"THE ENEMY IS IGNORANCE"
Dr. Greg Mortenson, aka Dr. Greg, as he is so fondly called by Pakistani, Afghani and Balti alike, has made my head spin as i finish an incredible read of his inspiring account of his mission to promote peace with books not bombs over the past decade. Maybe its his residence in Bozeman, Montana that strikes a cord, or maybe its the fact that he has single handedly done more for this region than our whole military might has seemed to be able to muster.
From a successful K2 climber in the Hindu Kush to a passionate activist for the right of the Baltisan people to be granted education that promotes no religion, no sect, no gender, and no agenda, Dr. Greg Mortenson is a true 21st century hero. His story, Three Cups of Tea, is a must read and soon after finishing the last word, i am left aching to help his cause....a cause too large for one man or one organization to bear, but one that Mortenson has admirably and successfully continued to attempt.
How can we, as a nation, hope to bring peace to a nation when we prioritize education, clean water, and women's rights far below the often idealized notion of security and democracy? Yes, the latter too are oh so important, but they will be forever at risk when core of the problem is left ignored. In a country where lack of education leads young boys to flock to the Madrassas where they are indoctrined by extremist jihadi, doesn't building schools to teach basic arithmetic, history, literature and science and not just militant jihadi make sense??
"Vast swaths of the country were barely served by Pakistan's (also true in Afghanistan) struggling, inadequately funded public schools. The madrassa system targeted the impoverished students the public system failed. By offering free room and board and building schools in areas where none existed, madrassas provided millions of Pakistan's parents with their only opportunity to educate their children (pg. 243)."
Determined to see this change, Mortenson has since established 78 schools serving over 28,000 students in the most remote and often war torn areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan. He has survived an armed kidnapping, multiple death threats and fatwas by angry mullahs and literally hundreds of trips from the US to what President Clinton dubbed "the most dangerous place in the world today." If he is not a hero, i'm not sure who would be.
Mortenson has had tea with the Taliban and sat alone with the shrouded Mother Theresa just days after her passing. He has spoken with presidents and generals, with military and civilian, influential and not. He has given and given....in the hope that the lives of the people of this often forgotten corner of the world would be better....and in that, the lives of people the world around. His cause is one of the most noble i have come across, and his mission more inspiring that mere words can do justice.
For some -- in highschool and in select parts of the military-- this book is a required read. I believe it should also be for the operators i am surrounded by and so proud of. Tactics are not solely taught on the training field.
