I just returned from Afghanistan, working with the NGO I volunteer with, Afghans4Tomorrow. I have heard from the Afghans that while they want our military there for security and training (and in part to help prevent civil war I imagine), they do not want us to kick in their doors and invade their homes, they do not want us to kill civilians with our bombs, they do not believe we can kill off the Taliban. They want security, reconstruction, education, and job opportunities. (Not very different from what we want here after all.)
The news about McCrystal is all over the cable channels. I do not know what to think about how things will change with our military strategy there, assuming they do change.
But as I watched Rachel Maddow's show last night I realized that I really can never understand, and know very little about what the troops over there go through, how this changes their lives, how it damages them.
And despite the fact that I have been to Afghanistan 3 times since 2004 working with the Afghan civilians, I really know little of what the Afghans feel and what they are going through either. Someone in Kabul told me "if you think this place is hard to live in, ask an Afghan". I suppose you could also say 'ask a soldier'.
Read More