Friday, October 30, 2009

A Class Act: Greg Mortenson

Last night in my post, "Schools or Security", I made note of Greg Mortenson. One of the first non-history books I read about Afghanistan was his book, Three Cups of Tea. After reading it, since my Thesis / Monograph is about Afghanistan, I tried to contact him through his organization. To put it lightly, I was not very happy with the response, and pretty dissolusioned by it. 

This afternoon, I received an email from him, and I must say, I am as impressed with him now as I was after first reading his book. A true class act, and someone who I have a great deal of respect for. If you don't know who he is, you need to check him out. His website is directly below.

He has from the start of his endeavors in Pakistan and Afghanistan gone into completely rural and in many cases areas of destitute poverty. Starting with almost nothing, he has built school after school for the children of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Like I said, a true class act.

http://www.gregmortenson.com/

I highly recommend checking him out. In fact, I would go so far to say, looking at what he has to say is critical to understanding Afghanistan and Pakistan.

God Bless America

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Quote of the Day 30OCT09

"Wherever the enemy goes, let our troops go also"

-- General and President Ulysses S Grant

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AMP Morning Stand-To 30OCT09

Afghanistan:

Afghanistan Meeting: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/30/obama.afghanistan/

UN Security in Kabul: http://www.reuters.com/article/homepageCrisis/idUSN29503986._CH_.2400

Op-Ed on Afghanistan Troop Numbers: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/29/AR2009102903921.html

Operations: http://www.nato.int/isaf/docu/pressreleases/2009/10-october/pr091030-xxx.html

Operations and Training: http://www.nato.int/isaf/docu/pressreleases/2009/10-october/pr091029-xxx.html


Iraq:

Bombing Arrests: http://www.reuters.com/article/featuredCrisis/idUSLT301547

Operations: http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28489&Itemid=128


God Bless America

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Thursday, October 29, 2009

Schools or Security?

Do you ever sit back in amazement at how short-sighted some people can be. How they can make a fluid and seamless arguement with even the most illogical information. I know I should be surprised, but I'm just not anymore.

Today in the New York Times, Nicholas D Kristof discussed his column from yesterday, "More Schools, Not Troops." He is idealistic in his Op-Ed and unfortunately just plain wrong. While no-one argues that building schools is a bad thing, and very honestly is an imperative along with other parts of development, you can not build critical infastructure without security.

He builds his arguement around this point:

The hawks respond: It’s naïve to think that you can sprinkle a bit of education on a war-torn society. It’s impossible to build schools now because the Taliban will blow them up.


In fact, it’s still quite possible to operate schools in Afghanistan — particularly when there’s a strong “buy-in” from the local community.

Greg Mortenson, author of “Three Cups of Tea,” has now built 39 schools in Afghanistan and 92 in Pakistan — and not one has been burned down or closed. The aid organization CARE has 295 schools educating 50,000 girls in Afghanistan, and not a single one has been closed or burned by the Taliban. The Afghan Institute of Learning, another aid group, has 32 schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan, with none closed by the Taliban (although local communities have temporarily suspended three for security reasons).

Very simply, you're wrong Nicholas. First off, sometimes the Taliban do not attack the school directly. Sometimes they just drive by the girls going to school and throw acid upon them; or beat them and rape them.  All for the price of trying to go to school.

Secondly, before 2001 most of these schools were not able to be built, simply because the security situation did not allow for it. Teachers, supplies, building material, and labor were not available to even build schools in Afghanistan. Only with our brave Men and Women putting their lives on the line was the situation changed so that these schools could be built.


Third, local communities are the key. In many areas, lack of essential govermental services has led to Taliban shadow-governments becoming the defacto leadership. They are the ones offering leadership, judiciary services, education, and security. By the way, when they are in charge, your daughters can't go to school. They can be beaten to death for minor infractions though, and summary execution by the local thugs, no matter the gender, is the norm.

I know this sounds like a very pessimistic picture compared to Mr. Kristof's article. But, it is reality. The Taliban are not misunderstood creatures. They are evil men who try to impose their fanatical dissolusioned version of Islam on others by force and brutallity. The hard-core members of the Taliban can only be dealt with in one way, and that is with our Infantrymen who are trained to close with and destroy them. Development must be done concurrently, in regards to education, governance, critical services, and rule of law; but without security it will be for naught.

ISAF and General McChrystal have done a fantasic job in evaluating the situation and offering the most feasible, acceptable, and suitable course of action that will accomplish our great Nation's national security goals and what is best for Afghanistan. In order to set conditions for stability and development, security must be first enforced. To propose anything else is illogical and just plain incorrect.

God Bless America

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Quote of the Day 29OCT09

"In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves. Self-discipline with all of them came first"

-- President Harry Truman

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AMP Morning Stand-To 29OCT09

Afghanistan:

Elections:  http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ikzykbcb3AhiUjt6rza51SEBHIdg

Elections: http://www.reuters.com/article/featuredCrisis/idUSSP395055

Operations: http://www.nato.int/isaf/docu/pressreleases/2009/10-october/pr091029-xxx.html

Operations and ISAF Casualties: http://www.nato.int/isaf/docu/pressreleases/2009/10-october/pr091029-xxy.html

NATO on Kabul Attacks: http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/news_58536.htm?mode=pressrelease


Iraq:

Bombing Aftermath: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/8331488.stm

Elections: http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-10-28-voa34.cfm


God Bless America

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Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Afghanistan

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing"


-- Edmund Burke

It seems like everytime that I turn on the news there is some political pundit, politician, academic, or political activist stating no more Troops for Afghanistan, and pull our Troops out now. It must be nice to be able to make statements, with no regard for our Allies, Enemies, National Security Policy, and our own Nation's security.

First off, whether you agree with why we went to War in Afghanistan, the simple fact is we are there now. Which leads to a very important concept. "If you break it, you bought it", sounds like something you would tell your children. But, within International Law and Norms if you invade a country, and unseat their government, you are responsible for rebuilding it. So we, very simply put, have a solemn and legal responsibillity to help rebuild the Country of Afghanistan.

Secondly, we have in good faith, in treaties, and in military arrangements given our word to helping the Afghans build and restore their country, military, infastructure, and government. Do we no longer believe in our word? Do we no longer believe in our honor? We have spilt blood in the same mud alongside these heroic men who have put themselves, and their families in grave danger by siding with us. How can we abandon them? Very simply put, We Can Not!

Third, what about our Allies? Afghanistan is not a US Mission alone. ISAF is a NATO Mission that has in addition to NATO, Non-NATO Countries. Would these people stating we should withdraw and basically cut-and-run also be able to publicly state we should abandon our allies? If we withdraw unilaterally from Afghanistan we will never be able to construct a coalition again, and very well may hurt NATO drastically.

Fourth, what of our National Security Policy, and Policy Statements issued by the Obama Administration? It has been stated over and over again in various forms that we as the United States want to defend freedom, secure our Nation, and to safeguard American interests. How does a withdrawal from Afghanistan accomplish any of those? It doesn't!

Finally, what about the enemies of our Nation? If we withdraw from Afghanistan now, we are not only abandoning the Afghan people, and our Allies; we are allowing the Taliban and Al Qaeda to return and create another safe-haven. By withdrawing we would be causing the further and exponential destabilization of the region, of Afghanistan specifically, and putting our country in great danger.

Basically, what these people are doing by advocating an immediate withdrawal is creating the situation that Edmund Burke describes. By, withdrawing now, we would be enabling a victory by the forces of evil in this world. We can not and must not do that!

God Bless America

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Quote of the Day 14OCT09

"We shall meanly lose or nobly save the last hope of earth"

-- President Abraham Lincoln

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AMP Morning Stand-To 14OCT09

Afghanistan:

Possible UK Troop Increase: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gv7Clc7NePxMI9POWku_TS1IfSLQ

Elections: http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/10/14/fmr-ambassador-in-kabul-for-eleciton-talks/

Casualty Information: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/10/13/us/AP-US-Afghan-US-Deaths.html

Strategy: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/15/us/politics/15zeleny.html

Operations: http://www.nato.int/isaf/docu/pressreleases/2009/10-october/pr091014-745.html

Operations: http://www.nato.int/isaf/docu/pressreleases/2009/10-october/pr091013-xxx.html

Operations: http://www.nato.int/isaf/docu/pressreleases/2009/10-october/pr091014-746.html


Iraq:

Bombing: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/10/13/world/international-us-iraq-violence.html

Security Developments: http://www.reuters.com/article/featuredCrisis/idUSIBR332109

Training: http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28288&Itemid=128


God Bless America

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Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Quote of the Day 7OCT09

"There are risks and costs to action, but they are far less than the long range risks of comfortable inaction"

-- President John F Kennedy

God Bless America

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AMP Morning Stand-To 7OCT09

Afghanistan:

POTUS Comments: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/6267952/Barack-Obama-rules-out-cutting-troops-in-Afghanistan.html

POTUS Comments: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/07/world/asia/07prexy.html?hp

GEN McChrystal: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/06/eveningnews/main5367450.shtml?tag=contentBody;featuredPost-PE

Attacks: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1928899,00.html

Operations: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/world/stories/DN-warreport_07int.ART.State.Edition1.4c4493e.html

Operations: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/07/world/asia/07military.html?hpw

Operations: http://www.nato.int/isaf/docu/pressreleases/2009/10-october/pr091007-737.html

Operations: http://www.nato.int/isaf/docu/pressreleases/2009/10-october/pr091006-736.html


Iraq:

Attack: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/06/AR2009100601820.html?hpid=moreheadlines

Attack: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gVhGrWuPtHCbTarwLwm4F2KzhdiA

Civil Programs: http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28194&Itemid=128


God Bless America

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Friday, October 2, 2009

Quote of the Day 2OCT09

"There are no constraints on the human mind, no walls around the human spirit, no barriers to our progress except those we ourselves erect"

-- President Ronald Reagan

God Bless America

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AMP Morning Stand-To 2OCT09

Afghanistan:

GEN McChrystal Comments: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-afghan-mcchrystal2-2009oct02,0,3727636.story

GEN McChrystal Comments: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/01/AR2009100103205.html

SEN McCain Comments: http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/10/01/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry5355908.shtml

Analysis of debate: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/10/01/afghanistan.strategy/

UK and US Casualty: http://www.nato.int/isaf/docu/pressreleases/2009/10-october/pr091002-729.html

Schools in Eastern Afghanistan: http://www.nato.int/isaf/docu/pressreleases/2009/10-october/pr091001-xxx.html

Humanitarian Assistance: http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=news/news_show.php&id=39570

New Vehicle: http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=news/news_show.php&id=39521

Iraq:

More Troop Cuts In Iraq: http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-10-02-voa1.cfm

Maliki's Coalition: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/world_us/20091002_Maliki_s_coalition_blurs_Iraq_s_sectarian_lines.html

US Casualty: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-10/02/content_12173355.htm

Humanitarian Assistance: http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28139&Itemid=128

God Bless America

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