Devastatinng Murders come to Light in Afghanistan

Just this month, pictures of American soldiers posing with the dead bodies of Afghan victims have surfaced. The killings of these Afghani civilians have been dubbed “trophy” killings, because the soldiers appear proud of the killings as they pose with the corpses. The specific group of soldiers who posed in the pictures belongs to the 5th Stryker Brigade and had nicknamed themselves the “Kill Team”. These pictures are reminiscent of certain photographs that surfaced a while ago, which captured the horrors that took place in Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Both instances led to serious investigations and trials for the soldiers involved as well as widespread shock and outrage.

Yesterday in Kabul, President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan spoke out against the pictures of these “trophy” killings saying that “the photos should stir international indignation—‘if there is conscience left in the west.’”[1] After investigations have taken place it is reported that these killings were premeditated and mainly for the purpose of entertainment; none of the victims were belligerent or insurgent Taliban members trying to attack the soldiers and none of the victims were armed either.

Speaking out at a teachers’ graduation ceremony, Karzai fiercely accused the soldiers of committing atrocities and deemed the whole situation “a tragic story.”[2] However the Afghan President was careful not to denounce the entirety of the United States and even said that “the people of the United States are undoubtedly good and compassionate people…they are not cruel.”[3] He, along with others, seems to believe this was an uncommon occurrence.

Many people are calling these violent attacks anomalous; however they are not without precedent. As aforementioned, the massacres that took place at Abu Ghraib prison are disturbingly similar to the killings that recently took place in Afghanistan. Both accounts are difficult to take in, but what is worrying is that they represent a potential recurring theme. Although they have both been deemed as rogue but atypical incidents by many, it is very likely that these monstrosities are simply the only ones brought to light. In fact, the members of the “Kill Team” planned out their murders so that they would not get caught, and when they were initially questioned about the killings they immediately lied and said that they had been under attack.

Therefore is it not possible that such horrors take place elsewhere and in other situations with the soldiers walking away scot-free and unsuspected of committing murder? And if this is the case, then serious changes and precautions need to be made within the U.S. army before we start deploying more troops in other countries.

Personally, I was very disturbed and upset when I read this story (links at the bottom), and it made me think more about a question I asked myself a few months ago: Why are U.S. troops still in Afghanistan? If the answer is to murder innocent people for entertainment, then I think it’s time to go.
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[1]http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-kill-team-karzai-20110331,0,6833082.story

[2]http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-kill-team-karzai-20110331,0,6833082.story

[3]http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-kill-team-karzai-20110331,0,6833082.story
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Links: **Warning: the pictures are very disturbing.**
L.A. Times Article: Karzai denounces alleged 'trophy' killings in Afghanistan

Guardian Article: Photos show US soldiers in Afghanistan posing with dead civilians

Rolling Stone Article: The Kill Team

Should we be Thinking about Making Changes in Afghanistan?

It seems ironic that while Americans appear to be supporting the democratic uprisings that are taking root across the Middle East, the U.S. government is at the same time spending billions of dollars funding the corrupt regime of Afghanistan. Although, as I mentioned in one of my previous blog posts, it does not seem likely for a rebellion to develop in Afghanistan, that is not reason to continue to put so much money into an administration that has been heading south for a while.

In fact, the news of Kabul Bank needing a bailout is only further proof of the corruption that seems to be running rampant in the Afghani government (see previous post). This past fall, Transparency International rated Afghanistan as the second most corrupt nation in the world, due to the Karzai administration. And with prominent government officials pocketing the Afghan peoples’ money, it does not take much more to make the Afghanis distrust and dislike their own government. As America continues to support this administration, it will only incite further aversion to American troops and involvement in the government and affairs of Afghanistan.

It does not seem wise to allow the Karzai administration to continue on as they have been, because in addition to being corrupt, they have also proven ineffective against the Taliban insurgencies on numerous occasions. Moving forward, I think that it is necessary to have certain monetary indiscretions investigated by the International Monetary Fund, which I believe is supposed to happen. However, beyond these investigations I think that the government of Afghanistan needs to undergo some serious changes. Perhaps it would also be wise to have countries other than the U.S. involved in the process of readjusting the government of Afghanistan in order to minimize (or neutralize) any bias.

Although the Karzai administration is not as severe as the Taliban, many groups of people still feel oppressed in their country and the government has done little or nothing to help its people in these regards. Women and people of the small ethnic minorities either feel that they do not have a voice or that violence or prejudice is continually directed towards them. It seems only natural, especially in the wake of numerous democratic revolutions, to reform the Afghan government to make these people feel safe and protected and heard. Failure to make any changes now could lead to more explosive and more drastic changes later on.

Link to Picture: Afghan Corruption

Link to Article on the same topic: The $110 Billion Question

Rolling into the Future

At one point I wrote about a craze that was covering Afghanistan and it was cricket. Lately a new crazy has arisen among the children in Afghanistan. The project was started in Kabul by a four wheel loving, Australian named Oliver Percovich. This new craze includes speed, air, and of course an escape from the war torn life in Kabul. The new favorite thing among the children in Kabul is skateboarding.

Oliver originally went to Kabul with a dream of creating peace through the sports of skateboarding. And that is exactly what he did. In 2007 Oliver set up Skateistan when he arrived in Kabul with only 3 skateboards. Since then his operation has grown with close to 330 kids riding regularly. Skateboarding has grown so big that kids now ride at a skateboarding school and an educational NGO’s (non government organization) indoor skate park.

However Oliver’s dream has grown beyond what he had imagined. His shop, Skateistan, has been trying to help educate the children as well as build trust between the Afghan children of different ethnicities. This is the perfect escape for the children because they have grown up only knowing about fighting going on or some international troops occupying the country. Also, suspicions and grudges are common between ethnic groups. For the children they are able to get away from that daily life and experience the burst of speed and movement that skating has to offer.

A big advantage of the skateboarding school is that it offers the children a chance to “relax, train, read, paint,” in general the children are given the ability to just feel free. It also offers a safe haven, because many of the school are targeted by the Taliban especially the schools for girls.

Many of the workers for Skateistan are convinced that education of the children is the way to a brighter future in Afghanistan. About half of the population in Afghanistan is age 25 or younger. And the main thing they want to teach the kids is to build trust between Afghans and an understanding between ethnicities. Skateistan is perfect because anyone from a child soldier to a son of a government official can meet and relate to each other.

Everything having to do with the project is free. In addition to skateboarding the kids take classes in English, Dari, painting, poetry, and can even take puppetry. Although the classes do not seem very difficult mentally, the classes taught are meant to instill the ideals of finding the beauty in everything. This in turn can then be applied to fellow citizens and other kids. Another interesting thing about this project is that it teaches both girls and boys. However they get taught on separate days, but in a place where teaching girl is a physical risk Skateistan is trying to overcome the norm to create a better life.

With a project as successful as this the future for young generation looks bright as they are learning to embrace their differences early.

Nathan Gleason

On the same day that Secretary of Defense Robert Gates revealed America's plan to withdraw troops from Afghanistan by 2014, a poll taken by firm Rasmussen reveals that the majority of Americans want troops withdrawn within a year. In contrast, in September of 2010, only 43% of poll-takers wanted troops withdrawn within a year. In fact, today Secretary Gates said that US forces should remain in Afghanistan even after the 2014 date, "in the interest of the security of Afghan people", Gates said. The Democrats heavily favor bringing the troops home within one year (73%) while the Republicans marginally favor such a timetable (37%). However, Republican support is up by 13% from six months ago until today. Moreover, another finding of the poll is that 41% of Americans are not sure if the peace-building mission has been a success. This skepticism reveals the public's frustration at the nature of the war. The conflict in Afghanistan has become one of attrition, where the Taliban insurgency is wearing the American troops down and vice versa. However, there is still an ominous threat that once America withdraws its troops, the Taliban will regain full force once again. Therefore, America must make sure that there is a strong ANA (Afghan National Army) in place before western troops are withdrawn. Perhaps the ultimate measure of American success will be when Afghanistan can defend itself from regional aggressors, such as Pakistan. In fact, Afghan stability is being maintained by the strong international presence in the country. When America leaves, Afghanistan must be able to maintain such security using organic forces. As the phrase goes, "hindsight is 2020". In other words, looking back on the conflict, the American public can see how futile the whole process has been. Osama bin Laden has not been caught and not all corners of Afghanistan are yet under democratic control. In contrast, when Bush initiated the Afghan War, there was support for the current conflict. This fact just goes to show the power of the circumstances, in which patriotism and American as a good force of change in the globe played a large part in the ratification of the Afghan War. Is there a way to remain distanced from the emotional pull of a certain decision? The question remains to be answered as the government will be put under increasing pressure by the public to withdraw troops. Moreover, where will the desire for reelection play into policymakers' desires to placate a clamoring public? With presidential elections around the bend in 2012, perhaps Obama can make one last push to stay in office with a swift withdrawal of troops.

Thanks,
Nikhil

Banking Bailout Needed in Kabul

Back in the fall of 2010, it was announced that Kabul Bank would be unable to pay back hundreds of millions of dollars that Afghan citizens deposited. Kabul Bank was established in 2004, only seven years ago, and has since accumulated assets of up to one billion dollars from Afghan citizens. Now, as a result of bad loans to friends and relatives to prominent politicians, the Bank is going to need a bailout of about 900 million dollars (sound familiar?), nearly the same amount that was initially deposited. However, the government of Afghanistan does not have much money to bail out the bank, so the money will have to come from the international community, especially the U.S.

According to Azarakhsh Afizi, a member of the Afghan Chamber of Commerce, the Kabul Bank was a great opportunity to garner support for the “new” Afghanistan. Mr. Afizi believes that the money should have been invested in Afghan industries, such as steel or oil, rather than divvied out into various loans. This could have allowed the Afghanis to feel more confident with the new government. However now that it has come out that large sums of money were instead lent to shareholders (including the brothers of vice president Fahim and president Karzai), the people undoubtedly feel betrayed and upset.

According to an organization called Transparency International, Afghanistan is the third most corrupted country in the world. After learning that shareholders pocketed almost a billion dollars of Afghan citizens’ hard-earned money, I can see why. And while this is certainly disconcerting, the question remains: how to pay all the money back. As mentioned earlier, Afghanistan clearly does not have the funds to recompense 900 million dollars, which leaves neighbors (meaning countries like Pakistan and Iran) and foreign allies to make up this debt. Seeing as the U.S. currently has troops stationed in Afghanistan and is so heavily involved in the establishment of the Karzai administration, it would be expected to contribute to this bailout. However, can the U.S. really handle paying such a large sum of money with the current economy? I have a feeling that many American taxpayers would be unhappy to hear that the country’s money was being spent to bail out a bank in another country. There was already a commotion over banks and corporations in America receiving bailout money.

Furthermore, what does this mean for Afghanistan’s government? It seems this banking crisis will only bring dislike of president Karzai, unless he manages to handle the situation swiftly and efficiently. However, without funds to pay off the bailout, it is unlikely that this will happen. According to Mustafa Kazem, a Kabul businessman, Kabul Bank holds almost half of the country’s assets, along with one other large bank in Afghanistan. Considering the fact that government payroll is also passed through Kabul Bank, it seems that this bailout problem could lead to bigger problems with the government. This could even lead to the disintegration of the government.

The International Monetary Fund did send a delegation to visit Afghanistan and investigate the situation with Kabul Bank and they are currently demanding that missing assets be returned. Things are still not looking good for Afghanistan, but this seems like a promising start.

Link for Picture: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/05/afghanistan-government-kabul-bank-bailout

Link for NPR Article: http://www.npr.org/2011/02/28/134137014/another-bailout-looms-but-this-time-its-for-kabul

"My Kabul" Explores Varying Lifestyles in Kabul

In this BBC documentary, journalist and native Afghani Tahir Qadiry revisits his hometown of Kabul. Qadiry meets with not only the historians and politicians, but also the workers, children, and homemakers who represent the over-four-million people who live in Kabul today. Ultimately, the document comes to the point that Kabul consists of many varying regions, classes of people, and amount of progress versus traditionalism.

It is evident from the documentary that Kabul is beginning to reach out to the modern age but various factors keep parts of the city from progressing. Narrow streets, hundred year old architecture, and poor sanitation systems seem to encourage old customs and little advancement. The people, though incredibly accepting and welcoming to Qadiry and his crew, still hold many of the fundamental values from Taliban occupation. With all its residents, it has become impossible to manage pollution and the documentary estimates that over 3000 people die every year from poor sanitation. Many families have to go all the way to the central part of the city just to carry water to their homes (Qadiry at one point tries to help a man to carry his water jugs but he can barely make it a few feet up a hill). Although an influx of foreign aid has begun to help reconstruct the new city, many parts have yet to see the money trickle down.

However, the most central areas of Kabul such as Shahr-e-now are not only progressive and urban but thriving, erudite and expensive. This district is much more progressive in its architecture, styles of clothing, successful corporations, building of public schools and private universities, and rapidly growing use of technology. After much music, cinema, and television had been banned under strict Taliban regime, the residents of Kabul are enjoying making progressive change and converting to a more westernized lifestyle.

Though there is much westernization, it seems many people are stuck in their old ways and fear change. Qadiry interviews two owners of a posh clothes store (who reap the benefits of being able to sell a simple t-shirt for over twenty dollars) who say that, in Kabul, "freedom has reached its peak, however we don’t need this much freedom." On the other hand, some residents – women especially who feel like second class citizens – believe that there is still progress to be made even in the most modern centers of Kabul. At constant risk of insurgent suicide bombings, security is a major concern but that is a sacrifice that many Kabul residents are willing to make to continue their way of life.

The spreading change in Kabul and slow advancement that has started to stretch from the center of the city would seem to signify that progress and westernization is possible in Afghanistan. Kabul should serve as a model of innovation as further urban centers develop in the country and look to see the good and bad steps taken in Kabul.

You can watch the video after the jump (It begins around 15:00):

Is it a hummingbird or the government?

With so many new technologies being released to the military it is hard to follow everything being created. One of the most important recent inventions is the unmanned vehicle that is used to spy. These drones are extremely important to the troops in Afghanistan because they are using the drones in order to scout the roads ahead of convoys to make sure they are safe. Now there is a drone that is as small as a bird. Actually its not as small as a bird, it is a bird.

These new “humming birds” built by Aero Vironment are the future of the spy drones. It is as small as a hummingbird, flaps its wings like a hummingbird, can land and take off like hummingbird, but a remote device controls it. Inside the belly of the bird is a small camera and voice recording device. From a distance these drones look exactly like an actual hummingbird and will mainly stay undetected.

These devices are going to have several new purposes because several different government employed groups will be able to use them. The first is firefighters. Firefighters will be able to use the birds in order to scout out fire gather real time information on a large fire quickly. They will also be great in order to tell where people are the hot areas and cold areas inside a building, as well as what is safe and what isn’t. The second group will be the police officers. There are many uses of this new device for the police office. The law enforcement will be able to sue the bird in order to spy on drug deals and bust them. Also, following an earthquake the bird can be used in order to find trapped people by through surveying in tight space areas.

Most importantly this will be extremely important to the military on the ground of Afghanistan. In a battle in a tight space area, the bird will be useful in scouting around corners and find enemy barricades and hiding spots. By using the real time images the miniature bird will be able to scout out the corners with little risk to the actual military personnel. Another use will be the ability to scout down the road. Instead of having a unmanned spy drone which may be seen in the sky, this bird can be used to scout down roads. At a distance the drone would look like a bird to the eye and would quickly be dismissed by the human mind. This makes gathering intelligence and possibly seeing roadside bombs much easier.

The interesting thing is the development of this project. The new goal for the company is to fit the same technology in a small bug in order to make spy technology not even visible to the human eye. Another development in process is implanting cameras during the metamorphic period of bugs in order to create a swarm of spy bugs. This however definitely can bring up an ethical debate, but that’s not what this post is about. It is mainly about the advantages of spy technology getting smaller and smaller. As technology progresses should there be limits to which technology should invade people’s privacy and what if people never even know?

Nathan