Maintaining Colonial Control Means Pandering To The Patriarchy

The morality of the war on terror has now descended into viagra handouts - From women's liberation to domestic despotism in eight years. But the structure set up by the neocons is still in place

"Bribing leaders in the Afghan hinterland to take sides in the clash of civilisations is no easy task. The CIA used to offer local chiefs money for information, but then they would spend it so ostentatiously they effectively blew their own cover. Operatives used to give weapons before it turned out that the arms were being sold on and used against them.
But one day they decided that if they were going to rally the fence-sitters to the enlightenment cause they should strike below the belt. During a conversation with a chief in his 60s who had four younger wives, a CIA official pulled out a bag of Viagra. "Take one of these," he said. "You'll love it."
It was the beginning of a beautiful relationship. When the officer returned later in the week the once wary chief was all smiles and actionable intelligence. All he wanted in return was some little blue pills. "He came up to us beaming," the official told the Washington Post. "He said: 'You are a great man.' And after that we could do whatever we wanted in his area."
Another retired officer told the Post. "You didn't hand it out to younger guys, but it could be a silver bullet to make connections to the older ones." For elderly polygamous patriarchs, he explained, it could "put them back in an authoritative position".
But the line between authoritative and tyrannical in these matters in this part of the world is horrifically blurred. Recent legislation in Afghanistan, approved by the man the west put in power, in effect legalises rape in marriage. Other elements of the law make it illegal for a woman to leave home, seek work and education, or visit the doctor without her husband's permission – and she cannot refuse to "make herself up" or to "dress up" if her husband demands it. Under these circumstances handing out Viagra is a bit like bombing obscure targets from thousands of feet. The likelihood that anything good will come from it is highly remote."