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Last week I promised myself and you to write a newsletter this week.
I haven't written in so long it's difficult to know what to report. There is the troubling news about the Taliban taking over the city of Kunduz and ISIS having invaded Afghanistan; as if Afghans haven't suffered enough!
Nabi reports that Afghans in Kabul are more concerned about ISIS than the Taliban. Why? The Taliban enforce a strict and oppressive social order. They at least represent order. Men fighting for ISIS are, on the other hand, completely out of control.
One of the reasons ISIS is growing in size is that they are paying fighters more than their adversaries. Afghan soldiers have always been paid less than the Taliban. Afghan soldiers earn $300-$600 a month, plus an additional $100 - $150 a month when in combat. Afghan generals earn less than $1,000 a month.These pay rates were recently given to me by an Afghan officer
If the outcome between competing terrorists rests upon who pays fighters more, ISIS will win. That is, if the status quo remains. ISIS is reportedly receiving millions a week from oil fields in Iraq.
If history gives any indication of outcome neither ISIS or the Taliban will ever control Afghanistan. Afghans fighting for their country have been forced to give up ground. But, they have never lost in the end.
Slightly below our radar are the verbal attacks recently waged in the press among Afghanistan, the United States and Pakistan. President Ghani and other high ranking Afghan government officials have complained about Pakistan's harboring the Taliban. The United States indicated it may not make a $300 million installment payment to Pakistan for its "lack of progress in fighting the Haqqani network in Pakistan. The United States has"reimbursed" Pakistan in excess of $10 billion to fight the Taliban over the years.
These stories remind me of a time when I asked high ranking military officers from several countries whether Pakistan would ever defeat the Taliban. One responded by saying "No, not as long as you are paying them to fight the Taliban". It had not occurred to me that money provided to fight the Taliban might in fact delay or prevent their defeat, a classic Catch 22.
Nabi and I have decided to not travel to Afghanistan next month as planned. We may go in January or February when it's freezing cold. Why then not now? The Taliban spend their winters in Pakistan and the risk of terrorist attacks drop with the temperature.
Nabi started telling our mutual friends that I "chickened out" when in fact he was the first. I rescued an email from trash that he sent letting me know he wasn't going. It was sent the day after a police training facility was attacked in Kabul. It's located next to the hotel where we stay. He's the chicken and also very wise.
Not going next month won't impact a thing. Our 24 teachers continue to educate 1300 children, over half of whom are girls. All but one of the sponsored children is doing fine. I'll write about her next time. Six computer libraries are open and running and the solar cookers continue to cook. TIE is run by Afghans in Afghanistan. Our job is to support them, which we can do from here.
