De Facto Partition (False Alternative for Afghanistan!)

The current situation in Afghanistan is at its worst level possible. People are disappointed, hopeless, and more importantly scared of what is going to happen. On other hand, the U.S. policymakers and commentators are giving their own false assumptions about the future of Afghanistan. Given that, everyone is deciding what is good for Afghanistan and what is worthless for the people of Afghanistan. Perhaps there are very few people who still believe and talk on behalf of Afghan people, that Afghans are not always looking for war, and that the Pashtons are not the Taliban. It is a false assumption that people from the eastern and southern Afghanistan are all followers of the Taliban’s government. In fact, in that area Afghan government is very weak; people have to obey Taliban or else they will lose everything. Through this short article, I as a common Afghan will analyze briefly what went wrong resulting in the almost failed operation of the U.S invasion. Furthermore, I will talk about the factors that are going wrong in the status quo which are worsening the situation.

“Afghanistan is simply ungovernable” Stephen Biddle Roger Hertog Senior Fellow for Defense Policy, mentions this statement in his article “Defining success in Afghanistan” and most of the American public believes that nothing positive can be done in Afghanistan. (Biddle, p1) Perhaps in my view this is the most ridiculous claim by any commentator of a developed country. One can asked why is it an uncontrollable country? What went wrong? What did the U.S do to this country in the past during the cold war?  In fact, many Americans had only heard of Afghanistan after the attack of 9/11. They do not bother to understand the involvement of the United States at the time of Soviet Union invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. According to Cynthia Enloe a famous journalist and author of different critical books; that the Mujahidin of the Northern alliance (which are now mostly recognized as warlords) were created by the United States to break the communist regime supported by Soviet Union, and later the Taliban were forces of the U.S to fight against the conflicts of those warlords in different regions in Afghanistan. She mentions in her article Updating the Gendered Empire, where are the women in Afghanistan & Iraq, that “Americans had only the vaguest notion of where Afghanistan was, of what had been the long time the U.S government involvement in its twenty-year civil war, and how the Taliban-controlled government was related to the clandestine operations of the insurgent movement let by Osama bin Laden” (Enloe, p140). Given that, when Bush administration demanded Taliban’s government with indivisible bargaining range, Osama or your government will be destroyed, then why now do American policymakers think nothing can be done with the Taliban. Why did not they evaluate these assumptions before the status quo? Where are their expert judgments before invading any country?

What went wrong in these past 9 years? As a usual attitude of the U.S government, Bush administration used their coercive diplomacy to break down the Taliban’s government and find Osama. Moreover, as famous assumption, that any war is always justifiable, because war always has two sides of its reality. A war is a national pride for one state or group and for other state or group a terrorist act. Same as the example of a terrorist; a suicide attacker is a national hero to one group to other group he is a terrorist. In Afghanistan case, the U.S government had a good reason in hand to justify the war that “we want to fight terrorism”. The people of Afghanistan welcomed this decision of the U.S government and gave them their full support. But what happens now after 9 years of war against terrorism? Where is Osama? Why still do the Taliban have the advanced weapons that NATO forces, with its $7 billion monthly budget cannot defeat? A very easy and known answer to all these questions is that the U.S is not fighting terrorism with its army and money; in fact they are supporting warlords in Afghanistan to build a government. The Afghan government is lead by those warlords who divided the country into ethnic pieces that the Taliban’s government raised in the result of their internal conflicts. It is mentioned every day in the international media that Afghan government is corrupt, but why we do not see that who run the government. In simple words, how could a thief be bodyguard to national security and economy?

Afghan people are confused whom to believe and what to rely on. The deterrence of the Taliban attacks is weakening the morals of public. On the other hand, they see that NATO troops are not doing anything, instead they hear the ridiculous news that Americans will drop out of the country because nothing is going to change. This kind of weak attitude of the U.S government is strengthening the confidence of Taliban who are not even Afghans. The commentators in the U.S can make an alternative plan “B” for Afghanistan, but they cannot answer the very simple questions that who are Taliban? Why are they still in Afghanistan? Why is Pakistan still supported by the U.S, even though they are supporting Taliban? From where do Taliban get their support and supplies which are not depleted after 9 years of constant war? Why all the international aid is spent on a failed military operation rather than on reconstruction the country and creating a strong government? We do not see any answers for those questions but we receive the “De facto Partition” suggestion, which is a childish point of view if anyone believes in its success. In the article Plan B in Afghanistan, by Robert D. Blackwill another respected political analyst, he talks about how there are more or less 100 Al-Qaida members in Afghanistan, which is not a big threat anymore. (Blackwill) One must argue that if 100 terrorists are not a threat anymore, then why spend $7 billion monthly military expenses in Afghanistan? Given that, the partition of Afghanistan will be a sick decision. If the partition of big countries such as India and Pakistan did not work, the conflicts are still there after 60 years, then how will the partition of a small country of only 28 million populations will bring prosperity to the world? Let’s suppose Eastern and Southern Afghanistan is handed over to the Taliban, how will their economy run? Which countries in the world will support their existence as independent state?

Another suggested alternative is the “Decentralization of the Government” in the country.  However, the status quo seems a centralized government, but in fact all the provinces are governed by all those Afghan regional commanders and warlords. These commanders proved useful to the U.S government in its own competition with Soviet Union during the Cold War. Perhaps, they became useful again to the U.S government when it decided to start war against the Taliban and al-Qaeda. Despite their inter-ethnic tensions, all those commanders who are now the governors of different provinces share history of opposition to the modernizing, secularizing reforms of the Kabul government. “They were selected by Washington’s war planners as their most trusted, effective military allies on the ground when they devised their U.S-let invasion of Afghanistan” (Enloe). The central government, led by Hamid Karzai, has very little influence over their small governments in each province. Thus, there will not be any positive change if the decentralized democratic government is formally announced; the positive change will be possible when players of the game are changed.

To sum up this short analysis, it is important to mention that any type of government will not work in any country when the baseline is built on corruption. Moreover, it will also not work when neighboring countries do not prefer sustainability of that state. The United States government knows that Afghan leaders who run the country now are the worst options available, but as they were once useful how can the U.S back them down. There is so much destroyed in Afghanistan, a quick result can never be achieved. And if the people from United States hope that they will see Afghanistan as perfect “democratic” state when it is lead by the leaders of ethnocentric groups, then I also wonder what might happen to Afghanistan in coming short years.

I have dreamed of you so much!

It is November 2006. I am so tired just arrived at Phoenix Arizona airport, after two and half days on the way. It is the morning of my first day of Artemis Program. I am going towards my class where everyone is waiting that how the program will start and what we will be doing during these two weeks. I looked around Thunderbird Campus and wondered how lucky the students of this university would be studying here.

Finally, the 2006 Artemis program started, with the welcome speeches by President of Thunderbird University and Artemis program organizers. The two weeks journey continued with classes, fun, classes,  visits and again classes, some fighting among the women participants, homecoming function, Great canyon, classes, mentors, fun talk, jokes, visiting businesses, shopping shopping! Yeey!  Gym, hair cut, classes, waking up daily at 6:00am, meeting MBA students, classes, graduation ceremony, meeting Afghanistan Ambassador, classes, interviewed by TV channels. Oh goooosh! I want to go home, I feel tired at the end of two weeks. Yeeey it is 18^th of Nov, 2006. I am on the way to airport going back to home.

But! What am I taking back with me from Artemis program? Let me calculate as the airport is much far from the school. I can point out some of them till I get to airport. I have the chance to know 15 experienced Afghan businesswomen from whom I can learn a lot, and their connection and knowledge will help me a lot expending my business. I have learned so many new ways of carrying out my business, and the most important thing that I have learned from visiting different businesses in Arizona is that all of those businesses have started from nothing, and their passion and commitment towards their business ideas have made them so successful. I have met the wonderful faculties and management of Thunderbird that they have taught me how to be a professional businesswoman, and yeah I have a mentor which I am not sure how I will be communicating during my 2 years commitment to her but she seems so nice

This is how it was! My experience in Artemis Program.

Now it is 2010 I remember each moment of it as it was just a month ago. Normally we do not think about how much we have changed and improved in regular basis, but when I look at couple of years back, I realized I have achieved a lot. The two weeks of Artemis program, might seem sometimes overwhelming and sometimes fun, and sometimes tiring. And it also depends on how we want to perceive it. It can be a two weeks beautiful picnic and it can be a life changing opportunity. It has changed my life completely! It gave me the vision what I want to be, and how I can add value to my business and how can I be more useful to other businesses in my country.

I am going back to Thunderbird University again to attend Artemis Program 2010 for a short period. But this is not what just happened. A stanza of a poem by Robert Desnos fits well here which says “I have dreamed of you so much, have walked so much, talked so much, slept so much with your phantom, that perhaps the only thing left for me is to become a phantom among phantoms…” Here I tend to say that it is not just an incident or a chance that I am going there; I have really worked hard for it. And only my hard work would not have made me successful without your help.

Your Help! “You” The Women of Afghanistan! Yes the most valuable thing I took back with me was the network of Afghan women. I have learned so much from you since last 4 years. I have learned how you overcome challenges during the crisis in the business. I have learned from you how to learn from the mistakes visiting your businesses, and I have learned how to teach about business techniques and marketing strategies studying the needs of your businesses and working on your business ideas with you. In part I have learned how to be united with you looking at cultural, racial and gender oppression that you face.

Being involved with you for four years made me a responsible business woman and a responsible citizen to my people. Thus, my aim of coming to Artemis 2010 is to share my experiences with you that this two weeks program is not the only chance you can learn, perhaps this is the starting point. The actual learning will start when you all go back to Afghanistan and start working with each other. Use the resources and opportunities that Artemis program is opening for you but more importantly work united, because it is believed that women do not have “so called history” because they are not united. I truly believe that we can make history, and can change the economic situation of Afghanistan.

Apologies to my blog and its readers :)

Hi every one,

First I should apologize from my blog page because lately, I become so busy that I stop writing for it, but I am back and promise that if not weekly  but surly I will be writing for you on monthly basis. I promise to be more honest with my writing activities.

From Artemis to Goldman Sach’s 10,000 Women Program

I was enough tired to attend the instructor meeting, and that was taking so long for small issues, I just wanted to leave and sleep for a while, but one point of agenda changed my day. This was last Thursday when I had full day class at AUAF in Goldman Sach’s 10000 Women Program. Although I was so tired still the meeting gave me extra energy that boosted my evening and the coming entire week, thus sharing with you all worth it. In the meeting we discussed that how the Artemis Program will contribute to the graduates of Goldman Sach’s 10000 Women Program, who will be instructors in future. I was a live example for it as Alumni of Artemis Program, and then I recalled every step from Artemis 2006 till dates that how it has contributed to my career and success.

First I have to say briefly about my business then we can go to the depth of the issue. I started my business by the name of Paywand Afghanan at the beginning of 2003. This was not totally profit oriented business but had a social side of it too. The products that we were giving to Afghan segmented markets were formal office wears, beside that it was helping women artisans in Hilmand province to take part in the income generating of their families. We still have that business but I have handed over to my mother, she is doing very well with that and most of her artisans have started their own businesses. I am working on the new pillar of Paywand Afghanan, which is marketing consultancy. Paywand Afghanan is very successful in market search and writing marketing strategies for other local businesses and organizations. And we also focus on the market linkage as bridge from Artisans to buyers, to find potential markets for local businesses.

It was the night of 16 July 2006; I was searching online for some study scholarships programs, that my eyes were caught with Artemis program application. I checked the details but I saw that the application closing date was already a month ago passed. I don’t know what made me that positive that I applied to a closed date program that I will be selected for, and my statement at the beginning of the application was “If I am selected for the program, I will prove that this was the best decision of the selection commitee”.  Being positive means 60% of success is in your hands. This is not the statement of any scholar but this is what Lima believes. I was selected for Artemis program and I was in Thunderbird University of Management. The journey from Kabul to Thunderbird University is very long and very interesting, which I will not say in this blog that what I learn from travelling with 14 other experienced business women in whom I was the youngest and less experienced.

It was a life changing experience and also a life changing challenge to me. The very short stay in Arizona did not give me any academic degree but it open my eyes that where I am and what will be my tomorrow. What should I say about Artemis program! The curriculums of classes, the business visits, socializing with university community and attending late night MBA marketing classes with some students from Thunderbird University. All those together did not teach me what to do but utilized in me that what I already knew and what I am capable of doing. For most participants and outsiders it would have seemed just another business training program, the only plus point would be that it is in US. But for me it was game changer program. It gave me a long-term vision and how to add to that vision step by step with a success of the proportion of that vision.

Today I am teaching marketing subject at Goldman Sach’s 10000 Women Program, to Afghan Business Women, who want to expand their businesses or have fresh business ideas for starting a business. I am honored standing in front of those talented Afghan Women in the class,  and their believe and trust on me that I am the best marketing instructor that they have ever seen makes me to be the best. This is an accepted concept that how the society sees you, you will automatically be that way.  I am not only Marketing instructor but also a mentor and Master mentor to other mentors. My advices to the program are considered very seriously. I am so proud to be part of this program, and so thankful to Artemis program that each year they are giving to Afghanistan 15-16 business women that can give each year more than 60 businesswomen in return back to Afghanistan. Thus is not just another training program in US.

The moral of the story is that the programs such as Artemis and 10000 Business Women Program contribute a lot to the capacity building of Afghan women. Afghan women are not aliens from other planet that they can’t face the world and take part in its development; the only obstacle is that they have been forced to see the world through small windows of their houses. If they are given a bigger view they are ready to overcome any possible challenge in their ways. They have the knowledge, they only need a hand to utilize their talents in the right direction, the way Artemis has utilized mine and I am giving my 100% to guide other Afghan women through 10000 women program.

Helping them to figure out about their dream!

I trust all is well on the other side whoever is reading this piece of writing! I went to Merman) میرمن) which mean woman; orphanage yesterday and delivered a CDMA wireless internet card so they can have internet connectivity. It works and the girls are now online. Thanks to AIMS that will pay for their monthly internet connectivity.  I got to know this orphanage couple of months before when I visited them with one of my colleague Nick Martyn. There were 30 girls of different ages from 15 to one year old.

According to Mrs. Afsa the founder of Merman Orphanage most of the girls have some family members, some do not have fathers and some mothers, and their relatives or step parents would take them back when the age of those girls are ready to be married that they could be sold. Fortunately, all of the girls were going to public schools and Mrs. Afsa with the help of some Canadian friends was having some extra curricula courses for the girls inside the orphanage such as English, maths and Islamic studies. We gave them three over used laptops from our office that was not going to be of any use in our office but we repaired them and installed some basic learning programs for kids.

Yesterday after three months again I visited them after  the call of Mrs. Afsa that the laptops need some repairing because the kids are not using them properly. On the way to Orphanage I was thinking that what I am doing might be only a show off toward my boss that see we are helping poor girls but in fact without any proper control giving the girls technology tools might be useless, but my this mentality changed in first five minutes after entering the orphanage J

Very unpredictable! So amazingly! The computers were not damaged due to misuse, as matter of fact the computers were honoured as over used by the girls. The girls have learned so much through those old laptops that we were considering to through them away. Eight of those girls who were from 15 to 16 year’s old learned window, MS-Office, and 20 words per minute typing. WOW!

One of the girls addressed me with a question which made me think of writing this blog and sharing with all of you. She said “Khala Lima can I be like you now, can I work in AIMS and be successful like you?” I remember the words of my colleague Mr.Martyn who told them in our first visit that if you girl try hard and learn something through these computers, one day you all will be like Lima and working in AIMS who is earning in thousands and she has a very successful life. I did not believe my ears hearing this from that girl that “can I be like you now?” because if being like me is a vision of success for those girls whose lives started in darkness and would end for most of them in darkness, then my life is not useless in this world.

Giving vision and showing a clue towards the future path can help a lot which I saw with my own eyes.  Those girls dreamed that if they try hard and learn something they can have a happy successful life, they do not prefer to be alive burn by their step parents which they see every day, and they do not chose to marry an 80 years old man that their relatives intended to sale them to. They see every day their fellows being married to drug addicted and over age men, but they saw once a girl somehow looking the same way they look and speaking the same language they do but she has a good life so they chose to make her their target model for success.

The aim of this piece of writing is to share with you that everyone can help someone in shaping their dreams but it needs a little action to make the dream true. I am going to keep my promise to those girls and bring them to our office for internship, and AIMS is going to help them in getting scholarships program for them to a reputable ICT school, but what you people are doing on your side with same kinds of hand on?