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| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| Soldiers of new Afghan army charismatic, tough |
| 2004-10-09 |
| By PETER WORTHINGTON -- For the Toronto Sun The not-so-secret weapon in the first "democratic" elections in Afghanistan on Saturday may well be the Afghanistan National Army (ANA). While some may be tempted to view it as a hastily put together force mindful of what the Americans are trying to do in Iraq, there really is no comparison. I spent yesterday with the Kabul brigade, visiting observation posts outside Kabul, where a couple of Canadian soldiers were attached to the ANA soldiers, providing a communication link with Camp Julien and the international force's headquarters. First came a briefing from the ANA commander, known only as Gen. Akhter -- a handsome, charismatic guy who usually needs a shave. He fought the Russians when they were here. How has he found the training provided by Canadians, Americans, Hungarians, Germans and others, in the program called ETT (Embedded Training Team), otherwise known as Operation Phoenix? "I've had more experience at fighting than Canadians but I've also learned from them." In fact, all these Afghans are pretty adept at killing. What they lack is discipline when fighting. Maj. Brian Hynes of Comox, B.C., is the Canadian contingent commander with the ANA, and Maj. Jean-Marc Doucette, an Acadian from Nova Scotia, is the hands-on operational link with the ANA. Over the years I've encountered a lot of soldiers from poor countries that depend on the U.S. and west for military support. I can't recall any soldiers as physically and psychologically impressive as these Afghans in their leopard-camouflage uniforms, cocky green berets, and new Hungarian assault rifles modelled on the Russian AK-47. These guys are all volunteers, every one ruggedly handsome, and are paid up to $300 a month. It's speculated most of them have killed people in the past -- an observation Hynes doesn't dispute. As a group they exude pride, curiosity and testosterone. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #10 hey--alexander the great conquered the world--and gave dome too |
| Posted by: SON OF TOLUI 2004-10-09 4:51:50 PM |
| #9 Not that there's anything wrong with that... |
| Posted by: Steve 2004-10-09 11:42:24 AM |
| #8 Does a bear tend to the woods? |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-10-09 11:35:18 AM |
| #7 Didn't Lawrence of Arabia have tendencies, too? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2004-10-09 11:27:44 AM |
| #6 Whoa. This is way too Lawrence of Arabia. |
| Posted by: ed 2004-10-09 11:01:34 AM |
| #5 I've read descriptions of Afghanis (Brit. Empire period fact and fiction), and for some reason the authors all praise the physical beauty -- and fierceness -- of their subjects. It could be this journalist is merely following in that tradition. Contrariwise, it could be that being at physical risk at the hands of these [perceived to be] barbaric tribal types alters perceptions seen through a fight-or-flight adrenalin haze. Or, the journalist may indeed have unacknowledged tendencies. Certainly photos I've seen of young Afghanis show them to be quite handsome, but they appear to age quickly in that difficult environment, and not at all well. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2004-10-09 10:56:51 AM |
| #4 paid up to $300 a month That'll get you the best and brightest from a 2000 mile radius. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-10-09 7:54:06 AM |
| #3 when gen. akhter tells you he likes your eyes--well then--ghannis like like the pashtun poontang--which usually comes with a scrotum attached |
| Posted by: SON OF TOLUI 2004-10-09 1:38:32 AM |
| #2 I was wondering if he was reporting objectively or looking for a date... |
| Posted by: Fred 2004-10-09 12:50:14 AM |
| #1 "I can't recall any soldiers as physically and psychologically impressive as these Afghans" ... "volunteers, every one ruggedly handsome" ... "they exude pride, curiosity and testosterone" Interesting article, but the correspondent's hard-on keeps getting in the way... |
| Posted by: Carl in N.H. 2004-10-09 12:34:32 AM |