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Krajeski News from Kabul, 17 September 2006 |
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Written by Paul Krajeski
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Sunday, 17 September 2006 |
Johnny "Mike" Spann was the first American killed in combat after 9/11. He was attacked by Taliban prisoners during an uprising at the Qala-e-Jangi fortress near Mazar-e-Sharif on 25 November 2001. My team and I recently visited the site where Mike died and hundreds of Taliban prisoners were subsequently killed. We felt a sense of awe and respect for the dead as we reflected upon what happened there. The Afghan government has since erected a memorial to Mike right where the unfortunate event unfolded (see photo). It is a quiet, lonely place.
I have attended several graduation ceremonies for Afghan National Army training courses. At the beginning of each an Afghan will chant an Islamic prayer. Non-Muslim attendees like me do their best to be respectful. When the ritual is complete, the focus returns to recognizing the graduates for their achievement. I am proud that American Soldiers are modeling the practice of religious tolerance for our Afghan friends. We don't talk about the details of our religions, but we do have a mutual respect for mono-theism. There is common ground between Jews, Christians, and Muslims.
The general I advise has a male "attendant," for lack of a better word. In fact, just about all the senior officers at the Academy have such a person. Once summoned, the attendant usually brings hot "chai" and a tray of assorted nuts & candies. The attendants are not on the Academy's authorization list, yet there they are. Who pays them? Where do they come from? Questions I don't ask. They are prevalent throughout this male-dominated society. They move in and out of meetings without attracting attention, providing refreshments that are an essential part of the relationship building process between Afghan men and their guests. Women cannot do this job. They would distract from the business at hand.
Afghanistan seems to be in the news a lot lately. Most of the reports are not good: opium production is skyrocketing; the Taliban is resurging; the border with Pakistan is porous; the Karzai government is corrupt; NATO is reluctant to send more troops; statistically, Afghanistan is now just as dangerous as Iraq for the American GI. The list goes on. Each of these assertions is based on an element of truth. To understand that truth, however, requires a heckuva lot more knowledge than you'll find on FOXNEWS, CNN, or MSNBC. I live in the middle of it and am challenged to put the puzzle pieces together! So, how do I measure American performance in Afghanistan? From my limited view, the U.S. effort is failing when I can no longer go to work; when I can no longer teach cadets teamwork on the intramural basketball court; when I can no longer advise the Dean on the accreditation process; when the millions of U.S. dollars being invested in the Academy get cut off; etc.
I'll let you know when I can't go to work.
Paul
Paul C. Krajeski, Ph.D.
Lieutenant Colonel, US Army
Chief, National Military Academy Afghanistan (NMAA)
Implementation Team
Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 17 September 2006 )
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