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So, how is Afghanistan doing?
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| DrUg_Tit0 |
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Here's a foreign affairs quiz:
1. In the two years since the war in Afghanistan, opium
production has:
(A) virtually been eliminated by Hamid Karzai's government
and American forces.
(B) declined 30 percent, but eradication is not expected
until 2008.
(C) soared 19-fold and become the major source of the
world's heroin.
2. In Paktika and Zabul, two religiously conservative parts
of Afghanistan, the number of children going to school:
(A) has quintupled, with most girls at least finishing
third grade.
(B) has risen 40 percent, although few girls go to school.
(C) has plummeted as poor security has closed nearly all
schools there.
The correct answer to both questions, alas, is (C).
With
the White House finally acknowledging that the challenge in
Iraq runs deeper than gloomy journalism, the talk of what
to do next is sounding rather like Afghanistan. And that's
alarming, because we have flubbed the peace in Afghanistan
even more egregiously than in Iraq.
"There is a palpable risk that Afghanistan will again turn
into a failed state, this time in the hands of drug cartels
and narco-terrorists," Antonio Maria Costa, executive
director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime,
writes in a grim new report on Afghanistan.
I strongly supported President Bush's war in Afghanistan,
and I was there in Kabul and saw firsthand the excitement
and relief of ordinary Afghans, who were immensely grateful
to the U.S. for freeing them (a crucial distinction between
Iraq and Afghanistan, to anyone who covered both wars, is
that you never saw the same adulation among Iraqis). Mr.
Bush oversaw a smart war in Afghanistan, and two years ago
the crisp mountain air there pullulated with hope - along
with pleas for more security.
One day back then when I was thinking of driving to the
southeast, six Afghans arrived from there - minus their
noses. Taliban guerrillas had stopped their vehicle at
gunpoint and chopped off their noses because they had
trimmed their beards.
I stroked my chin, admired my own proboscis, and decided
not to drive on that road.
Every foreign and local official said then that Afghanistan
desperately needed security on roads like that one. But the
Pentagon made the same misjudgment about Afghanistan that
it did about Iraq: it fatally underestimated the importance
of ensuring security. The big winner was the Taliban, which
is now mounting a resurgence.
"Things are definitely deteriorating on the security
front," notes Paul Barker, the Afghan country director for
CARE International. Twelve aid workers have been killed in
the last year and dozens injured. A year ago, there was, on
average, one attack on aid workers per month; now such
attacks average one per day.
In at least three districts in the southeast, there is no
central government representation, and the Taliban has de
facto control. In Paktika and Zabul, not only have most
schools closed, but the conservative madrasas are regaining
strength.
"We've operated in Afghanistan for about 15 years," said
Nancy Lindborg of Mercy Corps, the American aid group, "and
we've never had the insecurity that we have now." She noted
that the Taliban used to accept aid agencies (grudgingly),
but that the Taliban had turned decisively against all
foreigners.
"Separate yourself from Jews and the Christian community,"
a recent open letter from the Taliban warned. It ordered
Afghans to avoid music, funerals for aid workers and
"un-Islamic education" - or face a "bad result."
The opium boom is one indication of the downward spiral.
The Taliban banned opium production in 2000, so the 2001
crop was only 185 metric tons. The U.N. estimates that this
year's crop was 3,600 tons, the second-largest in Afghan
history. The crop is worth twice the Afghan government's
annual budget, and much of the profit will support warlords
and the Taliban.
An analyst in the U.S. intelligence community, who seeks to
direct more attention to the way narco-trafficking is
destabilizing the region, says that Afghanistan now
accounts for 75 percent of the poppies grown for narcotics
worldwide.
"The issue is not a high priority for the Bush
administration," he said.
If Afghanistan is a White House model for Iraq, heaven help
us. |
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| NYCTrancefan |
| Would it be fair however to completely blame America for Afghanistan, after all the international community is firmly on board in that particular endeavor as compared to Iraq. I think the article only highlights a slanted view of accusing America for all bad in Afghanistan and where is the good. Where is the wannabe superpower of the European Union, where is the international body of the United Nations. Nowhere to be mentioned in this article. Why don't the French send troops to Afghanistan, why don't Turkey, I can go on and on. America can never win, Murphy's Law-you are damned if you do and damned if you don't. |
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| Konijn Island |
| that's not murphy's law |
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| NYCTrancefan |
| quote: | Originally posted by Konijn Island
that's not murphy's law |
:haha: :haha: :haha: Konijn you know what I mean in the end. |
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| biznology |
| quote: | Originally posted by NYCTrancefan
Would it be fair however to completely blame America for Afghanistan, after all the international community is firmly on board in that particular endeavor as compared to Iraq. ... |
Mmm- thats why a French UN worker was shot to death in a marked UN jeep yesterday. Its nice how the US causes these problems and then leaves them for the international community to figure out. Our priorities are seriously skewed. Its just great how we up entire countries when its a certain group in that country thats pissing us off. |
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| TranceGiant |
I'm fine thanks! How 'bout you? :eyes:
Seriously it's sad to read all that. I see no hope..Some societies are so ed that even the contrary of "bad" is "worse". |
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| NYCTrancefan |
| quote: | Originally posted by biznology
Mmm- thats why a French UN worker was shot to death in a marked UN jeep yesterday. Its nice how the US causes these problems and then leaves them for the international community to figure out. Our priorities are seriously skewed. Its just great how we up entire countries when its a certain group in that country thats pissing us off. |
I am seriously confused, These people who kill innocent U.N workers do so because they are afraid of what the U.N presence means, an end to their corrupt, vicious and brutal sytems of governance. Certainly you do not believe that the Taliban regime deserved to stay in power, do you? And if you do then why were the international community much more in favor of the endeavor in Afghanistan. Also I thought the point was to get the international community involved to stabalize and get rid of the American imperialist intentions from dominating these nations like Afghanistan.:rolleyes: After all isn't this the idea for Iraq. Maybe you are right the U.S should mind our own damn business and tell others to solve their own problems. The sad reality of being a large and powerful nation is that trouble finds you, even if you don't want it. What would any nation that was attacked directly do and the individuals who were responsible, as in the case of Al Qaeda were hiding out in Afghanistan . Note-why hasn't there been another attack on American soil by the big bad Al Qaeda, instead they choose to blow up innocent people in other part of the world, including their own "Muslim brothers" interesting isn't it. |
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| DrUg_Tit0 |
| quote: | Originally posted by NYCTrancefan
Would it be fair however to completely blame America for Afghanistan, after all the international community is firmly on board in that particular endeavor as compared to Iraq. I think the article only highlights a slanted view of accusing America for all bad in Afghanistan and where is the good. Where is the wannabe superpower of the European Union, where is the international body of the United Nations. Nowhere to be mentioned in this article. Why don't the French send troops to Afghanistan, why don't Turkey, I can go on and on. America can never win, Murphy's Law-you are damned if you do and damned if you don't. |
Who said the americans are only ones to blame? You're a bit paranoid, aren't you? But you must admit, since america was the offender, it does carry the most responsibility for the situation there. |
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| NYCTrancefan |
| quote: | Originally posted by DrUg_Tit0
Who said the americans are only ones to blame? You're a bit paranoid, aren't you? But you must admit, since america was the offender, it does carry the most responsibility for the situation there. |
In relation to the main article on this topic, the U.S is the main party mentioned as being responsible for the failure to quell resurgences of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Can the U.S stop the Taliban from pulling over innocent civilians on highways and chopping off their noses for trimming their beards, when the world realizes that criticizing the U.S. isn't a one way street of negativism on international matters then we may see many more rational and fair opinions published by medias around the world.
I am still attempting to see who was offended in Afghanistan by the U.S. may I ask, the women of Afghanistan who actually can walk the streets without being whipped or get an eduacation as respected members of society, the men who can trim their beards in Kabul, the people of Afghanistan who can listen to music, or was it the poor Taliban government that oh so richly deserved to remain in power for their fair and balanced treatment of their fellow (citizens) aka subjects of extreme radical Islamic fundametalism. C'mon DrUg_Tito, I wish I was being paranoid. :gsmile: |
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| biznology |
Well in response to the Taliban comment...
umm perhaps they shouldnt be in power today- but they did end Opium production in Afghanistan almost wholly. They did keep their women under veil and had other areas of social life alien to Western Civ, but eliminating them just because of social issues is one thing and al-qaeda another.
there were training camps, but is that a reason to destroy the whole regime? Taliban was *fundamentalist*, much like the many Christian *fundamentalists* in the US i wouldnt personally agree with. al-qaeda was in some ways related to the Taliban due to its extremism and bin Laden's $$, but if you should wipe out a country because it harbors terrorists, then why not look to the US and UK? there are more known terrorist or extremist activities here than any place in Central Asia - or at least more organizing interests in the West| |
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| DrUg_Tit0 |
| Now, personally, I believe that the Taliban regime was a disgrace to humanity and intelligence, and I was all cheerful when I saw those retards fall from power. I do agree that the current government system there is better than it was, at least concerning human rights. Still, there are some things which have gotten worse, like opium production. So instead of attacking Iraq, my belief is that the US should have first finished what it started in Afghanistan. |
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| dj adagnitio |
| quote: | Originally posted by DrUg_Tit0
Now, personally, I believe that the Taliban regime was a disgrace to humanity and intelligence, and I was all cheerful when I saw those retards fall from power. I do agree that the current government system there is better than it was, at least concerning human rights. Still, there are some things which have gotten worse, like opium production. So instead of attacking Iraq, my belief is that the US should have first finished what it started in Afghanistan. |
Sadly this is very wrong. As of last year according to Doctors without borders Afghanistan was the second worst place for humanitarian reasons in the world, with ONLY Congo being worse. The standard of living has gone down considerably. One of the big issues is that it's now ruled by a bunch of territorial little war lords and as so its very hard to get aid in, and their are NO standards throughout the country.
I you think now women can get an education or go to school your dreaming. If you think at this point ANYONE can get an education there, your living in a fools paradise. The situation was only made many times worse by the United States invasion. The U.S. has to bear the burnt of the blame. How could we blame anyone else? They led the assault, it was their idea, end of story.
You say trouble finds America, but that is bull. You are a country that overthrows legitimate governments, installs and supports regimes and economicaly terrorizes the world. What do you expect? do you think the rest of the world is going to always put up with your actions? How many world leaders can you kill or turn on before someone does something. Actually a lot considering how long this took to come. But that is no justification. |
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