Heartfelt from Kabul
By SLt David Lewis
http://www.ntm-a.com

It is a somewhat surreal experience to be standing here in Afghanistan. The hot barren mountains of the Hindu Kush which surround the city have been witness to a dramatic stream of human history. I am now part of that history. As I ride in a convoy through the streets of Kabul I am amazed at the differences, and the similarities between here and Canada. On a side street, for example, I see a young father holding the seat of a bicycle while his son learns to ride. The feeling that most consumes me is an overwhelming sense of responsibility. I have a responsibility to the Afghan people who smile and wave to me on the street. I have a responsibility to the mission, and I have an inherent responsibility to those who have preceded me here. It is their dedication and sacrifice that passes the torch to me. I do not accept it lightly.

School enrollment also has increased from 900,000 (mainly boys) to almost seven million (37 percent girls). NTM-A is also reaching out to the civilian sector to establish educational relationships to increase literacy opportunities. One of the core missions is to establish an enduring educational capacity.

GDP has increased from $170 under the Taliban to $1,000 per capita in 2010. Almost all Afghans now have access to basic health services (only nine percent did in 2002). Most of the country is now connected via mobile phones and highways. The powerful force of social media is altering the landscape as over one million Afghans have internet access and over 215,000 have facebook accounts. The fabric of the Afghan society itself is evolving.

The Afghan people, with the help of the world community, are reclaiming Afghanistan.

I think again of the young Afghan father supporting his son as he navigates his new bicycle. I watch the father let go and I see the son move forward on his own, and I think of Afghanistan.

Dear David,

What a positive and heartfelt report on the situation in
Afghanistan. The things we read on the web are not so
rosy. as one website told us:

"Almost 3 decades of conflict have devastated much
of Afghanistan's human, physical, and institutional
infrastructure and insecurity remains a critical
challenge to development efforts."

"Many Afghans lack access to basic services, particularly
in rural areas. Approximately 68% of the populations lack
sustainable access to clean water and 20% of rural
households are chronically food insecure."

"Afghanistan has one of the lowest life expectancy rates
(44 years) and has one of the highest under five
mortality rates in the world (estimated at 257 per 1000
live births)."

"The literacy rate is 43% for men and 12.6% for women.
Access to health care is limited. Less than 10% have
access to safe drinking water and over 40% live over
2 hours from a health facility."

Reading all these statistics paints a very sombre
picture - so the challenges in this country would be
enormous to overcome. Education is vital to making
people (especially women) aware of their rights and
to help them make better choices in their lives.

However, you give us hope with your report and
it's great to read that despite all these challenges,
important progress has apparently been made following
the collapse of the Taliban in 2001. We can only trust
that with the help of the world community this will
continue and that corruption will not be allowed to
destroy the good that's being done.

david..its nice to hear
a personalised account..[that is positive]
but you must know..that we are wary of spin at these times

gdp is not a measure of happyness
and education that imprisons the mind..rather than setting it free
thats mind control

how do you measure the freedom to move
or freely assosiate with others
or live without fear
speak fearlessly

we are unsure what the ngo's are building
lets face it a gdp based on security workings
dosnt bode well..when the 'peacemakers' go back home
[and the looter's..[cor[perations]..go in to loot the 3 trillion of resources..locked up in other peoples land's..earned by over paid foreigners flying in/out..with their wages and bonus]

its fine to say you will grow wheat/fruit or veg..[not drugs]
but in the end they simply cant get to market

its ok to bring in big machines to plunder the minerals
polute the waters..then go off home when the land has been raped
leaving the people again only with guns and misery and a falling gdp

anyhow if..you are a canadian
you know how important getting a fair share/fair shake can be

so lets talk
we are listening

Welcome David, yes I under stand your post, hope you are not just a one subject poster.
You tell us in your post of the sun beams and the hope.
We understand too my Friend the deaths, on all sides, the miss understandings and miss trust based on religion.
Of our Aussies who never made it home.
I understand your reasoning, but the places history, its inability over century's to find its own peace.
I do not understand OUG your claims of pillage and rape, theft of minerals and did you say oil.
On what evidence?
From what mine/oilfield?
Are you aware the massive costs are more than anything, money, can replace.
In lives and deaths, in sneaking gutless middle ages type murder.
Do you OUG hold hope that other than trying to introduce freedom to learn to live to hear the rest of the worlds thoughts can save this country?

yes..i fear david...will be
a one/of..poster

regretfully

anyhow belly
you asked..""your claims..of pillage..and rape,""

mate war..is hell
usa/briton/france ussr..[etc]
are war ecomomies..they 'work'..to build wepons..of destruction

pliiage and rape..[and murder and mayhem]
are the fruits of war...

civil deaths..is the biggest
[growing feature...of war]..
i had posted..the numbers for it..at one stage

showing at every war..since ww1
civilian deaths..*have increased

so much so that in iraq...they number
in excess of 1..million
officially..they recognise over 100.000

think of the last brief..incursion by israel
that killed over 1000..[over 400 were kids]

""theft of minerals"'
the last number putting a value
on its mineral wealth alone..was 3 trillion

but think what globally
the drugs alone..are worth..!

and the ability by cia now
to export them direct..via rendition flights

""and did you say oil.""

no i didnt hear..or say anything about oil
but there is something..about needing a pipeline
to pipe oil

""On what evidence?""

heck mate
i used to put up links as i found them
they are there somewhere on the topics..as i found them

""From what mine/oilfield?""

new ones mate
think this war zone..hasnt been explored yet

its clean ground...in time they will go in
and do what multinationals do..[like we seen in many other places]..easy money..once you got the govt..*you chose in power

""Are you aware the massive costs"'..of war?
.."are more than anything, money,..can replace.""

i am
i also know that those with money..LOVE govt money

""In lives and deaths,
in sneaking gutless middle ages type murder."'

i agree

we spend hundreds of thousands saving lives with overpriced medical 'services'..to those we care for..'our own'

but everyone else
just throw bombs at em

""Do you OUG hold hope
that other than trying to introduce freedom
to learn to live..to hear the rest of the worlds thoughts..can save this country?""

mate you cant free someone
who in their heart...*is a slave
till THEY chose freedom..they retain ignorance
[ignorance..*that NEEDS others..to tell them what to think/do]

we are bribing them..!
once the bribes stop
'progress stops'..

and the money/grubbers
move on..to their next colonisation..[war]..

in mid-east or africa..tibet or mongolia

Thanks to all who responded. As a Canadian I have always felt a cultural bond with Australians. I work with many Australians here at the NATO Training Mission here in Kabul.

I do not want to paint the picture here as all rosy. There is a long way to go but since NTM-A was stood up in 2009 there has been ongoing measurable progress.

We are in a time of transition. Not one major transition, but thousands of smaller transitions on a daily basis.

We are working to replace much of the devastate infrastructure. Roads are built, water treatment facilities constructed, power plants online. The Afghans themselves are taking ownership of their own institutions. They are working to develop their own self sustaining systems. I see trainers stepping back and Afghans taking over. It just may not be dramatic news footage.

In July in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan, after a month of drilling, contractors found clean, cool and fresh water 250 meters below the surface in southern Afghanistan’s Uruzgan Province. Across the country this continues.

Literacy has also become a fundamental part of this new mission. NTM-A launched an aggressive campaign to dramatically change literacy training for Afghan security personnel. As of 12 August 2011 there are 87,400 Afghan soldiers and police enrolled in literacy class. Recently the 100,000 graduate of literacy training received his certificate

Supporting gender integration is a vital part of this mission. Both the international community and the Afghan Government have identified the importance of the inclusion of women. The goal is “gender equality” where women and men can fully enjoy their rights, starting ...with the Afghan Government.

As I say, I am not blind to the problems and issues. They are real. You can understand how frustrating it can be. I see such hope and progress every single day. Yes, there are potholes in the road, but hey, there IS a road.