In God's Country

So Adi, how many countries have you been to till date?"
Its been one such FAQ that i've been asked, after having met someone new, with an intention of getting a response at which amazement can be expressed once the usual know how is over.
"Well, a lot of them. I sort of haven't been keeping count."
"Oh! So you mean there have been so many that you can't even remember!” (that’s not how and what i meant though) “Let me put the question the other way then. How many countries are you still yet to visit?"
"Again, there would be a whole lot of them!" I smiled disappointingly for being unable to be precise.
"Oh…ok" An unsatisfactory ok for getting another vague response.
"Is there a country you really fancy going to?"
Now then, even though, this time, i do have a precise answer for the question, i would be forced not to reply for the fear of the answer sounding a little weird or unrealistic to some. I wouldn't know how to explain that there is nothing in this world which can give you more happiness than in trying to mend a broken heart and I wouldn't know how to tell him the myriad times i must have visualized myself wiping the tears of a child, pressing his petite fingers into mine and running far away from the palls and the harsh mountainous terrains of Afghanistan.
As per the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and Human Rights Watch report, since 2001, about 32600 civilians have lost their lives as a result of U.S. led military action in Afghanistan. In comparison, about 29500 Taliban fighters have been killed in the war during the same period. And all this while we thought that the Americans had waged a war over Talibs and not over the Afghan civilians.
Afghanistan has been stated as the worst country to be born in, especially for the girl child, as per the UNICEF report of November 2009, recording the highest infant mortality rate with 257 deaths per 1000 live births. Even the life expectancy at the time of birth is one of the lowest among all nations, at 44 years.
Every half hour in the embattled Afghanistan, an average of one woman dies from pregnancy related complications, another dies of tuberculosis and 14 children die largely from preventable causes. 30% of the Afghan population has absolutely no access to clean water, which explains why one out of every eight children dies due to contaminated water. Electricity in the country is a luxury, available in Kabul and other urban areas, only for a few hours, mainly in the evenings. Today, according to the Human Development Index, Afghanistan stands as the second least developed country in the world.
The bland Afghanistan, in past, has always fallen prey to various invaders, including The Macedonians, the Musilm armies and the Mongols. People have been suffering hunger and war for over decades now. It was in 1996, when Taliban took over Kabul and eventually 90% of Afghanistan fell under their control. Afghanistan, under their regime, became a place internationally known for the treatment it meted out to its women. Burqa became compulsory coz a woman's face was considered to be a source of corruption for men not related to them. They were not allowed to be educated after eight and until then, were permitted only to study Quran. Women were not allowed to wear high heeled shoes coz (now, take this!)...coz a man upon hearing her footsteps is likely to get excited! All ground floor and first floor residential building's windows had to be painted or screened to prevent women being visible from street. Tailors taking female measurements were imprisoned. Husbands had the right to lock their wives up in a room and beat them, however severe beating should be avoided. (thank you for your kind generosity!)
And then...9/11 happened. But was invading Afghanistan for it all so necessary?
In my personal opinion, it just wasn't. Not even remotely necessary.
It is now known, after so many years of the attack, that the American intelligence had prior information of a possible strike. Here, it also makes a case in itself for an explanation to all those who believe that 9/11 was a handiwork of Jews for of the 4000 odd Jews that were employed by the companies housed at the WTC, not even one turned up on the fateful morning. That is coz it is also now known that Mossad had then, shared information with its American counterpart on the possibility of an impending attack. The Americans, basking in the glory of having pushed the Soviets out of Afghanistan and later successfully disintegrating The Soviets, were fast asleep and the little adherence they paid was too little too late. Or else how does one explain the frivolous attitude of the security boys at the airport who let 19 men armed with knives and similar weapons in not just one but four of passenger jet liners So, is it correct to make the untenable Afghans suffer for the negligence by the Americans? Had it been possible to pick the Talibs among the Afghan civilians or had the operation been so designed so as to have caused minimum civilian casualties, only then could have the invasion been termed somewhat coherent.
The reason why until this date since 9/11, apart from a few stray incidents, Americans have never been at the receiving end of the proxy war is not because they admonished the Afghans but because they now have a very strong and a very well structured internal security system and have even strengthened their anti-terrorism legislation.
I ‘am rather proud of my own country’s contribution and the role they’ve played in the reconstruction of Afghanistan. Not only has India discouraged the deployment of its troops, it today, is the largest regional provider of humanitarian and reconstruction aid in Afghanistan with $ 1.2 billion being sanctioned by the government until early this year.
Perhaps Afghans are dearer to God than anyone else. That’s why he wants his destitute people to carve their way out through all the upheavals, in his own country.
There have been these pleasant sights which I’ve at times come across while walking along the streets of Delhi. The sight of a mother holding her little baby in her hand outside a candy shop, the baby trying to grab the candy as hard as he can in his little hand, looking all puzzled at the candy and then staring at his mom. The sight of a 2 year old’s unsuccessful attempts at biting into her father’s ice-cream. The sight of the feel of being secure when the child after being relieved for the day, spots his parents among the crowd, waiting for him at the school gate. And seeing this, how I wish the naivety of Afghan children is not swept away by bile and resentment.
Commiseration alone is not what Afghanistan needs today, what it needs certainly is a change. It desperately does. A change where humans are not considered as animals in an abattoir, a change where crime does not emanate from penury, a change where people wait for the sun to rise again and a change where people are not oblivious of prosperity. And it doesn’t need a miracle to bring about a change. The hanker could be anyone’s. It could be a country, a government, an organization, a group, a minion, even you or even me. After all, never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world, indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.