Afghanistan conflict atypical situation
Column by Ryan Pitts
A plethora of voices rise and fall, providing a crude orchestra its oomph. Voices mesh together into a conglomerate of tones; some loud, some soft, some commanding and some accepting, each contributing to the performance.
Underneath the vocals is percussion, provided by a shoddy assembly of hammers and engines. Listening closer, you hear strings, whose origin emanates from the desert wind whistling around bodies, vehicles and equipment.
Symphonies like this are the oh-so-beautiful sound of Afghani road construction. Hearing resonations such as this before Oct. 7, 2001 was a rare treat to Afghan ears. The Taliban put little emphasis on infrastructure. Their interests included, but were not limited to: poppy, an Islamic empire, restricting freedoms and, as of now, retaking Afghanistan.
Upon the United States’ declaration of the “War on Terror†and subsequent invasion of Afghanistan, things began to change. We rolled into the area and easily ousted the Taliban. They ran, of course, straight into Pakistan. Now it seems we are fighting an uphill battle in the war. Guerrilla tactics are besting us, the Taliban are cutting off supply lines, detonating improvised explosive devices (IEDs), threatening villagers, invading isolated military bases and employing infamous hit-and-run tactics on a 30 minute timer, to elude American air support.
How have the Taliban managed this underdog comeback?
Well, my friends, it’s mostly our blunder. Our strategy is flawed. Too many civilians have died, too little construction has occurred and not enough security has been provided. A guerrilla army can only be efficiently dismantled with the help of the state’s population. Right now, we don’t have that vital support.
The key to gaining this support, I believe, lies in realizing the Afghanis’ are people in the pursuit of happiness, just as we are. They will take whatever they feel is best for themselves and their country, regardless of the source. We must make Afghanis see the Taliban as the enemy, and us, at worst, the lesser of two evils.
In a recent interview with Cmdr. Bill Serad of the Navy reserve who served a tour east of Kabul, Afghanistan from February through November 2008, he solidified this view and provided more valuable insights. He told of the blessings of paved roads and reduced IED risks that come with them. But his comments regarding the Afghan people were the most interesting. Serad told stories you don’t often hear on the news. He told of an Afghani grudge against Pakistan for harboring the Taliban, and that many villages say when the U.S. can promise them security from harassment and harm, they will cooperate. He brought a sense of humanity to these people.
In particular, Serad told the story of his interpreter during his tour. One day the interpreter received a phone call in which a man simply said, “We know you work with the Americans, we know where you live.†His interpreter continued to work for him after the call, but at his first chance the man left Afghanistan with his family and now lives in the U.S.
Clearly we need a different approach; a way to provide necessary security and create an image of genuine aide. The foremost threat to our troops are IEDs. They prevent a more expansive patrolling. In addition our current level of troops is not sufficient to secure the entire country. And like Serad informed me, “seven years ago they didn’t even have an army.†The Afghan government is not ready to fend for itself.
Can you imagine pulling a heavy cart across rugged terrain? More importantly, how would you react to your new road being destroyed by a 50-pound fertilizer based IED. You would be infuriated, once again must pull your cart across rough ground. Would you align yourself with a group willing to blow apart your cherished road?
A strategy that involves assisting the Afghan government in creating a system of roads may prove most effective. Where there are paved roads in Afghanistan, the instances of successful IED detonations dramatically decline. Many bombs are reported, or not installed at all because of increased difficulty.
With road construction we gain civilian support, instill a sense of accomplishment in Afghanis and most importantly reduce the risk of IED causalities. A domino effect is created; if our troops have less IEDs to worry about, they can focus on providing more security to villages; allowing Afghanis freedom from Taliban influence and a chance to establish the government they desire.
Regardless of the strategy adopted, more troops will be needed to halt the Taliban offensive. Hopefully the Obama administration will deploy them sooner rather than later.
Maybe these troops will facilitate an orchestra of construction in Afghanistan’s deserts. In time, perhaps the ragtag symphony will transform into the crescendo of city life. We can only hope for the best.
Ryan Pitts is a journalism freshman. E-mail opinions@kykernel.com.
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