Haven't been there recently but the cultural stuff
sounds right on the mark and as though there have been few changes in the last 40 years. The Army stuff also sounds as if there have been few changes in the last 60 years. Particularly the bit about his having to qualify prior to departure and the brouhaha surrounding that...
Sad.
The fact that local culture has not changed in 40 -- or several thousand -- years is no surprise. Anyone who expects that it will in the next generation or two is going to be severely disappointed, I expect. The, BTW, would be US, not Afghan, generations. :wry:
The fact that the Army has not changed is just very disappointing not to mention dangerous. He said the Army is committed to processes, not outcomes. Regrettably, terribly, he's right.
He may be a young Captain but he's got a lot of stuff figured out that some older folks ought to investigate -- and try to fix.
What we call corruption is daily life in Afghanistan
Quote:
Originally Posted by
davidbfpo
The attached lengthy 'virtual interview' by a Captain Carl Thompson, US Army appeared on Cryptome today and is a very interesting read:
http://cryptome.net/0001/afghan-win.htm
Some reservations as I am unable to identify the original source or the author.
davidbfpo
Dave:
What we refer to as corruption is the daily life of Afghanistan, Pakistan, much of SW Asia, always has been and likely for generations to come will remain that way.
Whoever is on top, even the Taliban, they all are by our standards corrupt.
I had to learn to live with this sort of "stuff" back in the 1960s when posted to Karachi and Peshawar, with side trips to Kabul. It has not changed nor will it likely ever really change.
That is why I predict at best Afghanitan will finally end up as a monarchy, which is better than the Taliban alternative.