I'll kill you, but I'll help you
By: Noneed
From: Thinkville

This is coming from Canada's role in Afghanistan, but it also applies to the US role in Iraq.

I can't imagine the problems faced by the generals. On the one hand they are being asked to help rebuild the country. Build roads, schools, hospitals, build communites, build relationships with people....

At the very same time, their job is about security and killing 'Taleban'. They have to treat people suspiciously, search everyone, kill anyone who seems to be a threat, protect their own lives. Imagine rebuilding a road and have to be suspicious of every vehicle coming in. It could be a suicide bomber? Or it could be a taxi driver?

I heard one former general on TV, (Mackenzie I think), said something like this is going to take its toll on soldiers. It's much easier to do one of these at a time.

Personally, I think fighting the 'taleban' and rebuilding at the same time is the best way. The Taleban is not some ary you can defeat once (like the US defeated the Japanese army). So there is little choice but to do both.

But there is a caveat. What is the 'Taleban' and should they be hunted? On another CBC documentary, there was this story on driving schools in Afghanistan It was more centered on women drivers. In any case, one of the instructors was a Taleban. Friendly fellow from what I could gather on TV and here he is now teaching women how to drive. He still had very conservative beliefs, and I wonder if he would still identify himself as Taleban. Nonetheless his type of person could be very easily be on the opposite end of a Canadian rifle rather than playing the constructive role he is.

It's more a question of mentality. I have seen an increasing 'kill taleban' mentality that in my opinion is dangerous. Yes, we should be proving security, but the overwhelming emphasis should be on rebuilding and security is an aid to rebuilding.

Somehow, I think the generals have a better hold on this than the politicians. I really hate what's coming out of our new PM's mouth these days. That's why I have some confidence in the Afghan situation. It was a little snippet that gave me this confidence. In an interview on CBC late at night, this general says

"Our job in Afghanistan is much more boring. It's not about hunting the taleban. It's about bringing beaurocracy. What makes a city like Toronto work? beaurocracy."