Slowly, slowly

This story isn't strictly relevant to the CF, but it illustrates some concepts central to the coalition effort in Afghanistan. It's about the rescue of a kidnap victim - an ordinary Afghan farmer:

A young Afghan man’s prayers were finally answered July 17 when a team of Afghan National Army Commandos and U.S. Special Operations forces freed him from captivity after discovering him shackled near a Taliban jail in the village of Parmakan in Western Afghanistan’s Herat province.

The Commandos, with assistance from the SOF troops, were searching a compound where Taliban commander Nangialia Khan was known to have been when they discovered a building the Taliban had been using as a jail. Locals say that Khan and his men routinely take hostages from the villages and then demand a ransom for their release.

...

Freedom finally came when the Commandos and USSOF troops came bursting through the door of the Taliban jail and discovered Mohammad and 15 other Afghan men who were being held in deplorable conditions.

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Mohammad said he was infuriated to know that his money would have paid for a cause he did not believe in. “The Taliban use the ransom money to pay for their fighting,” he said. “I wouldn’t have wanted my money to pay for the destruction of my country and the killing of my people.”

After their rescue, the hostages were taken to a nearby ANA Commando base where they received food, water and medical attention. They were then set free to go home and reunite with their families.

“I am extremely happy that that my country came to rescue me from that jail. It was horrible there with sixteen men crammed into one tiny room with no food and water, just pain,” Mohammad said. “Now I can go see my wife and get back to my farm.”

One Commando who participated in the operation was honored to be a part of mission that so clearly benefited his people. “We went in to destroy some Taliban and we were successful at that,” he said. “Not only did we rid this area of many bad men, but we saved the lives of many good.” [Babbler's emphasis]

Note that the foreign special forces (U.S. in this case) were supporting the Afghan commandos. Capacity-building with the ANSF like our OMLT and POMLT teams are doing works. It's not quick, but it's the long-term solution to Afghan security problems.

Note that the rescued Afghan understood that it was his countrymen coming to rescue him. When you build capacity that works, it gives ordinary Afghans confidence in their government and institutions. That helps promote good governance, because it solidifies the covenant between the government and the people. Consent to be governed is an essential thing in a stable country.

Note that the rescued Afghan would have been pissed off to see any money go to the insurgents trying to stunt his country's progress. When you're getting good governance, you tend not to want someone else screwing that up.

I'd say it's two steps forward and one step back, but as the good folks at OPFOR have said in the past, it's more like ten steps forward and nine steps back at a time.

Slowly, slowly...