment and more liberal members of society. The Taliban government that ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 banned women from appearing in public without a body-covering burqa and a male escort from her family. (You can learn more about this controversial law in the CNN video below.)
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tehranchik
Well, I'm from and live in the Pacific Northwest. I did live in the middle east during the late 70's and early 80 ...
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AbuAmirahComment removed: Spammer, Hard Banned
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SSGRichie7 months ago
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I couldn't have said it any better. I can not understand either how a man can be with a woman who has no interest in him. I have been married for 15 years and I am more conserned with my wife's feelings' (during thoses special moments) than my own. To me, the worst crimes that can ever be commited is rape & child abuse. The punishment for these crimes should be castration (did I spell that right?)
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lking4trbl7 months ago
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You're confusing "interest" with control. These men have no interest in women per se, only in the control these laws give over another person. They feel justified because of their (mis)interpretation of some holy law. It's really sad because when women start to rise up in their country, demanding and receiving their just place in the society, these men are going to be the first cut off from that which they had to legislate to get in the first place.
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Rocmistro7 months ago
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The reason you cannot understand it is because you confuse Western reasons for marriage, family and sex with other regions of the world reasons' for it.
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In that part of the world, as I'm sure in many others, family, marriage, and the laws, customs and norms which regulate it are for a much different purpose. Family is almost a necessity; children are a necessity, both for psychological as well as material reasons. In the United States and other developed nations, we have material wealth, careers, hobbies, and the time to pursue them, to make us feel good about ourselves. They don't have that. The need to have a wife who is "interested" in you, is less important than the need to have a wife who "obeys" you...and the religious/custom law, etc.
We call ourselves an open minded people, but until we really wrap our heads around what it means to be from another part of the world, we will always judge and condemn other cultures.
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kableroshun7 months ago
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Poor freakin Afghanistan: The majority of Afghanis hate the Taliban and were so happy when we first felled them... the girls could go back to school, people could dance and listen to music, and we f***ed them over and let the Taliban regain control. What kind of fools think they can stop time by pretending women never picked up the vote?
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jharris352-437 months ago
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Women are and should be the property of men. They should not be abused, but they should be obedient. It is wrong for a woman to refuse sex with her husband without cause. Not 50 years ago this was common philosophy here until men lost their minds and bought into the feminist agenda. I'm sure I will be flamed by the "tolerant" liberals on this board, but 1000's of years of human history are not wrong.
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lking4trbl7 months ago
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While I disagree with what you've said so far about as completely as I disagree with the Afghan laws above, I'm curious. What if the man is an abuser? A cheating, lying, ignorant loser incapable of maintaining his home. Should the woman still be obedient? By your own comments below, let's assume she was "helped" by her parents to choose her mate only the mate turned out to be a horrible choice. Does she have no rights at all to leave such an abusive home and to find a partner worthy of her obedience?
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Using the LDS group in Utah as an example, I think the women and girl's allow that sort of beliefs to continue and be subject to them is because the men have kept them so sheltered fromt he outside world that they don't know they have a choice. To me, that is the biggest sin of all. If your mate chooses you from a lack of options, it's not a true choice.
I still think your beliefs are intolerable, but hey, as long as the woman in your life agrees with it, who am I to say it's wrong. As long as you don't interfere with my life I won't interfere with your life. -
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marydmaryd7 months ago
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Clearly this oaf didn't do well with intimate relationships. Those who seek to control instead letting love guide their path is an obvious misfit and probably has social/behavioral issues as well. With hope, his wife (more like controlled co-habitator) and daughters will find the strength and fortitude it takes to leave these kind of person (I can't refer to him as a man, real men don't act that way) and live a healthy, happy, abuse-free life. My prayers for his family and my pity to him.
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nsbob707 months ago
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wow...after scrolling down, as a fellow male...I gotta say, give up the ghost man!...you sound like you know what yer talkin about, and that's fine, but you can plainly see, you should just go to work, or go mow the lawn, or weigh the furniture...ANYTHING to get off the computer...not too many folks seem to agree with ya...should tell ya something...I don't even know why I'm getting involved! lol..anyway, have a good day, and give your wife a hug when ya see her next, be glad we live where we do.
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sadiemae12147 months ago
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There are countless serial rapists running around with the same attitude as yours. Rape isn't about sex, it's about power. People don't "own" people and nobody has the right to force a free individual to do something they don't want to do. Marriage isn't slavery, it's a partnership.
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lee01237 months ago
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If 1000 years of history wasn't wrong, we could legally burn you at the stake and call you a heretic for not agreeing with general public thought. We could also behead you for public amusement, enslave you for life, or sacrifice you to some god. I personally am glad we are getting away from that period of history.
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sallies19627 months ago
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What are you thinking? I have a 153 IQ, why in the world would I blindly follow anyone? I would be hard pressed to find a man intelligient enough follow! I am sorry you feel that you are superior because you have an "outtie" and I have an "innie"! LOL. Common sense should dictate who leads and who follows. Not ones sex! Most modern men want a woman to stand by their side not follow or lead!
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minyassa7 months ago
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I disagree. Thousands of years of human history have been proven wrong again and again. For thousands of years it was believed that the earth was flat, that the sun revolved around it, that illness was caused by ill humors or evil spirits, that there was no way to prevent smallpox or bubonic plague...the list goes on. I consider the subjugation of one gender by another to be no different from other outdated and utterly wrong beliefs and practices. It took quite a while for these antiquated notions to die out, and there are actually some places where people have not learned yet due to a lack of technology and cultural leisure to allow for progress. This will take time to overcome cultural lag and superstitious obstacles as well.
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PsychoHosebeastComment removed: Spammer, Abusive1 Reply
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shhawes7 months ago
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psych101517 months ago
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It's very easy to make statements like "Women are and should be the property of men." when you are a man. It's the luck of the draw that you happened to be born with a penis, jharris. Would you be so strong in that stance if you were born with a vagina? Can you imagine how it would feel if that statement was made at your expense? Can you imagine being property? To use the reasoning, it's been like that for a 1000 years and human history isn't wrong shows your ignorance. Slavery was around for thousands of years, so according to your thinking, we should have slaves again. How about you living your life as a slave? How would you feel if we said, it's your lot in life to be a slave, and you are to be obedient, submissive, and you should be happy with that fate. I know you are closed minded enough not to consider how it would feel, and this is probably a waste of time, but I just had to say it.
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jharris352-437 months ago
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Thank you for your reply. I most certainly would be in support of it if I was a woman; as are my daughters. You seem to have a vision of Slavery when I say Property. They are not one and the same. I love my daughters and I treat them as any loving father would. But I can assure you that they will not be choosing their own mate without my and my wife's assistance. The current divorce rate, teen, and other unwanted pregnancy are the DIRECT result of this "freedom" of allowing immature teen girls the ability to choose their own mates unrestricted. I don't expect a fair hearing, nor am I concerned by it. I'm simply saying that Men should take the lead in their family and not be led around by their women.
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mattmanec7 months ago
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jharris352-437 months ago
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OMG Matt, becareful with that DANGEROUS opinion of yours. You mean you actually BELIEVE that the marriage vow of "love, honor, and obey" means something! HOW DARE YOU.... I am glad someone seems to agree with me a bit. I love the comment about how would I like to be happy with my "fate" of being submissive and obedient. Who doesn't have someone that they answer to? Don't we all have bosses? Don't we all have to obey the law and police? There is an order in society. There is an order in the home. Just because my wife is obedient and submissive doesn't make her unhappy or powerless. In fact she is quite happy, and gets her way MOST of the time. But in the end she loves and respects me enough to follow me, even when she disagrees. Now you guys can poo-poo that all you want, but its a good thing......
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jfd7 months ago
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jharris, So, I suppose that when your loved daughters disagree with your choice for a mate, you will lop their heads off? Because you are "the man" and it is your duty to run the family as you see fit? You already are a slave...a slave of hate and fear and of all things...a vagina. pathetic.
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jharris352-437 months ago
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Of course not, that is silly. But I can tell you that they will go it alone if they make their own choice. And, as you see in "enlightened society" they have a 52% chance of divorcing in the first 5 years, and an even greater chance of being in a miserable marriage after that. My daughters will be involved in the choice. It's not like we will force a man on them, just that they will have help. Why do you have to eggagerate what I say to put down my point? Is it because you have no point of your own?
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munkerj7 months ago
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Frankly if that's law it should be legal to murder your husband. I'm fine with that exchange. I'd even get married for the chance... let's see who wins. You have the right to rape me but I have the right to murder you. Sleep tight.
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sunkissedshell7 months ago
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i agree. :)
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Our bodies,our choice. There is reason behind this...besides the obvious. The male always wants sex and the female only wants it sometime. Its a balance, think about it...if neither one wanted it all the time we would be wayyy under populated, if both wanted it all the time we would be wayyy over populated (not that we arent) which is more reason for sex-hungry-rapists..oh excuse me i meant husbands, to keep it in their pants. and have you not heard of porn. we arent your little dolls sweetie.
As shocking as this may be to some of you we do have a mind of our our, with our very own thoughts and our own feelings! -gasp- its true. -
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subcool37 months ago
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they are not gonna change it. they dont care what we think. they never have and never will. the unfair thing about the law is that it targets a specific relgious sect and not the whole muslim community. a wife should want to have sex with her husband if not then why be married get a divorce.
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lightin27 months ago
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The problem with all of the comments on this board is...you are all putting our morality on them I do agree that women are not property of men but this has been going on over there for 1000's of years. Did you really think we cound step in and change their ways in 2,5, or even 15 years? It will take generations of people to effect change.
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They only know 1 way and we are NOT going to change it without a lot of time. -
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hldolphins977 months ago
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I don't think that's fair AT ALL!! Women aren't possessions. Husbands shouldn't be able to rape their wife that is wrong! Women need to be treated equally. Yes we had to fight for our freedom but we weren't like slaves. The women need help. Also the child should be able to pick who they live with and visit the other parent. This really ticks me off!!
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jemstone3167 months ago
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jharris: I'm not sure if you are referring to an arranged marriage for your daughters. If you are, history is also filled with both men and women committing adultery because they were not satisified with their partners. King Henry VIII decapitated two of his wives, both on assumed adultery and other issues, the other. Elizabeth I is rumored to not have really been a virgin, and may have even had a child at 14 that died. Georgianna, the Duchess, and her husband basically had a "swingers" relationship, and that was back in the late 1700's. She got pregnant by other men and her husband had children with other women. You never really have a guarantee that your daughters will really be happy, even if you hand pick their mates.
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hldolphins977 months ago
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This is WRONG!! Women aren't people's possessions! A husband shouldn't be able to force his wife to have sex adn/or rape her! That is just plain cruel! If you agree with Afghanistan then thin about this, how would you feel as a slave pretty much, just another thing your husband owns, just a toy/object of interest?!! Hmm! How would you feel??!!!
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funnyfarm19397 months ago
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Aren't we forgetting the verse in the Bible that says a wife shall cleave to her husbund? In many places a wife not submitting to her husband is grounds for divorce. What about the women who use this witholding of sex to get what they want? Or to extract revenge upon their husbands? If the urge to have sex has left the wife the husband according to the Bible can leave her and take upon himself another wife. Women
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often use the witholding of sex and cause the husband to look for other women which is grounds for divorce where in this day and age the women legally take whatever they can in the courts off the man. (case in point) Paul McCartney's wife. Also many
more just like her. Many a fortune has been made by a woman
who never loved her husband in the first place.-
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VLR7 months ago
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What if the woman loves her husband, would love to be able to have sex with him, but the only time he wants to have anything to do with her is when he gets into the bedroom. All throughout the day, morning no goodbye kiss (I love you and will miss you throughtout my time away from you), no tender hugs or caresses in passing, nothing other than groping you in the dark. Going from Tata's to bush in a matter of seconds thinking that this is suppose to AROUSE her? You can't just say that women OWE their husbands sex!
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I really hope you take the time to treat your 'wife' special and truly inspire her!
If husbands would be who they are and wives would be who they are, BEFORE the marriage, there wouldn't be divorce.
(Oh, honey I am someone who will treat you like a two dollar hooker, kay? Let's get married.) -
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izitrong7 months ago
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Wow, do you know that the meaning of "cleave" is to cut, slash or smite. I have to wonder about that saying from the bible which of course was written by a man not a god. Oh, and why exactly would that woman need to exact revenge? I suppose he did nothing wrong. For those of you saying that women use sex to get what they want, well guess what, you men are the fools falling for it and giving in so stop complaining about it. As for the law, I can agree with it as long as law 133 states that a woman has the right to castrate her husband for abuse.
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notorius7 months ago
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Do you speak for God? He never said that a woman had to submit to a man! Christianity started that crap and got rid of the goddess that existed so women wouldn't be empowered! Get your facts straight! Read history books! REAL ONES!! The bible has been edited and translated to fit the needs of the church, not to teach what it's supposed to teach and they don't preach the real teachings of Jesus either. Egyptians worshipped a goddess and women were in power there. Greeks and Romans also believed in a goddess before Christianity came about. Christianity is a patriarch religion just like the Baptists and to empower women would be dangerous to them and until men could stand the pain of child birth, don't say that we're inferior to you.
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kateycatastrophe7 months ago
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I'm so confused. If only men didn't have all the complexes that they have, we would have a better world. If men weren't so pig headed and jealous, there could be peace. But NO! A man is a man is a man! He has the effing dick! His stuff is on the outside! That means we all must obey! *********. I obey no man but God. This law is nothing but another stab into the women's hearts over there. They have to walk around in 100 degree weather covered from head to toe, and then when they get home, if their husband is randy, she's gotta put out! I HATE MEN SOMETIMES!
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speakthetruth997 months ago
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you say that the only man you trust is god. and go on about how men are pigs and have complexes, how about you pull your head out and look at woman the same way. both men and woman have their problems so dont point fingers. and the thing about trusting god......have you ever read the bible? the bible has some of the most derogatory comments about woman. before you go off spouting your ignorance and making people more stupid for having read your comment......do some research and know what your talking about
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funnyfarm19397 months ago
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Women have used sex as a means to get whatever they want for years. Maybe not all women but when the desire leaves her what
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recourse does a man have? Other then divorce where the wife
in the courts of todays society sees fit to give her most of what the huband has.(Remember Paul McCartneys wife?) She took him for millions. What about the women that marry for personal
gain? Then deny the husband sex and use it against him.Yes the
husband can leave file for divorce where he is judged the rat
while she gets the sympathy of the courts the children and the house.Courts in this day of equall rights fought for by women do not apply in this instance.It's woe is me I'm a poor defenseless woman he cheated on me. (Never an explanation why). Now you may bash my comment but deny these things don't happen.-
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raklukowski7 months ago
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Funnyfarm, Yes women do do that. But two wrongs don't make a right. Most women will tell you, they lose interest because the man loses his. If you ignore me when I try to talk to you, disrespect me and my opinions, treat me like a child and never have anything nice to offer why would I want to have sex with you? If I treated my man that way I would expect him to leave or look, we have been togeather for 25 years. On the other hand , I go where and when I want, with who I want to, I don't have to ask for permission. He knows he can trust me and rely on my doing what is best for both of us, no matter what.
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