Notes from NATO

The first thing you notice about the NATO complex on the outskirts of Brussels is the security. Once inside, the second thing you notice is the smell, a cross between raw sewerage and toxic mold. Endless construction delays have prevented a move to a new building across the street.
Our cameras and phones were confiscated, so I won't be able to give you an inside look at the officers club where we shared lunch and conversation with NATO officials. We also had some briefing sessions which were, again, off the record. Topic one: Afghanistan, where 120,000 troops from 46 countries are stationed. The goal is to get Afghan forces to take over by 2011 and the big push is on. Even the Russians are pitching in with helicopters to fight narcotics traffic. Things are less cozy with the Russians when it comes to admitting former Soviet bloc countries as members of the military alliance. NATO claims credit for stabilizing the Balkans, and is running training missions to Iraq.
We visited NATO on the day when Afghanistan commander Stanley McChrystal was relieved of duty for badmouthing the Obama administration in a Rolling Stone article. NATO spokespersons seemed unruffled by the tough comments in the article, which cited American soldiers making fun of NATO's International Security Assistance Force, saying ISAF stands for "I Suck At Fighting."

Afghanistan Peace Talks

As I sit here in the rainy capital city, one of the islands is hosting an extraordinary conference of leaders from Taliban and the Afghan government. This is the second round of talks that may help achieve peace in Afghanistan. The first round sparked controversy over the presence of known extremists in a mostly peaceful Muslim country, especially when immigration authorities and police claimed they weren't informed. This time, everyone is on board. I pray that they will reach some kind of agreement that will bring peace and allow Americans to come home. Maldives is famous for its resorts that welcome visitors from all over the world, so it would be nice to see it also become known as a haven for peacemakers as well.

Power Women from Afghanistan

As Hillary Rodham Clinton was pledging to address worldwide women's issues as secretary of state, I was driving to Riverside CA to meet a group of women who may hold the key to lasting peace and reform in one of the world's most troubled countries: Afghanistan. The 14 judges, prosecutors and attorneys, with three translators, are visiting the US as part of the State Department's Public-Private Partnership for Justice Reform. Leading law firms donate time and money for exchanges between legal experts in Afghanistan and the US. Here's the link for more information: http://www.state.gov/p/inl/narc/partnership/index.htm

Several of the American participants, including former Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Kerry Healy, had just returned from Afghanistan, where venturing outside of the US Embassy compound required Blackwater armed guards and nerves of steel. But risk is part of everyday life for the Afghan women lawyers, especially those who prosecute Afghan drug lords or preside over the trials of drug dealers and terrorists. They must also battle religious extremists who oppose education for women. "If the Taliban comes back to power, these women are certain to be killed," one organizer told me. "They have to move forward with democracy because they don't have an alternative. They're all in."

The group is staying at the historic Mission Inn, a recently restored Old California landmark hotel that has been hosting presidents and peacemakers since the early 1900s. I sat in on a session regarding the treatment of youthful offenders who are mentally ill. The Afghan women made the point that their system already insists on treating the mental illness before prosecuting a suspect, but they were confused by the concept of "depression." Their language has no word for it. A Pepperdine University researcher presented findings on the incidence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder affecting American youth who have been shot at or watched their friends die in gang violence, not so different from Afghan youth caught in the middle of a complicated war zone.
The women listened attentively to my presentation on media reform in Islamic Republic of Maldives, as I credited the former Minister of Legal Reform, Information and Arts for realizing that independent news coverage is an essential piece of sustainable democracy. They told me they already have a free press in Afghanistan, at least on paper. The problem is that it is often too dangerous to venture out into the street to do any reporting.

Several of the women were educated in the Soviet bloc during Russia's losing battle to win hearts and minds in Afghanistan. Now they are learning our system. It was easy to see the intelligence in their eyes and the warmth of their smiles. About half of the group wore head coverings and they all observed regular prayer breaks. We bonded when we realized that we had both been in the movies. Several of the Afghan women were featured in an award-winning documentary about a famous trial. I hope the situation in Afghanistan will stabilize to the point that I can do media training there someday.