Just so that I have this correct. There is an absolute right to wear the burkha in Britain, where it constitutes an complete barrier to normal economic, social, cultural and political life, and where you can be sacked for wearing a cross. But the wearing of the burkha in Afghanistan, where it is normal, is so abhorrent that we are justified in fighting a war against it.
The distinction is between "may" and "must".
ReplyDeleteHow so?
ReplyDeleteI would happily ban the burkha here. But whether or not it is worn in Afghanistan - as, in point of fact, it is, in full view of our troops - is in no sense a strategic interest of the United Kingdom.
That remains the case if the wearing of the burkha is compulsory in Afghanistan. Regrettable, but nothing to do with us. If upper-middle-class metropolitan liberals were sending their sons in the Arned Forces, then there would not even be any discussion of this.