Meanwhile, back at the ranch

Two steps forward, two steps back. But you're free! Free as a bird!

Afghanistan is full of young widows. The wars and violence that have plagued the country for the past 25 years have decimated the male population[, the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) said on January 31].

Once a woman is married, under Afghan tradition, she becomes a member of her husband's household, and hence is subject to the will of her husband's father.

They are expected to marry their brother-in-law or another close relative of her husband; if they don't, it can be considered the same as running away, with violent consequences. Marrying someone outside the family puts them at risk of being killed.

Interestingly, women were in this way freer under the Taliban: Islamic law does not require that a widow marry within her husband's family and in 1999 Taliban leader Mullah Omar issued an edict saying so. But since their overthrow, that limited freedom has eroded despite efforts of the government to work with religious leaders to "break the hold these traditions have on the population."

"But tradition," as the article says, "dies hard in Afghanistan."

Even in Kabul, supposedly "the most progressive place in the country for women," there are clear limits, as another IWPR article shows.

From the outside, there’s no hint that what lies beyond the glass door is anything other than what the red sign out front indicates: a beauty salon.

But inside, there is not only a modern salon for haircuts, makeup and nails, used most often by brides and their attendants, but also Afghanistan's first fitness club for women of all ages, single and married, to get in shape.

It is the first and so far the only. While sports clubs for single young women interested in joining a local team or even eventually turning pro have appeared in various parts of Afghanistan, the idea of a fitness club for all women to attend just for heath and beauty is still so outre that both the name and the location of the place are secret.

"We don't dare to name our club, because people would think negative things, and our fitness club could be bombed and all of us killed," said Shakila, 35, who works for a non-governmental organisation, and was exercising at the club. ...

When ask by a reporter what they thought about a women's fitness club being located in their neighbourhood, several shopkeepers expressed concern. ...

A local mullah also expressed his disapproval of such a fitness centre.

"If a women or girl gets a chance to spend time outside for sport or entertainment, she may make immoral bonds," said Mullah Mohammad Shoaib of Kabul, referring to the potential for out-of-wedlock sexual relations between women and men.

But - wait! We invaded, we threw out the old repressive government, we arranged for a new constitution, there were elections and everything! And, and, and, George even said that ending the oppression of women was one of the things that made what we did so good! So there isn't any oppression! So, so, so, so this is all made up! That's it! You made it up! You, you, LIBERAL! Can't trust you people....