Afghan culture remains as brutal as a decade ago. Deeply entrenched culture is not fault of Taliban, simply Afghan Islamic

.
"The plight of Afghan women, who 10 years after the overthrow of the Taliban regime often continue "to suffer in unimaginable conditions."

12/14/11, "Jailed Afghanistan rape victim Gulnaz is freed," BBC

"An Afghan woman jailed for adultery after a relative raped her has been freed, her lawyer has told the BBC.

The woman, known only as Gulnaz, was released on the orders of President Hamid Karzai, who pardoned her earlier this month....

The case drew international attention to the plight of many Afghan women.

Gulnaz - who was sentenced to 12 years in prison after reporting that she had been raped by her cousin's husband - recently gave birth in jail to a daughter.

"Gulzaz's story was included in a European Union documentary on Afghan women jailed for so-called "moral crimes" but the EU blocked its release because of concerns for the safety of the women portrayed."...

• (Ed. note: I don't believe that to be true. I believe the EU blocked it for the same reason you see few if any accurate portrayals if Islamic life on You Tube. I finally saw an important one of a child being whipped in Afghanistan for refusing to marry an old man, but You Tube discouraged watching the video, warned it was troubling material, required special sign-in, (detail below) etc. rather than begging you to watch this truth. We would have been out of Afghanistan long ago with our $6 billion tax dollars a month if people knew our money simply financed a deeper entrenchment of criminal culture.)
  

(continuing, BBC): "The EU's Ambassador and Special Representative to Afghanistan, Vygaudas Usackas, said earlier this month that her case has highlighted the plight of Afghan women, who 10 years after the overthrow of the Taliban regime often continue "to suffer in unimaginable conditions, deprived of even the most basic human rights".

Half of Afghanistan's women prisoners are inmates for "zina" or moral crimes."...

Gulaz and baby daughter, BBC photo

==================

You Tube could do a service by shouting about this video from the roof tops. Instead, it tries to discourage people from watching, calling it "inappropriate." Keeping it a secret guarantees the abuse will continue. NY Times story 5/31/10, "Afghan child brides escape marriages but not flogging"

From You Tube ahead of video of a young girl being flogged but which they entitle, "Afghan Women flogged brutally:"

"This video may contain content that is inappropriate for some users, as determined by the video uploader (Learn More).

To view this video please verify you are 18 or older by signing in or signing up.

If you would instead prefer to avoid potentially inappropriate content, consider activating YouTube's Safety Mode."

(Ed. note: I'm pretty sure You Tube would say they have 'progressive and compassionate' values.)

---------------------------

"The United States is spending more than $6 billion a month in the conflict." Reuters

12/5/11, "U.S. commits to another dozen years of financial aid to Afghanistan at Bonn," Washington Times, Sara A. Carter

====================

1/14/12, "What future for Afghan woman jailed for being raped ?" BBC

"The crime came to light when the unmarried Gulnaz became pregnant.

The police came and arrested both Gulnaz and her attacker. Under Afghan law she too was found guilty of a crime known as "adultery by force", with her sentence increased on appeal to 12 years."...

.