Afghanistan’s cricketers have given their war-ravaged citizens something to cheer about after they qualified to play in the Twenty20 World Cup to be held in the West Indies in May. It was a dream come true for these talented bunch of lads who narrowly missed out playing in next year’s 50-over World Cup to be held in
the subcontinent.
Their achievement is monumental because Afghanistan seems to be a nation eternally plagued by war and it is a small wonder that the sport exists at all. It is a fact that they don’t have regular international competition, no training facilities and only a single ground to play matches. How they managed to overcome these odds and come out trumps is a classic example of human spirit triumphing in the face of adversity.
Sports without exception has always been a great leveller. There were political undertones when they took on the US in a crucial match in the qualifying tournament held in the UAE. But their cricketers kept their focus on the playing field to enter the knockout phase of the event and secured their historic berth in the World Cup by defeating the host nation. “I feel absolutely amazing and it is a dream come true to qualify for the World Twenty20. It is undoubtedly the biggest day in my cricketing life. All over the world the people of Afghanistan will be happy today and I am very proud to be able to play for my country and bring so much happiness to our supporters,” said Hamid Hassan their
star performer.
Riding on the crest of a wave that carried them through to the World Twenty20, Afghanistan finished the qualifying tournament in style cantering to victory over Ireland in the final by
eight wickets.
Indeed Afghanistan has progressed by leaps and bounds in the past one and a half year climbing to 15th position in the one-day
international rankings.
Afghanistan has always been associated as a country at war by the world. But now the world should know that they are a proud nation, which produces talented sportsmen who are ready to take on the best in cricket’s Twenty20 showpiece in the Caribbean
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Please Spare Civilians
Afghanistan appears to have entered a new and decisive phase of conflict. The US-led coalition has launched what it claims to be the biggest offensive against the Taleban since the 2001 invasion.
Unfortunately though, the more things change in the war-plagued country, the more they seem to remain the same.
As both the coalition and Taleban get increasingly desperate to hold on to their existing territory and expand their control, innocent civilians are once again caught in the crossfire.
The killing of at least 12 Afghan civilians in the southern Taleban stronghold of Marjah on Sunday, blamed on two wayward US rockets, is the continuing tragedy of this disastrous war that has entered its ninth year.
Ironically, this phase of the war was supposed to have been part of the coalition’s strategy to pave the way for peace by forcing Taleban into ceasefire and some kind of reconciliation. This offensive was launched soon after the Taleban rejected the peace overtures by President Hamid Karzai and his Western allies. At the recent international conference on Afghanistan in London, President Karzai went out of his way to woo the “Taleban brothers” urging them to give up the way of the gun and join national mainstream.
In doing so, goes without saying, Karzai had the blessings of the US and its Nato allies and the rest of the international community. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton backed the call saying Washington had no qualms if the Taleban gave up the company of Al Qaeda and a certain shaikh who heads it. This is why it is really unfortunate that this whole exercise to ostensibly end the conflict and help Afghanistan back to its feet should be messed up in this fashion.
By targeting innocent civilians — involuntarily or not — the coalition will not end but prolong this war. Whatever the explanation, the coalition cannot, just cannot, afford to involve and victimise civilian population in this conflict. Enough innocent blood has been spilt on this land. The more innocents the coalition of the willing kills, the more it will strengthen the cause of groups like Al Qaeda.
At the beginning of Operation Moshtarak, being conducted jointly by the coalition and Afghan forces, Karzai had forcefully warned against civilian casualties. That warning was crucial considering the high civilian casualties that the coalition forces have contributed to over the years. More innocent people have died in the US and Nato bombing than Taleban fighters or Al Qaeda terrorists. If the US and its allies are keen to leave Afghanistan by turning it over to the Afghans any time soon and do not want to provide more willing recruits to terror groups, they must avoid civilian deaths at all costs. There’s no other way for peace in Afghanistan
Unfortunately though, the more things change in the war-plagued country, the more they seem to remain the same.
As both the coalition and Taleban get increasingly desperate to hold on to their existing territory and expand their control, innocent civilians are once again caught in the crossfire.
The killing of at least 12 Afghan civilians in the southern Taleban stronghold of Marjah on Sunday, blamed on two wayward US rockets, is the continuing tragedy of this disastrous war that has entered its ninth year.
Ironically, this phase of the war was supposed to have been part of the coalition’s strategy to pave the way for peace by forcing Taleban into ceasefire and some kind of reconciliation. This offensive was launched soon after the Taleban rejected the peace overtures by President Hamid Karzai and his Western allies. At the recent international conference on Afghanistan in London, President Karzai went out of his way to woo the “Taleban brothers” urging them to give up the way of the gun and join national mainstream.
In doing so, goes without saying, Karzai had the blessings of the US and its Nato allies and the rest of the international community. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton backed the call saying Washington had no qualms if the Taleban gave up the company of Al Qaeda and a certain shaikh who heads it. This is why it is really unfortunate that this whole exercise to ostensibly end the conflict and help Afghanistan back to its feet should be messed up in this fashion.
By targeting innocent civilians — involuntarily or not — the coalition will not end but prolong this war. Whatever the explanation, the coalition cannot, just cannot, afford to involve and victimise civilian population in this conflict. Enough innocent blood has been spilt on this land. The more innocents the coalition of the willing kills, the more it will strengthen the cause of groups like Al Qaeda.
At the beginning of Operation Moshtarak, being conducted jointly by the coalition and Afghan forces, Karzai had forcefully warned against civilian casualties. That warning was crucial considering the high civilian casualties that the coalition forces have contributed to over the years. More innocent people have died in the US and Nato bombing than Taleban fighters or Al Qaeda terrorists. If the US and its allies are keen to leave Afghanistan by turning it over to the Afghans any time soon and do not want to provide more willing recruits to terror groups, they must avoid civilian deaths at all costs. There’s no other way for peace in Afghanistan
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