Daily Archives: 4/20/2007
Afghanistan Stories We Don’t See on the News
| 4/20/2007 | Posted by Patti under Afghanistan, Canadian Politics, War on Terror |
I started to write an entry here to rail against the Liberals stupidity in demanding a hard deadline on our troops being in the forwarding operational (aka combat) areas in Afghanistan. My anger that they can’t seem to get it that no war is fought on a timetable and without security no rebuilding can happen. Then I went hunting to find out just what has the troops so committed to this mission that politicians are playing partisan politics over when it is the troops who are in harms way.
I went first to Army.ca, I visit that site often, usually lurking but appreciating being able to see the perspective of those in uniform (or formerly in uniform) who are so committed to service of my country. I found a discussion thread talking about the PRTs (Provincial Reconstruction Teams) and in it links to stories written by Marty Klinkenberg from the New Brunswick based Telegraph-Journal.
You can read his pieces, Close Enough to Feel the Heat and Soldiers ‘undoing the devil’s work’ to get a start on learning what the national mainstream media is by and large ignoring in their drive to present a defeatist front on the hard work our men and women in uniform are doing in service to Canada. The links are going to open in new windows as will all the links in this article. I’d really like you read them, if you care to learn the other side of the story.
It was from an article at The Torch about a relay race in Kandahar that the media hadn’t reported on that I hit the motherlode so to speak. The link was to the ISAF site, NATO’s International Security Assistance Force site. There on the Press Release page I found links to stories we’re all too familiar with, the deaths in Afghanistan. What I also found were links to stories that could fill media reports if reporters cared to followup on them and report some good news instead of trying to create a sense of defeat in this war.
While not all the links were about stories Canadians were directly involved in, we have to remember that with Canadians doing heavy lifting in the combat end of operations in Afghanistan and the security they are part of creating, these other stories become possible. And yes, progress is being made. Here are some highlights just from this month alone:
April 1 — US forces deliver school supplies to a girls technical school in Kandahar City.
April 2 — German PRT (provincial reconstruction team) starts project in Kunduz City, Kunduz province to build a girl’s secondary school to include a section for teacher training.
April 2 — Camp Shirzai near Kandahar a class of 86 Afghan National Army members complete a course towards becoming non-commissioned offers. As NCO’s they will be training future Afghan National Army recruits, another vital step towards independence.
April 5 — A girl’s school adjacent to a boy’s school opened in Lakhabie, Ali Abad District, Junduz Province. A German PRT initiated the project after learning girls were about to be ousted from the improvised shelter they had been using near the school by the local elders.
April 8 — Canadian Forces and RCMP personnel have completed the training of 600 Afghan National Police.
April 10 — In an area where Canadian troops were fighting last year, 500 Afghans of all ages took part in a 10km road race in Kandahar City organized by the Kandahar PRT (Canadians).
April 11 — Convoys move supplies into Sangin District Centre in order to start building infrastructure needed for the long term presence of Afghan National Security Forces. This would have been unthinkable months ago.
April 14 — Shura held at Kandahar International Airport draws 20 tribal elders to discuss security issues. The elders state there has been an increase in security throughout Kandahar Province.
April 16 — As the result of improved security in Helmand Province growth and development is beginning to take place. Where local needs are identified ISAF draws up plans and then hires local Afghans to execute the projects giving Afghans a firm hand in their country’s rebuilding and reducing the motivation for young men to join up with the Taliban.
April 17 — Projects are underway in the Daman District of Kandahar Province to repair, upgrade and expand canal systems providing employment for young Afghan males and a much needed supply of water for agriculture.
April 18 — The World Bank publishes a report on the progress of health care in Afghanistan since 2001 (the year the Taliban were ousted) when the country had some of the worst health indicators in the world. Since then, with the increasing security allowing upgrades and additions to medical facilities almost 6 million Afghans now have access to primary medical care — many for the first time.
April 18 — A class of 31 students graduate the basic course towards being Afghan National Police officers from Bamyan Regional Training Centre including 8 female recruits. A New Zealand initiative to increase the number of female recruits has now brought the number of females up to 12 from the 4 when they first arrived last October. Female members of the New Zealand PRT helped to train the original 4 who then undertook to recruit and train others.
April 18 — US servicemen deliver school supplies to a school in Kandahar. The school didn’t exist under the Taliban. It now teaches 500 students including 270 girls from grades 1-11.
April 19 — In response to a request from the Ghowr Province Agriculture Department 3,000 fruit trees have been delivered for planting by local Afghans.
Seems to me it is LONG past time for the media and more importantly politicians to start telling the whole story. I intend to be watching that ISAF site in the future. Check back often.
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