SULLIVAN'S SOLUTIONS: AFGHANISTAN

This is the first in a series of issue-oriented papers in which I publish my solutions for major issues facing America.

 If elected to Congress I will personally visit Afghanistan to assess conditions on the ground and to seek the advice of our Soldiers and Marines fighting to bring peace and prosperity to the Afghan people.  I propose the following Sullivan’s Solution for Afghanistan.

1.    Find and kill or capture Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar. These
terrorists must face American justice one way or another.
2.    Triple Afghan Army pay. Increasing Afghan Soldiers’ monthly pay to the
equivalent of 300 US dollars a month is a cost effective way to ensure that
Afghans not Americans are responsible for defending Afghanistan.  This small
and affordable increase in pay will ensure that the Afghan Army is fully
manned and trained. Most Afghan units now are severely undermanned and
seldom able to conduct independent military operations.
3.    Triple the number of NATO trainers in Afghanistan. Currently American
Military training units, that advise the Afghan National Security Forces,
are undermanned.  Mission creep has led to undermanned US advisor teams.
This puts the lives of our military men and women in unnecessary danger of
being killed or captured by the Taliban. Under-strength training teams are
unable to effectively train Afghan Security Forces. Instead of sending more
US Army combat brigades to Afghanistan, send 5,000 more
military trainers to fully man our advisor teams.
4.    Triple monthly pay for Afghan teachers. Education is one of the most
important keys to success in Afghanistan and teachers are the means for
achieving that end. Today in many areas of Afghanistan teachers are
threatened, tortured, and killed for simply trying to educate Afghan
children. About 70% of Afghans cannot read or write. As a former educator, I
know the importance of education. Afghanistan’s greatest hope for a peaceful
future is its children. In addition to tripling teacher pay, incentive pay
should be given to teachers who work in the most dangerous areas and
security forces should be assigned to ensure their safety. My son knows
first hand from his one-year tour in Afghanistan that Afghan children are
thirsting for an education.
5.    Triple  aid going directly to the Afghan people. Most financial aid
given to the Afghan government is spent long before it has a chance to reach
the local Afghan. We must find a way to circumvent the corruption prevalent
in the Afghan government and bring finical aid directly to average Afghans.
Most Afghans live in the same conditions as their ancestors have lived for
thousands of years – no running water, no sewage systems, no roads, no
electricity, no sanitation, no hospitals and the list goes on. Unless the
average Afghans realize an improved standard of living there is no incentive
to risk losing their heads to Taliban. Would you?
6.    Triple aid going to Afghan women’s groups. Afghan women
endure second-class status in Afghan culture. They are forced to wear
sack-like clothing known as burkas.  They are beaten, berated and spit upon
by male dominated Afghan society. This must change and we must help bring
about that change. Read the book “A Thousand Splendid Suns” for an idea of
how Afghan women have suffered in the past. Their suffering continues today.

                                                                                        J P Sullivan