It seems to me that the mindset of the arabs (afghanistan people i.e) are at a different level than ours in the west. We would typically look at the situation and think that we needed hospitals for the sick, equipment to harnest our natural resources so that we can get a stable and good economy, build schools to educate our children etc. They don't seem to think about these things at all. It's like its not even an option for them to try to improve their own living standards.

Anyone else out there who has similar thought?

Well, there are many things at play over there in Afghanistan: civil war, fundamentalism, poverty, death and pain. As for the regions dominated by muslim faith, I get the impression that there is a desire for the return of islam's former glory.

Just to point out a few things.

1. Afghans are not Arabs.

2. Arab does not equal Muslim.

3. Muslim does not equal fundamentalist.

4. Fundamentalist does not equal terrorist.

5. Westerners can be Muslims too!

All of the blurred distinctions are a lazy way to blame a group, race, society, religion or country for the acts of a few people.

Bowser:
As for the regions dominated by muslim faith, I get the impression that there is a desire for the return of islam's former glory.

I think you're right, in essence. The idea of an Islamic power to balance the Christian dominated West is one that appeals, and was the way the world was for around 1100 years. Perhaps such a balance would be useful again, though Islamic powers of their day were far less extreme than those today - another appealing idea.

I salute you Captain!!

It's a pleasure reading your comments ;)

Good post Capitan. As the Islamic fundamentalists want to be anti-everything (Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and anything else that moves), unless they are controlled by their own people, these type of trouble will continue until the rest of the world go after and terminate them.

Anyone interested in understanding what it is like to live in Afghanistan today might benefit from reading this article. It's long, but very informative.


http://www.iranian.com/Opinion/2001/June/Afghan/index.html

It is really looong. One thing I did not get it, is why Iranians did not help!

True, Kmguru... the article is really long. I didn't read it in one sitting. Still, I believe it broadened my understanding of what the situation is like in Afghanistan.

Not sure whom you are suggesting the Iranians should help. If you are suggesting that they should help the Afghans because they are Arab or Muslim...well, as Capn. Canada pointed out, it's not quite that simple.

Politics, religion, terrorism... these are never simple matters and the Afghanistan chapter of this even longer story is complex, indeed.

The optimum outcome for Afghanistan would be for its people to learn how best to help themselves. (Opium is their cash crop and the area has suffered severe drought for 3+ years) However, this would also likely involve being liberated from those who have been in power there for several years now. As it is generally asserted that the Taliban is closely connected to many of the terrorist acts the world has seen recently, Afghanistan now stands a chance of gaining that liberation.

And then there's the questions of: What will they do with the freedom once they have it? Who will take the Taliban's place? Will the tribes of Afghanistan ever unite and form one central government?

And these are just a few of the questions Afghanistan may face in the near future. Questions that are probably on the minds of many folk, Arab and otherwise.

If it seems that the people of Afghanistan don't think of taking care of themselves, I would have to disagree. Millions of them have tried to flee into neighboring countries. That's all they can do. They have been reduced to that level of "mindset." The mindset of staying alive.

Yet there are underground efforts still in play there that intend to help educate all--including women--and efforts to resist the "mindsets" of dictatorship and terrorism. Unfortunately, it appears that outside help will be needed to make these efforts worthwhile.

None of this is simple, but it is time for solutions to be sought. To solve a problem, we need to understand what we're dealing with.