Some soldiers having to fight their own instincts to win hearts in Afghanistan
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- Canada's subtle war to win over Pushtun mullahs and village elders has not only faced immense cultural differences and opposition from the Taliban. A big challenge has been to convince young soldiers who crave combat that there is a better way to succeed in the notoriously unstable Taliban heartland. That way is to not only partner with Afghan security forces to confront the insurgency, but to genuinely bond with the province's hardscrabble farmers. "I see the new arrivals. They have lots of spirit. They are ready for war," said Warrant Officer Patrice Chartrand of Mascouche, Que., who...
Original Article: Forum: News/Activism
Tags: Chartrand, Cultural Differences, Farmers, Hardscrabble, Heartland, Hearts, Instincts, Insurgency, Kandahar Afghanistan, Mascouche, Mullahs, New Arrivals, Opposition, Patrice, Ready For War, Security Forces, Taliban, Village Elders, Warrant Officer, X27