Comments on: CIA Uses Viagra as Bribing Tactic in Afghanistan

By: Gold Leaf

Gold Leaf — Mon, 18 May 2009 04:24:25 +0000

This is disgusting!
I don’t know who is more to blame the Allies who should know better or the uneducated peasants. Hmm is this a case of “first you create thieves and then punish them”? This is just giving more power to men and more means to suppress the poor women.

I don’t get the authority part that much- maybe it is lost in translation? what authority? rape? But if some sick desperados want authority they might unfortunately resort to physical abuse, emotional rape…does it need to involve sex and viagra??

hmm..

By: Jennifer P

Jennifer P — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:55:42 +0000

My mind went to rape too, at first. But then I thought, the Viagra will also be used to keep his wives pregnant. Maybe that’s the authority they speak of; the ability to sire babies? Perhaps a family patriarch that can’t get his young wives pregnant loses respect? Either way, it relies on using women in deplorable ways, like brood stock. *shudder*

And Henry, speaking of deplorable, do you honestly believe what you are saying? Because it’s just sad. As if we just have NO CHOICE but to give Viagra to violent misogynists and perpetuate the subjugation of women. Nope, there’s just no other way to keep “our boys” safe over there! (Newsflash: there are “our women” over there too.)

By: Scorpion&theFrog

Scorpion&theFrog — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:54:56 +0000

Working here in Afghanistan for over a year with the Afghan Army and on occasion, dealing with rape of men (young men) by older men in “authority” I kind of like the idea of a man having sex with his wife. Further more, if we can make some small steps in the right direction (ie. more secure, more schools for both boys and girls, and an over all equal rights for all) with some little blue pills as a small part of that I say go for it.

By: moejo

moejo — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:51:46 +0000

I have lived here for almost 4 years now working side by side with Afghani men and have to tell ya…I am more concerned for the boys than the girls or woman when it comes to rape. It is a real problem. In many of the mens views the boys are for pleasure and the woman are for offspring and all the work, It all makes me sick. It is so ingrained into their world.
The woman here are so restricted by the men, and the men are so brainwashed into believing that they are correct in all their actions and are convinced that they do not have to change their ways. The repression of their whole society is such that I wonder if there is any real hope left for a more equal and peaceful existance for them all. You can hope though.

By: Bushfire

Bushfire — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 05:18:23 +0000

“If giving some old dudes some pills gets us info down the road that keeps some of our guys from getting killed, overlooking the sexism here isn’t nearly as hard to swallow. We’re not telling anyone to rape anybody or beat women or condoning any of that. ”

Overlooking the sexism is definitely not hard for a guy to swallow. Giving patriarchs viagara is not directly telling them to rape women, but it is indirectly encouraging them. That is hard to swallow for people who are against rape.

Ali: that’s a really good point. Why is it immoral to give people condoms but not to give people viagara? That really proves that it’s not about sexual morality at all, it’s just about keeping men in charge and punishing sexually active women (and rape survivors).

By: Saira

Saira — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:39:31 +0000

What disturbs me is, and maybe I’m wrong about this, but aren’t these the same areas where child brides are… well… not precisely uncommon?

By: Ali

Ali — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 20:10:09 +0000

So, the American government is fine with giving Viagra to Afghani men, for our safety of course, but would rather see African women die of AIDS than let other people give them condoms.

I’m going to go puke now.

By: scootermom

scootermom — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 18:19:03 +0000

Why am I not surprised?

“Fighting terrorism” in Afghanistan is done on the backs of Afghan women. The oppression of their own culture isn’t bad enough. Now America considers them a useful tool in restoring the authority of tribal leaders.

Jesus Christ, this is disgusting.

By: Henry

Henry — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 06:26:38 +0000

“So, if a sexist viewpoint is hard to change, then it’s ok to just leave it! Yay sexism!”

If it’s counterproductive to try and change it currently, yes. There has to be some rational prioritization of goals when you’re engaged in what we’re engaged in. We’re fighting a war. If giving some old dudes some pills gets us info down the road that keeps some of our guys from getting killed, overlooking the sexism here isn’t nearly as hard to swallow. We’re not telling anyone to rape anybody or beat women or condoning any of that.

“Yeah, cause you know who doesn’t have those views??? Americans! Nope, not at all. No way. Good thing we found a way to relate to those totally foreign and backwards versions of masculinity that we’re way past in civilized land!”

This is a little ridiculous. Americans by and large do not have the same view here that the Afghans do. If it was revealed that a mayor was impotent, that wouldn’t necessarily tank his reelection (although I’ll admit it would probably become campaign fodder in a roundabout way). There would be plenty of jokes, sure, but it wouldn’t be a legitimate issue. If a candidate tried to make it an issue they would be a joke themselves. Impotence would be much more problematic for a tribal leader.

Also, not every observation on a foreign culture has to be a referendum on whether we’re just as bad. It is a simple fact that Afghans come from a traditional tribal honor culture. That’s not even a value judgment, it’s just the way it is.

By: Brian

Brian — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 05:51:05 +0000

I don’t think that the quote implied rape because it was provided in the context that the men’s need for Viagra was related to the fact that they have mutliple wives. This would lead me to believe that the Viagra is for the married people to have sex with each other, which is generally not rape. (A person can rape a spouse, but sex between spouses is generally consensual.)

Perhaps the most important aspect about the CIA’s use of Viagra is that Viagra, unlike other gifts to informants (guns, money, etc.) isn’t the kind of thing that can be used either in terrorist attacks or to obtain weaponry.