2007.04.24: April 24, 2007: Headlines: Figures: COS - Morocco: COS - Afghanistan: Journalism: The Independent: Hugh Thomson reviews The Punishment Of Virtue, by Sarah Chayes
Peace Corps Online:
Directory:
Afghanistan:
Special Report: Writer, Journalist, and AID Worker Sarah Chayes (RPCV Morocco) and her work in Afghanistan:
Sarah Chayes: Newest Stories:
2007.04.24: April 24, 2007: Headlines: Figures: COS - Morocco: COS - Afghanistan: Journalism: The Independent: Hugh Thomson reviews The Punishment Of Virtue, by Sarah Chayes
Hugh Thomson reviews The Punishment Of Virtue, by Sarah Chayes
Sarah Chayes's account is a welcome antidote to such tales of derring-do. An American journalist, she stayed on in Afghanistan to help rebuild the country after the allied invasion and has witnessed the lack of any clear US policy - and has spotted the reasons. She notices that staff are rotated after a few months on a "hardship station", with a resulting lack of continuity or purpose. The military have no good Pashtu translators, or even a clear sense of the clan divisions in a country where tribal loyalty is so important. The result? "The sails are always luffing," and America remains irresolute in the face of the warlords it relies on, and of the self-fulfilling presumption that the country is inherently ungovernable. Chayes' message is that the allies face an extraordinarily resolute enemy in the Taliban and need to be equally clear-sighted. Far from being ungovernable, the Afghans have a long tradition of local democracy; it should be built on, rather than relying on the thugs and warlords who killed her friend. This passionate and engaged dispatch from the field is in the best tradition of grassroots reporting; it is, quite simply, the best book on Afghanistan since the invasion. Morocco RPCV Sarah Chayes has made a home in Kandahar, Afghanistan, became fluent in Pashto, one of the main Afghan languages, and devoted her energies to rebuilding a country gutted by two decades of war
Hugh Thomson reviews The Punishment Of Virtue, by Sarah Chayes
The Punishment Of Virtue, by Sarah Chayes
The US is just one of Afghanistan's warring tribes. Once again, it won't win
By Hugh Thomson
Published: 24 April 2007
There has been a deluge of books in recent years that could be subtitled: "I fought with the Mujahideen and won." The author, who is usually a foreign correspondent, will have first conspired at Greens Hotel in Peshawar, then slipped over the Afghan border in disguise and seen action at close quarters. After taking part in the fall of Kabul or Mazar-i-Sharif, the narrator will end his story with a pious reflection on how neither the British nor anybody else has ever been able to hold Afghanistan.
Sarah Chayes's account is a welcome antidote to such tales of derring-do. An American journalist, she stayed on in Afghanistan to help rebuild the country after the allied invasion and has witnessed the lack of any clear US policy - and has spotted the reasons.
She notices that staff are rotated after a few months on a "hardship station", with a resulting lack of continuity or purpose. The military have no good Pashtu translators, or even a clear sense of the clan divisions in a country where tribal loyalty is so important. The result? "The sails are always luffing," and America remains irresolute in the face of the warlords it relies on, and of the self-fulfilling presumption that the country is inherently ungovernable.
Nor do civil and military divisions seem to talk to one another (literally - some officers end up having to bring their own walkie-talkies). At comical moments, Chayes finds herself having to act as go-between for an occupying force every bit as tribal as the Afghans.
There are darker passages, notably those where Chayes exposes herself, with considerable courage, to political rivalries in Kandahar, the most dangerous place she could have chosen to live.
At the heart of the book is an account of her unexpected friendship with the police chief there, Zabit Akrem. As a "liberal humanitarian", this is not instinctive for her, and the story of her growing appreciation of Akrem's virtue is cut abruptly short; he was assassinated in 2005.
Chayes' message is that the allies face an extraordinarily resolute enemy in the Taliban and need to be equally clear-sighted. Far from being ungovernable, the Afghans have a long tradition of local democracy; it should be built on, rather than relying on the thugs and warlords who killed her friend. This passionate and engaged dispatch from the field is in the best tradition of grassroots reporting; it is, quite simply, the best book on Afghanistan since the invasion.
Links to Related Topics (Tags):
Headlines: April, 2007; RPCV Sarah Chayes (Morocco); Figures; Peace Corps Morocco; Directory of Morocco RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Morocco RPCVs; Peace Corps Afghanistan; Directory of Afghanistan RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Afghanistan RPCVs; Journalism
When this story was posted in April 2007, this was on the front page of PCOL:
Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
| Chris Dodd's Vision for the Peace Corps Senator Chris Dodd (RPCV Dominican Republic) spoke at the ceremony for this year's Shriver Award and elaborated on issues he raised at Ron Tschetter's hearings. Dodd plans to introduce legislation that may include: setting aside a portion of Peace Corps' budget as seed money for demonstration projects and third goal activities (after adjusting the annual budget upward to accommodate the added expense), more volunteer input into Peace Corps operations, removing medical, healthcare and tax impediments that discourage older volunteers, providing more transparency in the medical screening and appeals process, a more comprehensive health safety net for recently-returned volunteers, and authorizing volunteers to accept, under certain circumstances, private donations to support their development projects. He plans to circulate draft legislation for review to members of the Peace Corps community and welcomes RPCV comments. |
| He served with honor One year ago, Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul (RPCV Kenya) carried on an ongoing dialog on this website on the military and the peace corps and his role as a member of a Civil Affairs Team in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have just received a report that Sargeant Paul has been killed by a car bomb in Kabul. Words cannot express our feeling of loss for this tremendous injury to the entire RPCV community. Most of us didn't know him personally but we knew him from his words. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. He was one of ours and he served with honor. |
| Peace Corps' Screening and Medical Clearance The purpose of Peace Corps' screening and medical clearance process is to ensure safe accommodation for applicants and minimize undue risk exposure for volunteers to allow PCVS to complete their service without compromising their entry health status. To further these goals, PCOL has obtained a copy of the Peace Corps Screening Guidelines Manual through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and has posted it in the "Peace Corps Library." Applicants and Medical Professionals (especially those who have already served as volunteers) are urged to review the guidelines and leave their comments and suggestions. Then read the story of one RPCV's journey through medical screening and his suggestions for changes to the process. |
| The Peace Corps is "fashionable" again The LA Times says that "the Peace Corps is booming again and "It's hard to know exactly what's behind the resurgence." PCOL Comment: Since the founding of the Peace Corps 45 years ago, Americans have answered Kennedy's call: "Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man." Over 182,000 have served. Another 200,000 have applied and been unable to serve because of lack of Congressional funding. The Peace Corps has never gone out of fashion. It's Congress that hasn't been keeping pace. |
| PCOL readership increases 100% Monthly readership on "Peace Corps Online" has increased in the past twelve months to 350,000 visitors - over eleven thousand every day - a 100% increase since this time last year. Thanks again, RPCVs and Friends of the Peace Corps, for making PCOL your source of information for the Peace Corps community. And thanks for supporting the Peace Corps Library and History of the Peace Corps. Stay tuned, the best is yet to come. |
| History of the Peace Corps PCOL is proud to announce that Phase One of the "History of the Peace Corps" is now available online. This installment includes over 5,000 pages of primary source documents from the archives of the Peace Corps including every issue of "Peace Corps News," "Peace Corps Times," "Peace Corps Volunteer," "Action Update," and every annual report of the Peace Corps to Congress since 1961. "Ask Not" is an ongoing project. Read how you can help. |
Read the stories and leave your comments.
Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.
Story Source: The Independent
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Figures; COS - Morocco; COS - Afghanistan; Journalism
PCOL37310
73