Afghanistan, the forgotten project

Doctors and medics often accompany relief missions, while in other cases, dedicated medical teams are being dispatched to remote areas so that villagers who have never had access to 21^st century medicine can be cared for.  In late July, the Panjab and Wara districts of Bamyan Province received assistance in a 7 day mission that treated 5,500 patients while lessons were taught to the locals on the basics of health care for future usage, which is important as the region is inaccessible in the harsh winter months.  A veterinarian unit also treated 3,000 animals with vaccinations and de-worming procedures.^[x]

A few weeks later in August, the Nuristan Province received a group of medical personnel along with security escorts and interpreters for three days in which they treated locals who had never enjoyed basic health care service before.  The team dispatched a women-only contingent to tend to the female population, which is often neglected.  A soldier described the gratitude of the women and children, “they were so happy they were kissing the interpreters’ and nurses’ hands. They didn’t want us to leave.”  Dentistry experts saw locals whose teeth were in poor condition for lack of proper care while giving out advice and dental kits.^[xi]  The U.S. military also handles more serious medical conditions as well.

Local U.S. military bases are better equipped to deal with more significant injuries.  Citizens often bring their injured or ill friends and relatives to these outposts for medical attention.  If the base is not equipped to treat the injury or condition, then more drastic measures are needed as in the case of a young boy who had a critical heart defect.  He was flown to the U.S.with his father to receive the necessary surgery to save his life and returned home to Afghanistan. ^[xii]  In another case, a young teenager received emergency treatment on a gunshot wound in his leg that would have required amputation otherwise.^[xiii]  Both situations displayed the importance of the liberation of Afghanistan; one boy would have lost his leg and the other one his life if not for the assistance of U.S. forces.

Meanwhile, the Afghan Health Ministry in conjunction with U.N. agencies launched an enterprise on August 20^th to vaccinate more than 7 million children under the age of 5 from polio, which has already infected 24 youths in 2006.  The disease, though eradicated in Western nations, is still widespread in 3^rd world countries and can cause permanent paralysis.^[xiv]  Because of the opening of Afghanistan to outside aid, these children will have one less illness to worry about.

All of these improvements that the Afghan people are experiencing would not have been possible under the Taliban.  Thanks to the efforts of the American military and our allies, the Afghans do not have to wait to see the improvements that their liberated country will bring.  This progress is not short-lived either.  While some personnel are working to improve the living standards today, others are working to make them permanent and even better.

Huge endeavors are underway to rebuild a nation that has been war torn for too many years.  The Afghan Army and Police Force are being trained in new facilities with foreign experts so that they can provide for their nation’s security.  Roads, bridges and buildings are being created to unite disjointed areas and create a sense of unity.  Isolated villages will no longer have to worry about being cut off from outside assistance.

The rule of law must be enforced in order to have a functioning and successful civil society.  The police force is the key to that enforcement.  With this fact in mind, the U.S. is making sure that Afghanistan’s police force is not only active, but also trained to behave properly.  The Kabul Police Academy opened its doors in August 2002 with funding from Germany and the Netherlands.  Millions of dollars of funding have been going into training a new generation of Afghan policemen in necessary skills, such as narcotics training, border patrols and customs.  An illiterate program was used to recruit more volunteers until it was phased out to focus on literate courses.

The quality of the new Afghan National Police (ANP) is being ensured with courses, such as the Phase One part of the Transition Integration Program.  It is taught in regional training centers around the country and emphasizes the balance of maintaining order in a society while upholding civil rights.  The program teaches “basic civil rights, democratic policing and operational police skills” with “real-world scenarios as practical exercises to familiarize students with what they may face in the field.”^[xv]  These advanced skills will improve the performance of the police force and make it a more effective instrument.

Refresher courses, such as a monthly Police Training and Assistance Team law enforcement class allows members of the ANP to gain even more training and experience.  Skills taught include ethics, riot control and vehicle and personnel searches and are then applied in exercises so that instructors can gauge whether the students are learning correctly.  The classes are receiving approval from its pupils and one said he would “let my fellow officers know what an outstanding course this was, so they can volunteer for a future class.”^[xvi]  These types of recommendations will only attract more recruits and improve the quality of the ANP.

The police forces are not the only Afghan units receiving training.  The Afghan Border Patrol has been educated by Coalition troops and is now participating in monitoring the border.  The two groups are beginning to hold joint meetings to coordinate activity and support.^[xvii]  Their development has improved security and is another sign that Afghanistan is on the road to independent success.