I have friends who are active in the group Rethink Afghanistan. Sometimes the post stories and comments that seem more like satire. But lately I am having a hard time telling the difference anymore. This one is a perfect example.
Nicholas Kristof’s New York Times column shares a shocking statistic that shows the U.S.’s warped priorities in Afghanistan: if we brought home just 243 troops, we’d save enough money to pay for all higher education everywhere in Afghanistan this year.
Yep cause the fact that Afghanistan’s illiteracy in that most people in Afghanistan cannot read and write. So the money that would be freed up would be used for post secondary education would not be abused for other things.
“Remember Afghanistan has been at war for 30 years, and neither the Soviets who were here before the Taliban nor the Taliban put people through school. So education was not prized. As a matter of fact, the Taliban shut down the schools.”
But with the time proven statement of “Nothing is impossible to those that do not have to do it” have people over at Rethink Afghanistan is a great idea.
Mr. [Greg] Mortenson says that $243 million is needed to fund all higher education in Afghanistan this year. He suggests that America hold a press conference here in Kabul and put just 243 of our 100,000 soldiers (each costing $1 million per year) on planes home. Then the U.S. could take the savings and hand over a check to pay for Afghanistan’s universities.
The war in Afghanistan isn’t making us safer, and it’s not worth the cost. The fact that bringing home 243 troops could pay for all higher education in Afghanistan this year shows that there are much, much better ways of stabilizing Afghanistan and improving the lives of Afghans if we’re willing to let go of military force as the answer.
Yea with so in review how does passing around this little gem that would not only not work but no one that thought of it will be willing to make it work. But it sounds nice, which is more important then anything else.
