Bill Moyers last night on PBS, interviewed Sarah Chayes, a remarkable journalist who decided to stay in Afghanistan to help the people and start a business that employs them. Her profound comprehension of the situation in this country is illuminating.
One of many notable quotes from Ms. Chayes:
"There are a lot of people, I think, both in the West and in the Muslim world, who believe in clash of civilizations. Who want to see the world as a place dominated by two irrevocably hostile blocs. I don't wanna live in that kinda world. I think that we live in an interconnected world full of rich, flawed, varied civilizations that are inextricably intertwined. And, so what I'm doing in Afghanistan is working for that intertwined world".
You can watch the interview, see the slideshow. It could surprise you that Chayes believes American money is acutally going TO the insurgents who are killing Canadian troops. It's complex. She explains it better than I can here.
I'll keep this brief, but here are some quotes from the interview:
Chayes:
"Afghans need credit, just as much as we do. They can't get it. And so, they borrow money. They need to marry off their sons, for example. It's gonna cost 'em $5,000 or $10,000. They have to pay a bride price. They have to have a feast for the entire village. They have to-- you know, where are they gonna get that money? So they turn to the opium trafficker, who lends them money. And he demands repayment in opium".
Farming indigenous plants could be an alternative economic solution to the opium problem:
"What exists down there is very valuable crops. Almonds, apricots. It's fruit crops mostly. To me, the way to attack opium is to compete with it. Like let's make it possible to make a living and not— you don't have to import some exotic new plant. They've got almonds, they've got apricots, they've got pomegranates. They've got Cumin, they've got anise seed. Wild pistachios. We're putting all this stuff in our soap. Why isn't there a fruit juice factory in Kandihar? It's the pomegranate capital of the world".
This is a moving interview with an inspiring person dedicated to making a practical, constructive difference in a troubled part of our world. When I heard about the real dynamics in Afghanistan, I finally began to understand how American money and a disastrous foreign policy have coupled to foster the daily struggle for the Afghan people. As one commenter says (Moyers blog), we need this woman in the next White House, advising a new President on Afghanistan.
My intent for posting here is simply educational. I always hope that major news media pick up so many of Moyers' interviews. And this is one that could help the U.S. in Afghanistan.