Bob CollinsOne of the U.S. allies — Afghanistan — is considering whether to execute a young reporter because he downloaded material on women’s rights from the Internet. The U.S. has been relatively silent on the situation until Condoleezza Rice spoke out yesterday:
“I do think that the Afghans understand that there are some international norms that need to be respected. Of course, one has national laws and they’re national laws that are in accordance with traditions and religious practice. But there are international norms, and I’ll certainly talk to President Karzai about this case.”
Meanwhile, another ally of the United States — Saudi Arabia — threw a 37 year old American woman in jail, strip searched her, threatened her, and forced her to sign a false confession, according to the Times of London.
Her crime? She was sitting with a man at a Starbucks.
Said President Bush last month while visiting Saudi Arabia, where he dropped news of a $123 million sale of arms to the country, “I also want you to understand something about America – that we respect you, we respect your religion and we want to work together for the sake of freedom and peace.”
