We've done soooo much to help women internationally.

Tomorrow, March 8 2007, is International Women's Day ( also here, and here.)

Here's a small snippet

1918 - 1999
Since its birth in the socialist movement, International Women's Day has grown to become a global day of recognition and celebration across developed and developing countries alike. For decades, IWD has grown from strength to strength annually. For many years the United Nations has held an annual IWD conference to coordinate international efforts for women's rights and participation in social, political and economic processes. 1975 was designated as 'International Women’s Year' by the United Nations. Women's organisations and governments around the world have also observed IWD annually on 8 March by holding large-scale events that honour women's advancement and while diligently reminding of the continued vigilance and action required to ensure that women's equality is gained and maintained in all aspects of life.

2000 - 2007
IWD is now an official holiday in Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. The tradition sees men honouring their mothers, wives, girlfriends, colleagues, etc with flowers and small gifts. In some countries IWD has the equivalent status of Mother's Day where children give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers. . .

. . . Annually on 8 March, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate their achievements. While there are many large-scale initiatives, a rich and diverse fabric of local activity connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and networking events through to local women's craft markets, theatric performances, fashion parades and more. . .

. . . So make a difference, think globally and act locally !! Make everyday International Women's Day. Do your bit to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding.

So what have we, as a nation, done to advance women's lives throughout the world?

1. Despite the initial elation of the Taliban being overthrown in Afghanistan and women and girls being able to return to public life, go to school, get health care, etc. Due to our stupidity in not securing the country and giving it a year of two stable start, before starting anything with Iraq, the Taliban is once again gaining ground, retaking areas and resubjugating women.

2. We removed Saddam Hussein. No matter how much of a bastard he was, and he was, no matter how much he needed to be removed, and he did, he at least
allowed women to go to school, kept them in public life and left the burkha and the veil up to them.

Now with the emergence of hard line religionist women are being forced to adopt the burkha, chaddor and/or veil and to become less visible in public life, and even schooling is iffy.

3. We keep information on birth control/condoms out of the hands of the poor women in Africa and they are now suffering an up tick in deaths due to AIDS leaving many orphaned children.

Yes we as a nation have done so much to help the women of the world.

Here's how you can help turn it around:
Feminist Majority Foundation
CARE
Women for Women International
Aschiana
Malalai Hospital project of RAWA

For the 1st Time DAVOS May be Right About the USA

Liz Alderman: Davos Debates "Whether The US Faces A Slow But Inevitable Decline. . .

This year's overarching theme at Davos -- the "shifting power equation" -- apparently means many things to the throngs gathered here. For some, it crystallized a growing concern that established institutions are losing power. Rogue states and nonstate actors threaten disorder on the global stage, which could take the form of weapons proliferation, terrorism or the spread of AIDS and other deadly diseases. These threats "create an environment in which the things we treasure cannot prosper," Richard N. Haas, the president of the Council on Foreign Relations, said in a panel Wednesday called "The Shifting Power Equation: Geopolitics."

For others at this year's World Economic Forum, the theme sparked a debate about whether the United States faces a slow but inevitable decline. Will its dominance be sapped by challenges to its Iraq policy and by the rapid rise of China? Pei Minxin, a senior associate and director of the China program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, sharply disputed this notion.
-- DealBook on HuffPo

For the first time in my life (and I'm well over 40) I feel that this country has been so broken by the last 6 years that it cannot be fixed.

• China holds our debt, the highest in history.
  
  
  
• Countries are now banking on the Euro instead of the US dollar. Remember when the Euro was a joke's punchline? But more over does the average US citizen undrerstand what this means to our economy, interests rates and inflation? Shouldn't someone in the media be explaining this to them, instead of letting it sit as a two paragraph news story on the bottom of page 17?
  
  
  
• We are no longer looked at as a beacon to the rest of the world.
  
  
  
• One half of our own citizenry fear their government, a fear that we were warned about by Thomas Jefferson.
  
  
  
• Our government has shredded the constitution. The very document that made us a great nation.
  
  
  
• The middle class is fighting for it's life.
  
  
  
• The new robber barrons, aristocracy without check, have the poor scared, unprotected and feeling more and more like pawns. Whatever happened to protecting the weak, the poor and the down trodden?
  
  
  
• NOLA has been allowed to die.
  
  
  
• Big business seems to have a freer hand to abuse its workers. Ever remember a time in the last 20 years when we've have so many mining accidents?
  
  
  
• We have had no oversight for years, just a rubber stamp congress for whatever the president wills (until 1/2007).
  
  
  
• Now in a cynical move the president is firing prosecutors to put in operatives which will further erode the since of equal justice the people of this nation USED to have, or atleast have the hope would prevail.
  
  
  
• We have abandoned science and rights in favor of one religion and have a brain drain because of it. Other nations will take the lead on scientific, technological, medical, etc. advances.
  
  
  
• We have lost all credibility abroad.
  
  
  
• We are a mess at home.
  
  
  
• We are divided and maybe irreversibly so. These wounds are deep, for those on the left have been called Un-American and an "Enemy of the State" for 6 years just because they disagree with the president over the Iraq war, and the disappearance of rights at home. If one listens to the Republican talking heads call you every foul name in the book, it's very hard on the left to feel a sense of charity to those on the right. For those on the right that have subscribed and still subscribe to these divisive diatribes, even those the right to dissent - even in a time of war- is patriotic, they may feel no charity toward the half of the population they view as traitors. Our divisions run so deep now and may not be able to be healed. Lincoln's warning about "a house divided" may come to pass.
  

As sorry as I am to say it, or even think it, for the first time Davos may be right.