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Nov. 15, 2006 Three mornings in a row the sun has climbed the eastern face of the nameless mountains that surround this place. The breezes act like air conditioning set on the highest settings but by ten in the morning temperatures even in the shady spots are comfortable. This place has trees. I like trees. There are not enough trees around here. Looking at the mountains one can tell the altitude is much too high for anything much to grow. I see no trees up there on any of the slopes above ten thousand feet. Only two of the highest slopes show white. It is only the first day of November. I am sure the first snow of the season is close to hand. For now I can still wear short sleeves and look forward to returning to the desert. Some might suggest that this place is a desert, but there is too much life around here. It is more a huge oasis strategically placed for the benefit the ones sent here. You could not honestly call this place “God-forsaken”. There are bibles, prayer rugs, rosaries and a host of other religious paraphernalia adorning every shop that boasts a sign in the local bazaar. The Bazaar is a marvelous invention. You can find anything you are looking for. I enjoy one particular shop that displays an array of ancient weaponry. There are rifles and pistols with dates on their data plates ranging from the late 1700’s through the 1800’s. They are authentic weapons too. Many weapons are adorned with hand-designed Afghani artwork while many other pieces are simply in their original (albeit very used) condition. There is also a major display of swords and knives; many of these sporting hand-made sleeves, hand-made hilts and inlaid gemstones of all sizes and types. I have to mention the rugs because each one I passed displayed artwork worthy of any museum. For the most part the rugs were hand-made. I saw very few “Made in China ” knock-offs, although there were some. Individuals may need rest, but this place never really sleeps. Shops may go quiet after the sun retires and some soldiers may find a few hours of personal rest. The airfield never sleeps. There are cargo and personnel flights around the clock. They run fighter sorties and Special Forces support missions out of here. They bring in and run out whole groups of contractors who bring their experiences here to help the local towns and villages push out poverty, dig and maintain wells and water systems and establish electrical networks to replace candles and camp fires. The base employs hundreds of locals in all sorts of work; training them in the use of earth moving equipment, electrical generators, food services, utilities and building construction. The people I see want to work. They see the benefit of steady pay and alliance with Western nations that are willing to share knowledge and money. They understand that vocational training and general education are means to develop personal status. Knowledge has become a currency that can feed a family. That is any man’s bottom line. Yes, there is always the enemy. We hear of the fighting and we hear of death and perhaps away from this place there isn’t much optimism that the Taliban will be ever completely defeated. But we also understand the Taliban is the minority. We also remember what the Taliban did to this country for so long. There are many more Afghanis who do not support the idealism of the Taliban. There is your hope. There is a new generation of Afghanis who will grow up in a society that has an independent government that guarantees individual freedoms through a national constitution. For centuries Afghanistan was only a wilderness that tribes fought over. Now, many of these tribes have united in a goal to beat back the wilderness and establish a workable society that is recognized by the world community as something other than a land that harbors terrorism. ------------ About the Author: Michael John McCrae has contributed over 500 articles to Useless-Knowledge.com. Email: macswordV@hotmail.com Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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