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Yet while protocols do not allow me to travel the country without US and/or ISAF escorts, the fact that I am embedded with military personnel does not necessarily mean that my aid has become “militarized”… A large part of my job is to build trust with local farmers and to work with them and Afghan ministry officials to identify and find solutions to agricultural and development problems. Since arriving in Afghanistan I’ve become more attune both to what I think are ill-placed efforts on the part of some foreign civilians to blend in to the local communities and villages by simply growing a beard, and the hostility with which some Afghans still view U.S. To them, my appearance lends me legitimacy it helps to convince them that I am indeed an agricultural advisor and not bent on gathering information for a secret Special Forces operation.Īll of which provides a nice segue to the real purpose of this post. In a recent meeting I attended with the Provincial Agriculture Director and his employees, it was their opinion that I look different with “my green eyes and red face.” They have seen pictures of stereotypical American farmers and I embody that picture. Oddly enough, because of my appearance local Afghans find it easier to trust me. Not to mention it’s really hard to shave out in the field, since we’re often without showers, bathrooms, and running water. Hell even if I could grow a grey beard it would not help me blend in, especially because I’m usually traveling with an entourage of camo-clad soldiers. Instead of denying this fact, I purposely wear Levi jeans, plaid shirts, and an old Tractor Supply Company hat. However, it didn’t take long working with Afghan locals and farmers before I realized that my attempts were somewhat foolish (and could perhaps have actually been counterproductive). When I left the United States, I was sporting a poorly grown, patchy beard.
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In fact, the greyer the beard the better (alas, being only 25 years old, I was out of luck on the color, but that didn’t stop me from trying). In Afghanistan, it is widely known that beards are a symbol of both status and wisdom. One suggestion was that I grow a beard in an effort to blend in.
#TRIBAL WARS NUKES HOW TO#
In rural Afghanistan, situations may not be exactly as they appear and people may not be who they claim to be.įor example, before I left for Afghanistan in late 2009, I received a lot of advice on how to conduct myself while there.
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Anything and everything–from my appearance, to my actions, to my words–can have a positive or negative effect on our missions. MaAn (anonymous) American Advisor in Rural Afghanistan: Part IV: On the Militarization of Aid Posted in: Nukes of Hazard blog, Press & In the News on Iran Diplomacy
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Perhaps on their way to Isfahan attendees will take the advice of Nathan Hodge and stop off at Natanz, maybe even Qom… could be a great trip! So grab your tickets today! The conference even includes a field trip. The conference, dubbed “Nuclear Energy for All, Nuclear Weapon for None,” will be held in Tehran on April 17 and 18.įoreign ministers, representatives and nuclear experts from 60 countries have been invited to attend the event where “participants are slated to assess the causes and reasons underlying the lack of heed and attention to the implementation of nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) regulations.”ĭo you think this might mean some serious contemplation by Iran of its numerous violations? No joke – This spring, Iran will hold an international conference on… wait for it: Nuclear Disarmament.