Week 37: 20 years since the terrorist attack in New York and the Taliban's advance in Afghanistan

Twenty years have passed since September 11, which is something that several Swedish debaters have touched on in the past week. The Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, the climate issue and EU cooperation have also been at the center of the debate.

During the past week, several Swedish debaters have continued to pay attention to the 20 years that have passed since the terrorist attack on 11 September. Ingvar Persson wrote on Aftonbladet debate that he does not want to compare the terrorist attack with all the acts that have taken place in Europe. All events have changed history and affected entire generations, especially young people and their ability to contribute to the development of society, he says.

Even the Sweden Democrats' party leader Jimmie Åkesson paid attention to the twenty years which has passed since the terrorist attack in New York on the Aftonbladet debate. Since then, several terrorist attacks with Islamist elements have taken place around the Western world. Terrorism was a well-known phenomenon even then, but the Islamist threat became a reality for many countries in the Western world only after 11/XNUMX. For several years, the Sweden Democrats have considered that Sweden's attitude to the Islamist threat is “far too weak and naive”. The news that women with links to the extremist group IS have returned to Sweden has not surprised Åkesson because he believes that politicians have acted too slowly on this issue.

Lawyer Nima Rostami writes on Expressen's debate page that the Swedish government has failed to enact effective terrorism legislation. According to Säpo, approximately 150 people have been able to return to Sweden without any consequences. No Swedes who joined IS have so far been convicted of terrorist crimes in Sweden, as terrorist travelers are not defined in Swedish legislation.

During the week, the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan has also attracted attention in the Swedish debate. The organization Voluntary foster fathers writes in the magazine ETC that Sweden should give Afghans who have fled "en refuge and security”. Many Afghans came to Sweden as children in 2015 and have lived insecure ever since. The Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan has contributed to increased unrest among these young people, as well as increased concern for family and friends, and at present there is no indication that Afghanistan will change for the better.

Shukla Zadran is concerned about the situation of women in Afghanistan.

- Dyour future does not look bright, she says in an interview with OmVärlden.

Shukla Zadran is a former Afghan youth representative for the UN, but is today a student and political activist. Since the Taliban took over, she has not been able to work, study or even go out with ordinary clothes, she states. There are women in the country who are demonstrating against the Taliban because they want their rights back.

A selection of the last week's editorial and debate articles on global development and Sweden's role in the world:

20 years after 11/XNUMX

On September 11, the faith in a better world died

Ingvar Persson, Aftonbladet

Sweden's naive view of Islamists threatens the country

Jimmie Åkesson, Aftonbladet

The trip should be enough to judge the IS women

Nima Rostami, The Express