Yes, sunny days are right around the corner...

Afghanistan is almost a western democracy, right? Women walk the streets proudly, blah blah blah? Well, tell that to this woman who was nearly beaten to death by her family for wanting to choose what to do with her life.

Inequality is so deeply embedded in this society that there are no easy solutions. In a new opinion poll in Afghanistan, 87 percent of those surveyed said women needed to ask their husbands' permission to vote. There was little difference in the answers of men and women.

mmm, great. Those initial stories of women and girls throwing off their burkas were short-lived. Most quickly decided that it was better to play it safe and stay indoors than risk retributive rape or imprisonment by those angered by their attempts at freedom. Women are registering to vote, but it's under death threats from the Taliban, so who knows whether any will turn out.

Of course, when Safire looks over there, he sees an Afghan miracle. Perhaps his binoculars come with built-in sunshine . . .