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Posted by MrSquirrel on Sep-09-2003 04:06:

US Government Keeping Promises

I thought about this after hearing excerpts of Bush's speech on sunday while on my way to work this morning. He talked about rebuilding Iraq and Afghanistan. And I specifically wonder about the commitment of the US government in helping rebuild Afghanistan most of all.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3092076.stm

That article sums up a lot of what I have seen coming out of Afghanistan and it bothers me because, unlike the whole Iraq situation, I am fully supportive of the idea of spending money to rebuild Afghanistan. Mainly for the reason that the United States USED the Afghan people as proxy warriors against the Soviets and then after the Red Army withdrew, we left the people of Afghanistan high and dry. And now, it saddens me to admit it, I feel that the Bush administration and the American public in general are doing it again.

I guess I am just frustrated with the short-sightedness of US foreign policy and needed to vent. I am more willing to see my tax dollars go to a cause such like rebuilding Afghanistan than going to Israel and Egypt so they can build up their military forces.

Oh well.

What do you think about the commitment (or lack thereof) to Afghanistan?

MrS

Posted by occrider on Sep-09-2003 04:16:

Re: US Government Keeping Promises

quote:
Originally posted by MrSquirrel
I thought about this after hearing excerpts of Bush's speech on sunday while on my way to work this morning. He talked about rebuilding Iraq and Afghanistan. And I specifically wonder about the commitment of the US government in helping rebuild Afghanistan most of all.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3092076.stm

That article sums up a lot of what I have seen coming out of Afghanistan and it bothers me because, unlike the whole Iraq situation, I am fully supportive of the idea of spending money to rebuild Afghanistan. Mainly for the reason that the United States USED the Afghan people as proxy warriors against the Soviets and then after the Red Army withdrew, we left the people of Afghanistan high and dry. And now, it saddens me to admit it, I feel that the Bush administration and the American public in general are doing it again.

I guess I am just frustrated with the short-sightedness of US foreign policy and needed to vent. I am more willing to see my tax dollars go to a cause such like rebuilding Afghanistan than going to Israel and Egypt so they can build up their military forces.

Oh well.

What do you think about the commitment (or lack thereof) to Afghanistan?

MrS

Well, you have the opposition leader to Karzai's government who is obviously going to voice concerns and dangers in order to bolster his support (which even bbc says is a point of view that " runs into stiff opposition").

And then you have actual people in the market place who say things have improved. So overall I would say this particular article is inconclusive at best. There have been some articles in the past whereby Karzai has warned that more aid is neede, however since there is very little follow up about that topic in the news, and given the nature of news agencies, one can conclude that either the situation has been somewhat remedied, or the news agencies don't care to report it. Oh well, let's just hope this aid deal goes through:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3105653.stm

That should help things right?

Posted by MrSquirrel on Sep-09-2003 04:29:

Re: Re: US Government Keeping Promises

quote:
Originally posted by occrider
Well, you have the opposition leader to Karzai's government who is obviously going to voice concerns and dangers in order to bolster his support (which even bbc says is a point of view that " runs into stiff opposition").

And then you have actual people in the market place who say things have improved. So overall I would say this particular article is inconclusive at best. There have been some articles in the past whereby Karzai has warned that more aid is neede, however since there is very little follow up about that topic in the news, and given the nature of news agencies, one can conclude that either the situation has been somewhat remedied, or the news agencies don't care to report it. Oh well, let's just hope this aid deal goes through:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3105653.stm

That should help things right?

Yeah the media coverage is poor. Too poor in my opinion. Afghanistan is just not flashy enough I guess.

That aid package looks to be promising, I agree. Definitely late in coming, but no use crying over spilt-milk eh?

MrS

Posted by PhloTron on Sep-10-2003 00:34:

Re: Re: Re: US Government Keeping Promises

quote:
Originally posted by MrSquirrel
Yeah the media coverage is poor. Too poor in my opinion. Afghanistan is just not flashy enough I guess.

That's simply because our guys don't get whacked and people don't blow themselves up as much over there. Believe me, when Afganastan makes the news, just like Iraq, it's always negative, and usually involves deaths, of theirs or our own.

Simply the media always look for negatives and shockers (majority of the time)...it's just not happening there like elsewhere and thus doesn't get coverage...

There are good things happening in Afganastan...as well as Iraq. The question is does it justify the "bad" things (and those covered by media hype) happening.

Posted by MrSquirrel on Sep-10-2003 01:42:

As to "good things happening" I did read a very long article in today's Chicago Tribune talking abotu the construction of the highway from Kabul to Khandahar. So far there is only 15 miles paved but they have "broken the trail" and cut the roadbed the whole distance so it now takes only 10 hours to get between the cities instead of the 2 days it used to.

Hopefully I will see more projects like this mentioned so I can feel better about the whole situation.

I guess I am just a pessimist when it comes to my fellow Americans' level of commitment in regards to Afghanistan.

MrS

(pragmato-pessimist)

Posted by Johan (DJ Irish) on Sep-10-2003 14:00:

quote:
Originally posted by MrSquirrel
As to "good things happening" I did read a very long article in today's Chicago Tribune talking abotu the construction of the highway from Kabul to Khandahar. So far there is only 15 miles paved but they have "broken the trail" and cut the roadbed the whole distance so it now takes only 10 hours to get between the cities instead of the 2 days it used to.

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the Kabul-Khandahar road funded by Turkey?

Can't remember where I read that but it's stuck in my head...

Posted by occrider on Sep-10-2003 14:53:

quote:
Originally posted by Dj_Irish
Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the Kabul-Khandahar road funded by Turkey?

Can't remember where I read that but it's stuck in my head...

Corrected

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3122745.stm

Posted by Johan (DJ Irish) on Sep-10-2003 14:55:

quote:
Originally posted by occrider
Corrected

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3122745.stm

Very much so

Posted by St_Andrew on Sep-10-2003 15:40:

Iraq is a coutry witch shouldn't be so hard to rebuild to a pretty modern country, it has oil, well educated ppl etc. Afganistan is a total different story, it will not only need a enormous amount of money, it will also need time. ppl there are fucked up in their brains after 30 years of almost constant war! it will not be enought with some new highways... it will not take 5 years of rebuilding, it will need mayor support for maybe 15-20 years! and the bad thing is that i don't think US will do that...