The sixth anniversary of the United States-led invasion of Afghanistan is fast approaching, but no-one is celebrating. Western governments continue to pour military resources into Iraq and Afghanistan, turning away from the reality that their continuing intervention is destroying the social, political and economic viability of both countries. In this program we hear the voices that are too often missing from mainstream media coverage: the perspectives of Afghans and Iraqis themselves. Our guests today explain the affects that the Western invasion of their countries is having on their hearts, minds and souls. And as they share with us their stories about the collapse of their parliaments and international exploitation of their resources, they reveal how – if these military interventions were ever really about liberating Afghans and Iraqi people – then they have completely failed.

• Sohaila and her colleagues in the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA) risk life and limb to bring education and security to the women of Afghanistan. She talks in detail about daily life in her country.

• At last – the very thing that everyone’s suspected was behind the invasion of Iraq is now on the table of Iraq’s Parliament until October. This Oil Law will hand the management of Iraq’s oil fields back to foreign companies. Faleh Jabar – one of Iraq’s most prominent sociologists and Director with the Iraq Institute for Strategic Studies – explains its causes and effects.

• The talented Phil Sparrow – development consultant, photographer and writer – challenges our humanity in a performance of one of his wonderful stories about living and working in Afghanistan.
  

This program also features the CD Introducing Etran Finatawa from Niger – a country which serves as a crossroads between the Arabs of North Africa and the sub-Saharan traditions. You can tell in this music.

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