Back To The Future

While many Afghan citizens are excited about the current progress in the country and potential for the future, just as many are also concerned about what the future holds. This is because NATO forces and the U.S. Military announced 2014 would be the end of major military involvement. When the Afghanistan War begin in 2001, constant violence became just as normal as putting shoes on every day. Whether it was sniper attacks, suicide bombings, rocket attacks, kidnappings, poisonings, or executions each day brought the expected unexpected. Civilians across Afghanistan were killed in high numbers weekly, both intentionally and accidentally.

The last couple of year’s significant improvements came about in terms of violence in Afghanistan, when NATO military members successfully trained Afghan men to handle security issues as military personnel and police officers throughout the country. The training provided allowed Afghans to handle various security matters without assistance from NATO. This type of success amongst other things led to the announcement of the 2014 withdrawal date. In addition to the situation on the ground improving, education in Afghanistan also vastly improved. Schools in the country have been rebuilt, renovated, and provided with better curriculum. Some school classrooms have even gained full access to the internet.

Though the overall standing of Afghanistan made a change for the better, the country is still not perfect and continues to have an uncertain future past 2014 once NATO completes a significant troop drawdown. Some Afghans fear that without a strong coalition presence the Taliban will be go back to their old ways and gain control of the country once again. One reason that gives Afghan citizens this type of feeling is because recently 14 Afghan police officers surprisingly joined the Taliban. The period of time from 1996-2001 saw the Taliban run everything from the government to the topics covered inside the classroom. Then once the U.S. and NATO military coalition entered Afghanistan, things in the country changed for the better. After the coalition leaves, will things make a turn for the worse?

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The Price to Pay For A Education

For most children across the world going to school means gathering knowledge in preparation for a bright future. And it generally means children are at the one place where they have nothing to focus on other than getting an education. However, schooling in Afghanistan is recognized as an opportunity for the Taliban to spread fear and rampage. In the minds of normal people, there's a saying "children are the future," but that's not the case for some people in Afghanistan.

In the last several weeks over 800 children have been poisoned while at school. These poisonings are showing control, capability, and quite frankly, just how putrid the Taliban is. Women in the country already have a hard enough time being respected and earning rights. Now girls ranging in ages from 10 to 20 have to worry about getting through a full day of class without being attacked. This makes parents second guess if an education is worth it or not if their child's well being is on the line.

The lack of education in Afghanistan continues to be a black eye for the war torn country, but now education is a way for terrorists to impose their will if they don't agree with something. The Khost, Balkh, and Takhar provinces have all seen children hospitalized with headaches, vomiting, dizziness, and unconsciousness because of poisonings that were Taliban retaliations. In other provinces schools are still fully directed as to what and when they learn due to the stronghold the Taliban has. And if guidelines are not followed, children are subject to severe physical violence (e.g., acid thrown on them) and risk the school(s) being closed down completely.

When health becomes a factor of deciding to go to school or not, there is a concern that needs to be seriously addressed. Unfortunately, Afghanistan education is seeing a double threat of physical harm and closed-minded curriculum. And though some parts of the country try to educate normally, there continues to be struggles everyday. Consistent efforts from the Afghanistan Government, NATO, and Film Annex are bright spots that work to bring education forward in the country. Hopefully, the good guys prevail which allows Afghan children to learn peacefully like in the rest of world.


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No Holds Barred

Parts of the Asian Region in the world have severe instability right now; from the Koreas to Afghanistan, lethal organized attacks and long-range missile launches are becoming routine practice. Though, Afghanistan continues to be the #1 cesspool with people succumbing to widespread violence almost every other day.

As the U.S.and NATO forces announce new, and reiterate established withdrawal timelines from Afghanistan, it seems like militants and insurgents plan more attacks to taunt NATO forces. The extremists are sending their own message - they have not weakened and will be there after NATO withdraws.

Recent suicide missions by the Taliban in the Herat and Helmand provinces took the lives of about 18, and injured at least another 25 people. The drama and bloodshed extends far beyond these instances with a coordinated attack that lasted three quarters of a day just last weekend. This took place in the capital (Kabul) of the country. The death toll from this attack is in the forties.

Targets in the plotted attack were NATO facilities and embassies of alliance members. The situation in Afghanistan looks to be spiraling for the worst; even though NATO and Afghan military forces say they have things under control and nearly prepared for the Afghans to handle their own security. At this point, attacks can be launched anytime and anywhere by the Taliban or Haqqani group, which both claim involvement in the nearly 20 hour attack.

The bad news is, even with all the Intel and multiple military forces working together to fight insurgency, suicide missions, roadside bombs, and sneak attacks, there are no foolproof plans or options to completely stop the violence. The enemy wakes up everyday with the same plans no matter how bad the previous day was for them.

While NATO forces continue to counter the terrorist groups, and withdraw over the next two plus years, the world will see how things end up in Afghanistan.

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