(Dubai, United Arab Emirates - 8PM local time Monday) - After spending most of the day today in Afghanistan, I took the last flight out from Kabul to Dubai. It's a good feeling... especially since the airport is closed tomorrow, for the Islamic New Year celebration. Despite having a wonderful time there (as wonderful as you can have wearing a bullet-proof vest much of the time) I wasn't crazy about getting stuck for a couple more days. I was thrilled when the Ariana Airlines Airbus 300 (an old one) took off for Dubai... only 45 minutes late. Not just for timing's sake, but also because the local people in Kabul call it "Scary-ana". (Not to be confused with Scariana Huffington.) Hey, they're trying to run a commercial airline. But it's a bit rugged. I don't even want to think about their maintenance procedures. Speaking of local people, I think I was one of only two Americans in the "lounge" at Kabul International. There were a handful of other foreigners, Brits, Canadians... but 99% were straight out of "Central Casting" --- assuming the casting call was for people who fit the stereotypes of local garbed, Afghan hat-wearing types. Intense looking, faced weary after thirty years of war and struggle. Faces that look much older than they really are. Lots of "mileage". I guarantee there were some ex-(or current) Taliban and maybe a terrorist or terrorist wanna be mixed in to the airport waiting room crowd. I wondered where everyone was going.. and how they could afford it. Afghanistan is the fourth poorest country in the world. They have very little infrastructure: roads, railroads, water, plumbing... electricity goes on and off at times. Good food is hard to come by. But they're getting some phones. Cell phones. One expert told me in Kabul that the Afghans won't bother with land lines for phone service. They already have a strong wireless company that is already making inroads.
I don't think this old Soviet tank will fit in the overhead on the plane. Great souvenir!
Winter decided to show up one more time this morning to pour rain on the Afghan National Military Academy's one year anniversary ceremony. There I sat, getting drenched (in about 48 degree temps), along with a variety of top brass from the multi-national force. Afghan Minister of Defense Rahim Wardak says the nation will be able to defend itself with its own army in four to five years. He can make that kind of prediction in part due to the excellent progress they're making at the Academy. The first graduating class: 2009. (The Afghans have made significant progress in many areas, as I've seen firsthand in-country over the last five days.) It was inspiring to see these young Afghans so dedicated to learning at their version of West Point. It beats just leaving them in ignorance, ready to be manipulated by the terrorists and the Taliban. Knowledge is power against evil there.
On location with the Afghan National Army outside Kabul. This place it being rebuilt by Afghans with support from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Soviets bombed this place heavily during their occupation. This is just a small part of the Russian debris left in the neighborhood.
In the Afghan Army kitchen.
Despite great progress with the Coalition and
Operation Enduring Freedom, so much in Afghanistan is a contradiction. For example:
www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2006-03-19-convert_x.htmThis story is an example of the dilemma involved in allowing "local democracy" to flourish. Afghanistan is an Islamic Republic, and as it grows into a more free national government, there will be a tug of war between religious extremes when it comes to the rule of law. Hey, things don't change in every area overnight. They've come a long way since the Taliban was in charge... those zealots who were doing public executions in stadiums, dismembering men and women for the least of infractions (plenty of stonings, too) and allowing the religious police to ban all media, music...
any form of joy or entertainment, including
smiling. (Speaking of pervasive religion: As I'm writing this, the evening prayers are being blared over the Dubai airport PA system... still surprises me when the singing starts.)
I received an email from a KOGO listener about the
USA Today story (above) asking,
"What about it??!? Ask the generals about THIS story!!! Well, international diplomacy isn't perfect. I hate to see that kind of situation. But I know that there are underground Christians there. They stick to their faith no matter what the consequence are, just as in many places around the globe. I've visited many being persecuted in spots like Vietnam, Thailand, China. There's no quick fix, other than to support those believers and help them to be bold, when it's appropriate... even when they know the "local risks". And we need to encourage a more moderate form of Islamic in that neighborhood, helping to stabilize the region. If we waited until, well, everything was perfect. We'd lose. They'd lose. And the world would be a much more dangerous place.
DEMOGRAPHIC NOTE: Afghanistan has about 28 million people in a country about the size of Texas. 99% are Muslim, most of the rest are Hindu. BTW: Christians don't get a fair shake in India either. And in many other countries. Here's the thing to remember: Most of the world is NOT like the USA. We can be a force for good in so many ways (and yes, that includes being the world's policeman when it's necessary)
WELL LOOKEE HERE:On this third anniversary of the start of the Iraq war, now even
USA Today can't avoid the real numbers (though today's editorial takes the Bush administration to task on many counts.. many distorted counts, actually). The front page headline notes that (surprise!) more Iraqis are dying compared to U.S. forces. Well now, let's see... could that just mean that the Iraqis are taking over more responsibility? You bet. Just like the plan has been.
SPEAKING OF THIS ANNIVERSARY: I'm sick and tired of the mainstream/dinosaur media deciding on these "milestones". They just
decided to make a big deal about 1,000 deaths, then 2,000.. and beyond.. as if it's some macabre telethon. Now it's the third anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq. Let's see, I don't think they made a big deal about the fourth anniversary (last fall) of our
success in Afghanistan, did they? Nah... that would be too helpful to President Bush. If we had a 24/7 cable TV news parade during World War II, who knows how things would have turned out.
Hear it now: "Pearl Harbor, one year later. Why haven't we clobbered Japan? Let's bring our boys home and pretend it will all go away"....OR: "This just in.. D-Day. Mission accomplished? We haven't bagged Hitler yet!!!"MORE COVERAGE ON NEWSRADIO 600 KOGO: Listen for my reports today between 12 Noon and 3PM Pacific on KOGO and
www.kogo.com We'll have details on my Sunday trip to the Southern Provinces in Afghanistan where the drug wars are being fought. Expect more news from this area as "spring war season" cranks up.
EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE is brought to you in part by El Cajon Ford and www.ElCajonFord.comTravel update: I'll have a few hours to kill here at the Dubai Airport (like a glitzy shopping mall with airplanes) then a long flight to London. Followed by a couple of hours transition to
another long flight from there to Atlanta, then home to San Diego. As I write this paragraph, it's 8:20PM Dubai time... 8:20AM Monday San Diego time. I won't be done with all this parade of travel until I get to Lindbergh at about 5:30PM Pacific time....
TUESDAY. We'll be airing several highlights from my trip on the Tuesday show, and I'll be back in-studio on Wednesday.
ON THE ROAD PHOTOS: To see ALL of the posted Blog photos from the USS Ronald Reagan and Central Command, go to the right-side column and click on March 2006. Additional photos are in the "Larson in the Middle East" section of www.kogo.com
