Gridlock

I am sitting in traffic, which it seems is the norm. The streest are brutal, with old Corollas, Toyota minivans that are used as busses, hand pulled carts, and SUVs with a driver, a guy riding shotgun (literally) and some International goober like me riding alone in the back, all choking the streets.

Every time a car bomb goes off another street is closed. The street network is a mess as there are barricades everywhere. Of course the Americans are the most egregious, but the Germans, Indians and many others have been bombed and closed their street. I understand security but in the meantime more and more Afghans feel like they are being occupied, as the International community has effectively blockaded their town. Hell, in 1 part of the country we are building roads and in another we are closing them. Go figure.

Meanwhile the damn NGOs and International community have put their blast walls and guard shacks and generators in the middle of all the sidewalks so everyone has to walk into the muddy street and sink into the quagmire. Depending on their luck, they are either splashed by passing cars or smashed by passing cars.

I find it all offensive. I know there is a war on but Americans treat people with respect, not arrogance. At this rate we are making people's lives miserable and just plain alienating them. We should be better than this. It is arrogant and worse, it is counter productive.



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