Civilisation Deferred

Mission Afghanistan seems to be growing more and more accomplished, at least in terms of the Bullingdon-UKIP virtue of keeping the little woman in her place. A proposed change to the criminal prosecution code prohibits relatives from testifying against an accused person; since most Afghans live in extended families ("tribal compounds" in Dronespeak), and since the most popular cause of violence against women is family values, a healthy reduction in complaints about slavery and other abuses is to be expected. The Afghan parliament has passed the law, which now awaits the president's signature, subject to pressure from campaigners. Unfortunately, in the words of Britain's leading liberal newspaper, "countries that spent billions on trying to improve justice and human rights are now focused largely on security, and are retreating from Afghan politics." The awesome nobility of our intentions has once more been let down by the natives.