Letters

New Afghan government may improve rights

Shirin Vossoughi writes that “Feminism
becomes U.S. war pawn“ (Daily Bruin, Nov. 27).

Her assertion is that the fall of the Taliban does not guarantee
the position of women will improve. She is correct, there is no
guarantee. But it is highly probable that the new coalition
government now being developed in meetings in Bonn, Germany, will
produce improvement.

Fatima Gailone, daughter of the head of the Peshwar group,
reports that all four major groups in these meetings, including the
Northern Alliance, have pledged such improvement. The groups know
that the much-needed economic and humanitarian aid depends in large
part on honoring these pledges.

A former Pakistani student of mine here at UCLA, Sheik Manzour,
has been active as a staff member of World Bank in bringing foreign
capital to Afghanistan to help develop its energy resources.

The Unocal program to build a natural gas pipeline is similar in
its goals. Such programs help the Afghans obtain much-needed jobs,
income and advances in their standard of living.

Admittedly serious social problems remain, but long-term gains
in living standards should still be sought. One half a loaf of
bread is better than nothing.

Theodore A. Andersen Professor Anderson
School