Creative Exploitation
Here is NATO and its associates lending themselves to a joint venture of humanitarian purpose in Afghanistan. Largely Western democracies determined to assist a legendarily imposed-upon populace and geography, to help lead it out of the wilderness of endemic poverty, warfare, religious intolerance and political corruption. Those very NATO countries whose own internal experiences are so far removed from the Afghan realities of warlords and religious fanatics imposing their corrupt and illegal rule on an impoverished, uneducated and vulnerable society.In the doing of which the lives of our diplomats and our armed services personnel are placed in immediate peril of surviving attacks by fanatical militants. In the course of which attempt to aid and assist a weak government which has appealed for international support time and again, contributing countries invest a good proportion of the tax dollars of their own populations. If infrastructure funding and the funding to enable the operation of armed forces abroad are taken out of a contributing country's economy, they displace other, internal needs.
So here are countries like England, Holland, France, Germany, the United States and Canada - among many others - who have pledged their support in so many ways to the fledgling government of Afghanistan, most under great duress because of the unwillingness of their own populations to continue to prolong their own sacrifice for that of a distant, oppressed people. But in the interests of global solidarity against terrorism, and horror at the odious conditions in which people have been forced to live, the combined forces forge on.
Yet puzzlingly, yet not quite mysteriously, here is the government of Afghanistan through its president, Hamid Karzai, professing great friendship for a neighbour, Iran. An appreciation for its neighbourliness. Which happens also to include a predilection for becoming involved in all facets of jihadist strife in the region, invariably training and funding the very terrorists whom NATO forces are there to combat, and at whose hands they also die.
Well, it can be understood; after all, one trusts one's close neighbour, one with whom one shares a modicum of culture, tradition, history, religious belief. As opposed to foreigners whose entire social structure, values, way of life is completely other than what one has long been accustomed to. But whose good offices and assistance are nonetheless sought as valuable commodities to be beseeched for on behalf of one's country. In the process manipulating the humanitarian values of countries whose purpose otherwise is of no interest to Afghanistan.
One such purpose being that recently expressed within the United Nations when Canada led a censure - fifth time around - of Iran's unspeakable human rights abuses. To which Afghanistan saw fit to direct its diplomatic presence at the UN to vote with Iran's motion to avoid censure. And, concomitantly, to vote against the censure to single Iran out as a human-rights violator.
Leaving one to wonder why it is that Canada and Canadian troops are stationed in that country in a grievously dire effort to stabilize it toward eventual democracy, and freedom for its people. Tact was not missing when a senior official at the Afghan mission to the UN claimed "we enjoy a very fruitful relationship with Canada". As they most certainly do - in increased trade and investment, along with the first-line assistance in battling the Taliban.
As to why Afghanistan voted against the Canadian petition, and stood squarely with and for Iran, its neighbour which has never contributed anything to its well-being, no comment was forthcoming in explanation.
Labels: Political Realities, Terrorism, World News
posted by Pieface @ Thursday, November 22, 2007
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