| Submit your comments on this article |
| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| Once Taliban Stronghold Soon To Be Rolling In Clover |
| 2005-08-16 |
| Afghanistan's Baghran Valley, once home to Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, will receive more than $2 million in U.S. reconstruction funds over the next six months. The area will receive $2.4 million in an effort to bring peace, prosperity and security to the region once known as a bastion of Taliban ideology. Projects include reconstruction of the area's most prominent Mosque, a new high school, road repair, and equipping the local police force with motorcycles. Officials announced the projects during a recent groundbreaking ceremony. "The people of this valley have asked for our help, and we're delivering," provincial reconstruction team commander U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jim Hogberg said during the ceremony. About 30 members of his reconstruction team accompanied Hogberg. He also congratulated the Afghan people for supporting their own peaceful future and reminded them of the importance of voting in upcoming elections. The provincial governor's chief of staff and numerous dignitaries from throughout the province attended the ceremony. Afghan and U.S. officials distributed newspapers and free radios to the crowd. As the provisional reconstruction team announced the projects, former Taliban leader Rais Bagharni, a participant in the government of Afghanistan's reconciliation program, announced his intent to run in September's parliamentary elections. "Reconstruction is my jihad," Bagharni said, adding that he was committed to helping the PRTs with reconstruction efforts in the area. One of the area's most visible projects is paving a 700-meter road through the town's center, which will give the people living in the area easier access to the shopping district. In another nearby ceremony recently, Kandahar province Gov. Assa Dullah Khalid; U.S. Army Lt. Col. Bert Ges, commander of the 3rd Battalion, 319th Field Artillery Regiment; and U.S. Army Lt. Col. Robbie Ball, commander of the Kandahar provincial reconstruction team, cut the ribbon on a bridge spanning the Tarnak River. The bridge cost nearly $300,000 and took almost two years to complete. The bridge links the Baghran Valley with nearby major centers of commerce, which will improve the overall economy of the area. The projects, which will use contracted Afghan construction firms, are expected to take anywhere from three to six months to complete, officials said. Nothing kills insurgency like busy hands making good money. |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #4 Projects include reconstruction of the area's most prominent Mosque, a new high school, road repair, and equipping the local police force with motorcycles. Just wondering, Is the $2.4 million U.N. money?. Has our State dept. ever specifically funded the reconstruction of Christian churchs? ie, Kosovo for instance? Jackal, I'd gladly join The Old Hog Brigade. |
| Posted by: Red Dog 2005-08-16 23:07 |
| #3 Lt. Col. Jim Hogberg Great name for the guy heading the project. |
| Posted by: Penguin 2005-08-16 21:07 |
| #2 bullets, well aimed, kill the fighters, and nothing makes people fight back like losing what they've gained and their livelihood. Right plan, support these people, arm some, and have an SOS helpline available for quick kickass response |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-08-16 19:57 |
| #1 I'd agree to the extent that it is an insurgency, that the fighters (and their silent supporters) are natives. Many of them are, and this will probably help a lot. But some of them are not natives, and don't care about local prosperity, or even will try to destroy it. I'm not saying that we shouldn't do this. It is a good thing. I'm just saying this alone won't kill the fighting. |
| Posted by: Jackal 2005-08-16 18:44 |