On Thu, Jul 7, 2011 at 9:54 AM, Bruce Sorge <[email protected]> wrote:
> > So here in Afghanistan it is the squad leader that does all of the same > things that a platoon leader does in Iraq. I lead the shurah's (meetings > between us and village elders, local police and ANA), I manage the projects > that we pay for here and so on. Anyway, the Malik (village leader) in the > town I am responsible for pretty much said during a shurah that as long as > the US provides money for projects in his town, he can assure security by > way of keeping the INS forces away from us. In not so many words he > basically said that he has no problem siding wiht the taliban unless we > give > them money. So basically we are paying for our security. Money is the ONLY > motivating factor for these people. Yeah, they are poor, they live in mud > huts as the pictures I posted on FB show, they have no electricity, no > running water and so on, but why is it that these guys have no problem > siding with the same oppressive regime that we ousted 10 years ago. I am > reading the book Talaban and for the life of me I cannot figure why they > want this type of life back. Beards have to be a certain length, hair cut > short or shaved heads, have to wear a turbin at all times, kids are > required > to attend the madrasa or they are beaten with a stick, women not allowed > outside unless accompanied by a male family member, women have to cover > themselves from head to toe, etc... > Anyway, I feel that this country is pretty much hopeless. The GIROA has > absolutely no interest in helping the people of afghanistan unless they > belong to specific tribes. After being here for only a little more than a > month I have now wondered if we should really be here. Yeah the original > idea of getting the people who got us was a nifty one at first, but after > seeing first hand that little to nothing has been accomplished I wonder now > if staying here a day longer is even worth it. I fully believe that when we > leave here the TB are going to take over again and all of the time, money > and lives spent/lost here were all for nothing. > Fascinating insight from the front lines, thank you for sharing this Bruce. As to some of the questions you posit in the middle of your post.....could Maslow's hierarchy of needs come into play here? If our most basic needs are not met...food, shelter, etc....we can't progress much beyond that level of thinking. Why would they want to put up with the Taliban's ridiculous rules....because at least they'd have food and shelter and a sense of security. Conversely, i'm sure they'd much rather get those things from the US troops. But if you don't provide it...they will go elsewhere to get it...no matter the cost. Just sort of thinking out loud, but it seems to make sense to me. Taliban and every other cult of it's kind, breeds on poverty and hopelessness. I think Maslow's simple theory tells us why. As to your lament that the country is pretty much hopeless...i have felt that way since the beginning. Though, it's probably more accurate to say that it's hopeless for any OTHER country to save Afghanistan...they would have to save themselves. At this point, I don't see any indication they are ready to do so. We should leave. Immediately. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Order the Adobe Coldfusion Anthology now! http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-Coldfusion-Anthology/dp/1430272155/?tag=houseoffusion Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:339954 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/unsubscribe.cfm
