- JUDGING GREG MORTENSON...
- Original post on |04/19/2011 10:22 am @ Yahoo Blog
…by his actions.
For those adults who are unfortunate cynics due to having witnessed, first hand, the vagaries, cruelties and betrayals of fellow humans, the news of Mr. Three Cups of Tea’s “fund and awareness raising” tours—as exposed by 60 Minutes-- for his own pocket, probably did not shock or surprise. After all, these days nothing adults do seems to come as much of a surprise. Integrity, honor, courage and sacrifice are concepts rarely covered by mainstream media today as many seek the limelight to cash in on their 15 or 20 minutes of fame no matter what the greater cost to others or to country.
My immediate reaction, however, was one of sadness. Not for him. No. But for the children around the country who had painstakingly collected their pennies for Mortenson’s scheme called “Pennies for Peace.” What will those children now think of adults like Mortenson who, in essence, used their innocence –and their parents and schools kind hearted generosity and compassion—against them? Will they succumb and become cynics and mistrustful so early on in their lives? Will they help orphanages and other genuine organizations after having being deceived by someone who was loved as a true American hero? What about those in Afghanistan, and especially Pakistan, who did benefit from his efforts albeit not to the extent he seems to take credit for?
As much as I love Afghanistan and its people, I hate its self inflicted dysfunction. The massacre in Mazar-e-Sharif (once the mullahs during the Friday sermon screamed for infidel blood) of UN personnel --who were there to help not kill-- has sealed it. Enough is enough. Time to leave Afghanistan ASAP (and I mean leave with all our troops and NGOs) and let Afghans have their publicly enunciated wish: to be rid of the first military force that invaded their lands to help them be a free people.
One would think that after the Soviet “example,” the people would express gratitude, not resentment, towards NATO (primarily US) forces that helped rid them of Mullah Omar and his entourage’s increasing despotism conducted in the name of Islam. The fact that, notwithstanding a lack of a coherent strategy (to include an exit), it is the infidel foreigners who have poured billions into Afghanistan to help Muslims, when the so-called “Umma”only brought in with them EFPs and IEDs (from Iran) and the suicide bombers (mostly from Pakistan and Arab lands) as gifts to bestow on their beloved Afghan brothers of faith. Where is oil rich Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and Iran and all the other Umma countries and their humanitarian assistance for their Muslim brethren?? Talk has always been cheap.
No one wants foreign boots on their own soil. But what have Afghans really tried to do –except incessantly bicker and fight (for the spoils)—to ensure a speedy departure of these troops? And, worse, resort to targeting those who really are trying to help improve their miserable lives.
It is time to leave the Afghans alone.
