The United States needs to maintain a presence in Afghanistan, not only to keep world peace but to protect women from torture and abuse, says Sonia Cole, the acclaimed Afghan-born writer, director, and actress.
"As an Afghan woman, I'm telling you that it's extremely important that we stay in Afghanistan not just for Afghan interests," Cole told "The Steve Malzberg Show" on Newsmax TV.
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"The torture that women have gone through, it's beyond words. Now, if we pull out of Afghanistan . . . the Taliban goes and puts their flag on and all the tyranny starts immediately," she said Wednesday.
"When the United States leaves, it's going to be civil war. It's going to be hell on earth in Afghanistan, not only for the Afghan people, but it will become the safe haven for the Taliban and al-Qaida to start attacking internationally."
Although there have been plans for a complete U.S. exit from Afghanistan by the end of next year, the Obama administration said this week the nation is "nowhere near" deciding to pull out all troops.
Cole's 2010 film "The Black Tulip" chronicles a family that opens up a new restaurant after the fall of the Taliban in Kabul, only to be subsequently targeted by factional Taliban elements.
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