Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Teacher, Can We Go Now? NO (07/19/09)

Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman Joint Chiefs Of Staff and Greg Mortenson in Pushgur village, Afghanistan, July 15, 2009

The New York Times

NEW YORK TIMES
Sunday, July 19, 2009
By Thomas Freidman
Teacher, Can We Go Now? NO

I confess, I find it hard to come to Afghanistan and not ask: Why are we here? Who cares about the Taliban? Al Qaeda is gone. And if its leaders come back, well, that’s why God created cruise missiles.

But every time I start writing that column, something stills my hand. This week it was something very powerful. I watched Greg Mortenson, the famed author of “Three Cups of Tea,” open one of his schools for girls in this remote Afghan village in the Hindu Kush mountains. I must say, after witnessing the delight in the faces of those little Afghan girls crowded three to a desk waiting to learn, I found it very hard to write, “Let’s just get out of here.” . . .

Which is why it was no accident that Adm. Mike Mullen, the U.S. chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff — spent half a day in order to reach Mortenson’s newest school and cut the ribbon . . . .

Read more at:
www.nytimes.com/2009/07/19/opinion/19friedman.html

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Good Housekeeping (June 2009)

Good Housekeeping
June 2009
Teach a Girl, Change the World
By Judith Stone

Together, a visionary dad and his intrepid daughter are on a mission to help needy kids in a troubled part of the globe — one penny at a time. Before Greg Mortenson reveals the most powerful piece of advice ever imparted to him by his 12-year-old daughter, Amira, he wants to chat a bit about whether or not he's a bad dad.
For more click here . . .

For complete article click here:

Sailors & U.S. Marines hear unique viewpoint from best-selling author (06/26/09)


NAVY COMPASS
Sailors & U.S. Marines hear unique viewpoint from best-selling author

By MCC Bill Gowdy
Friday, 26 June 2009


SAN DIEGO (June 25, 2009)-- Individual Augmentee (IA) and Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) Support Assignment (GSA) sailors currently assigned to the Navy Mobilization and Processing Site (NMPS) at Naval Base San Diego (NBSD) were treated to a presentation on life in the rural hinterlands of Afghanistan and an interesting perspective on the war by a best-selling author.

Greg Mortenson, author of the N.Y. Times best-seller Three Cups of Tea, offered stories of his experiences and unique views that are increasingly being shared by senior military leaders.

Many of his views run counter to what is considered conventional wisdom.


Read more - click here . . .

http://www.navycompass.com/index.php/top-stories/1623-mccawsw-bill-gowdy-