This photo by Salgado was taken in Afghanistan. As you can see a goat herder casually passes a tank while going about his work. It is quite possible and even likely that this is a common occurrence for him.
In Afghanistan there is much conflict. The Taliban leads through fear and oppression while other groups such as the Afghan National Army try to restore peace and order. It is hard to say who the tank is fighting for. Is it headed to fight for the wellbeing of the Afghan people, or does it roam the countryside instilling fear in the humble citizens (like this simple goat herder) that make Afghanistan what it is? I would like to think that it is patrolling the dusty goat paths to keep the dejected Taliban confined to their lonely hideouts.
Currently Afghanistan is working hard to rid itself of terrorism and oppression by building a respectable military of its own. As of 2007 the Afghan National Army was approaching 50,000 soldiers. As the numbers grow larger, more and more people join. Desertion and fear made stable growth difficult at first, but as the military grew that fear began to dissipate. Nations such as the U.S., the U.K., and France have helped train many Afghan soldiers. The result is a sizable army that will one day be able to hold its own without the assistance and support of other nations.
Salgado, Sebastiao. Photograph. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. Aperture Foundation, Inc.: New York, 2000. 82
Official Website of the Afghan National Army Kabul. Nd. Web. 3 Feb. 2010.
This is a great post. I especially like it because you gave Afghanistan a little bit of a better name. For me, and I assume most Americans, Afghanistan is a place of terrorism and evil people who hate the United States. This may be an exaggeration, but Afghanistan certainly has a negative connotation. In addition, it is one of the places that is keeping our soldiers at war, something most people are against. Yet, in this post you caused me to feel a sort of relation to the people in Afghanistan. There are certainly good people there, just like us. It is great that they are working hard to build a military so that they may defend themselves and protect their citizens. I hope that the troubles these people face will eventually come to a resolution.
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