i read something last week that the Afghan people felt more comfortable under Taliban, not US, rule.
I've "heard" that mentioned from time to time. Dropping western culture on them is a bit daunting to say the least.
We have this great knack of pissing people off with our kindness.
Most of the people don't know western lifestyle from a western omelet. A lot of them are held to tribal allegiances if the chief says no then it's no.
Only to have him change his mind the next morning.
This is all they know.
Quite honestly I figured, wrongly, that we go and remove this "problem" not become the problem.
We walk up to the average Afghan guy and say,"Stop growing poppies."
"But this is what I do. How do I feed my family?"
"Umm, hmm. O.k. grow saffron."
"O.k. I will grow saffron."
"Now we are going to teach you how to fight in the Afghan army."
"O.k."
"Cause the Taliban are bad people."
"O.k. I can grow saffron?"
"Sure sure.
.
.
O.k you now know how to fight. Let's go."
"Go where?"
"To fight the Taliban."
"Why?"
(A little frustrated), "THEY'RE the bad paople. Remember? 20 years ago they were chopping off peoples heads and stuff. We came and stopped that."
"I was only 10 then. But. Thank you,"
"Your welcome. Now let's go."
"O.k."
"Now a while ago we pushed back the Taliban. So you stay here and make sure they don't come back."
"But my saffron?!"
"It'll be fine. In fact if you keep the Taliban away you will be able to grow it with no problems for the rest of your life."
"They used to buy my poppies. I was hoping they would buy my saffron."
"We'll buy it."
"O.k. So I just keep the Taliban away. But What if they come back?"
"You shoot them."
"Shoot them?"
"Shoot them."
"Umm, what if they shoot back?"
"You shoot back and you keep shooting back untill they stop shooting."
"You are staying here with me?"
"For a little while."
Our soldier returns to base and reports on the progress that the Afghan army is making.
He then returns to see how things are going. Halfway he finds his Afghan soldier on the road heading back.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING? You're supposed to be watching out for the Taliban."
"I did."
"And?"
"............"
"Did the Taliban return?"
"Yes"
"Did you shoot at them?"
"Yes."
"So what happened."
"They shoot back."
"You're supposed to shoot back and keep shooting till they go away."
"They wouldn't go away."
"Look, I kept shooting and I made them go away. You can to."
"What about my saffron?"
"F*CK THE SAFFRON! Get back there and stop them."
"I think I liked it better with the Taliban. I just grew poppies and didn't have to shoot anybody."