Straight-talk

Tooryalai Wesa, formerly an academic at UBC, is the new Governor of Kandahar province. I like him already:

Once the tea was poured, the complaints rained down.

"Foreign troops aren't doing their job," one man said, pointing his finger in the air during the heated meeting in Zhari district, a troublesome region west of Kandahar city.

"They're avoiding the Taliban - then not shooting them," the man continued. "People do not trust the government, and when the Taliban hear that someone is going to a shura, he could be killed."

Mr. Wesa listened to the grievances but promised little direct assistance. Instead, he urged residents to begin solving their problems on their own.

"Don't look to the Canadians to solve your problems," he said.

When pressed time and again about security problems, Mr. Wesa replied evenly: "Who am I going to bring in? You have to take the lead. You want me to secure this area? You have to help us."

He was referring to the reluctance of many Afghans to co-operate with foreign forces attempting to root out insurgents, who prowl this region, threatening residents and killing police.

He urged those living there to set aside tribal and family feuds and start working together.

"If we as a people stand together, the Taliban can't operate." [Babbler's bold]

This guy could have lived out his days teaching in Vancouver, thanking his lucky stars he got out of Afghanistan when he did, with his skin intact. Instead, he's returned to the country of his birth and taken a job that puts a big, fat bullseye on his back. And instead of easing his way in by spouting empty platitudes and promises, he's telling the locals what they really need to hear, in a plain and unvarnished way.

That takes big brass ones, folks.

P.S. Vote for The Torch as Best Canadian Blog!