Lt. Col. Daniel Schmitt adresses guests at a dinner held by local leader, Mohammad Razul, to commemerate the deaths of his brother and father. Razul was one to stand up against insurgency in Helmand, Afghanistan.Before coalition and Afghan forces began security operations in Helmand, few citizens stood up to the oppressive insurgent force. The community supported the insurgency, until Mohammad Razul an dhis family decided they wanted to live differently. The insurgents attempted to murder Razul's family at a mosque, but upon returning from retrieving weapons to fight back, his father and brother were killed. Now, one year later from the day,security has increased in the city. The 2nd Marine Division frequently led patrols through the city. Gradually the ANA (Afghan National Army) began leading from the front. The ANA is now leading patrols with little menotring from the Marines. "Since the Afghan Army and Americans came, a lot has changed. We can Patrol through the city and there are no IEDs and no ambushes. No insurgents. The security is much better than it was a year ago," said Sgt. Ahmad Marjani, an Afghan police officer and resident. Hopefully, the Afghan forces will be able to provide security without US assistance.
With the help of The United States Marine Corps, Afghan Forces, and local residents, Mohammad Razul managed to displace insurgency in the community.
Questions:
What do you think is the most effective way for Afghanis to rid a city of insurgents?
Why do you think most Afghani residents decide to do nothing about insurgency?
If every insurgent-occupied community handled their situation like this, how much longer would this war be going on?
-john :D
I think that it is horrible that people were killed just because they decided that they wanted to live a different way. People should be entitled to their own opinions, as long as it is not making others around them in danger.
ReplyDeleteI think that most Afghani residents decided to do nothing about insurgency because they were scared that if they stood up for themselves, their would be consequences, like the killing of the brother and father that wanted to live differently.
I agree with Taylor that what happened in Helmand is horrible. It is also really incredible that a town was able to stand up to the Afghani forces and get free. I think that the most effective way to rid a town of insurgents would be to have everyone in the town speak out and join together to fight off the forces. I think most Afghani residents don't do anything to stop insurgents because they are afraid of all the guns, and the threat of being killed. I think that if every Afghan town handled their situation like this one then the war in Aghanistan would go on for a lot longer.
ReplyDeleteI think it's horrible that the insurgents are murdering innocent people. I think the Afghani people should stand up for themselves and take arms against the insurgents. Most of them are afraid to stand up in what they believe in, and cower away from the people with guns. The situation wont go away if they keep acting like its not happening. They have to stand up for what they believe in.
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