A Former Peace Corps Volunteer Responds to News from Afghanistan

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Source: Frontpage Mag.

It is hard to know what to say about the substance of this article. The details both fascinate and jar, as when passing a gruesome car wreck on the highway. Still, some lessons stand out:

  • Not all cultures deserve respect or obedience.
  • It is false charity to help others in ways they will not help themselves. Put another way, people must work for the benefits they want.
  • You can’t change the world by not changing it; this might be called the Fallacy of the Prime Directive, otherwise known as _cultural relativism_.

In Afghanistan the Taliban are a modern phenomenon, not an ancient one. They have power and resources, including public relations and media. The question is whether they have the sophistication to create a modern, liberal state, or even want to.

Published by John Todd Roberts

Published

15 thoughts on “A Former Peace Corps Volunteer Responds to News from Afghanistan”

  1. Biden talked to Afghan President on phone, who laid out how dismal the situation was, given that the country was being overrun by international terrorists. Biden responded that he wanted to change the public’s perception.

    I always wondered what “high crimes and misdemeanors” might refer to. This phone call is a perfect example.

    Biden and his people knew that things would quickly deteriorate and lots of bad things would happen. But they did not change their plans. They let the bad things happen.

    I talked to a guy in the gym who said the public’s memory is very short. And Biden would skate free. I’m betting Biden it now so dirty he won’t be able to function.

    Starting around 2 minutes, you can see the transcription of the phone call:

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    1. Remember that the “deal” was cut with the Taliban, ignoring the Afghan government. So essentially Trump handed Afghanistan over to the Taliban in February of 2020 and even gave them the date to take over. After freeing 5000 prisoners to help fill in the ranks, of course.

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    2. RE: “I always wondered what ‘high crimes and misdemeanors’ might refer to. This phone call is a perfect example.”

      A man who can be blackmailed becomes a liar by default. Stumble Joe may be under China’s thumb.

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  2. That is a sad read that brought back memories of my times overseas where I constantly thought Americans just don’t understand what poverty is. Even an american prison environment would be a huge increase in living conditions for many foreigners and don’t get me started on the American welfare state. I guess the only thing missing in this sad story is that Biden was more interested in his watch than honoring returning service members who were killed at Kabul airport. Trump would have never tolerated that from anyone.

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    1. FYI the watch story is bogus. He appeared to check his watch but it was long after the returning servicemen had passed and the salutes were down.

      I too spend time in the “garden spots” of the world from 68-72. Madras, Chittagong, Luanda, Lorenzo Marques, Karachi, Djibouti, etc. I agree that the bottom percentiles in those places are pretty rough. I remember whole families sleeping under tin roofs about 3 feet high along the sidewalk in Madras. Then again, we have whole families sleeping in cars.

      But, as I like to point out, they are nothing to aspire to. Better to see if we can reach the Nordic countries with regards to poverty.

      Being better than the losers is no bragging point. Better to emulate the winners.

      As a friend once said a long time ago, we are members of the lucky sperm club.

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      2. If you aspire to live in a democratic socialist, super high tax environment, by all means move to “nordic” country. Don’t let the door hit your booty on the way out.

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        1. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/biden-check-watch-13/

          It turns out I was wrong. The jury is out whether he checked his watch 2 or 13 times. Video seems murky as to number of times, but it is apparent he did check his watch.

          I admit error and should have checked sources a bit better.

          American politics seems focused on the little things and gaffes more than policy. I was remiss in even responding to this incident, but I did.

          Honi soit qui mal y pense. Not a perfect classic phrase to explain this obsession for the petty incidents in politics but it’s close enough.

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  3. “ Not all cultures deserve respect or obedience.”

    What! You don’t think we deserve respect? 😇

    Look at the jobs we created by transferring a couple of trillion to our defense contractors. Better than food stamps, no?

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    1. RE: “Look at the jobs we created by transferring a couple of trillion to our defense contractors. Better than food stamps, no?”

      Or, as the story makes clear, look at the jobs created by transferring wealth to humanitarian contractors. It is the same process.

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      1. Unfortunately neither one resulted in victory. After surrendering last year, all bets were gone when the wheel hit 00.

        There is a possible bit of positive news. The gains made by women in education and employment will not be easy to turn back if the Taliban want to address the looming crisis of hunger, economic collapse and rebellion. So at least the humanitarian monies might bear some fruit, if only temporarily in the sense that they cannot shut themselves off from the world.

        News at 11.

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