Dealing with Extremists - Education Trumps Bombs

It was at one of the many endless debates last summer that Barack Obama was asked about meeting with the leaders of foreign countries, including those dubbed the axis of evil by the current Bush administration. Obama barely paused before responding that he would consider sitting down, face-to-face, with the leaders of all nations.

The comment was deemed a mistake by many. Beginning with his Democratic counterpart, Hillary Clinton, Obama was roundly criticized. Republican nominee John McCain, calling the comment naive and reckless, has gone on to make the remark a cornerstone of his campaign.

Those who see Obama’s answer as naive and echo a continued hard-line sentiment would do well to review the story of Greg Mortenson, author of the book “Three Cups of Tea.” The former mountain climber is having a profound impact on both Afghanistan and Pakistan, doing so with an approach that demonstrates that things can be accomplished with tactics other than the hawkish, uncompromising method espoused by the Bush administration.

Education, Not Bombs
Greg Mortenson, dubbed Dr. Greg in Pakistan, has made an amazing transition of self-sacrifice, one that has him helping the Afghans and Pakistanis build schools in some of the most remote areas of the two countries. Considering the anti-American sentiment in the region, Mortenson’s tale is an incredible one.

A critical component to the story is the help Mortenson received after a failed attempt in 1993 to climb K2, a Himalayan peak. Mortenson, reportedly stumbled into a poor Muslim village where he was nursed back to health. The enormous kindness of strangers led the mountain climber to promise he would repay villagers by building a school.

Selling his climbing equipment and his car to help fund the endeavor, Mortenson repaid his debt with some financial support from Tom Brokaw. However, once the first school was complete, Mortenson continued on. To date he has now helped build 74 schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Local villagers provide the land and help construct the school to create a local component, but Mortenson is clearly the driving force behind the ongoing efforts. The buy-in locally has been critical; at this point despite the anti-American viewpoint in the region, his schools have been left alone by extremists.

Such schools offer hope that an educated population could eventually lead to a reduction in the level of extremism in that part of the world. A key component to creating additional hope down the road is the fact that Mortenson’s focus is on educating girls. The ultimate belief being that these young women will one day be mothers with enormous power to impact the thinking of their sons.

Opposite Approach
Mortenson’s story also contrasts with the current policy in Washington, one that seeks to use force and intimidation to bring about change in the region. On his blog site On the Ground, Nicholas D. Kristof, a New York Times correspondent notes the work of Mortenson. “He makes a fine counterpoint to American policy in Pakistan, which has been to shower billions of dollars worth of military aid on President Musharraf, without doing much to support education. Supporting Musharraf and bribing him (in effect) to seek a military solution in the Tribal Areas has been a failure.”

Kristof goes on to note that “the Tribal Areas are more radicalized than ever, anti-American sentiment has grown throughout Pakistan, and the militants are now threatening Peshawar.”

In an op-ed piece for the Times, Kristof writes of the difference between the Bush doctrine and that of the former mountain climber: “The only thing that Mr. Mortenson blows up are boulders that fall onto remote roads and block access to his schools.”

Kirstof notes that Mortenson has had setbacks “including being kidnapped for eight days in Pakistan’s wild Waziristan region.” Still, the former Montana resident plugs along, offering the following simple philosophy:

“Schools are a much more effective bang for the buck than missiles or chasing some Taliban around the country.”

Using the costs for a Tomahawk missile to reiterate Mortenson’s viewpoint, Kristof explains the worthiness of that philosophy, noting that at least 20 schools can be built for the money spent on a single launched Tomahawk. Kristof also goes on to point out the sentiments of at least one Pentagon official, Lt. Col. Christopher Kolenda, who works on the Afghan front lines.

“The conflict here will not be won with bombs but with books. … The thirst for education here is palpable.”

Respect for Something Other than a Hard Line Approach
In completing his viewpoint on the work of Mortenson, Kristof concludes his op ed piece:

“Military force is essential in Afghanistan to combat the Taliban. But over time, in Pakistan and Afghanistan alike, the best tonic against militant fundamentalism will be education and economic opportunity.

“So a lone Montanan staying at the cheapest guest houses has done more to advance U.S. interests in the region than the entire military and foreign policy apparatus of the Bush administration.”

While many conservatives would most likely disagree with the depth of that sentiment, none would dare indicate that Mortenson’s work is without impact. For those who see humanitarian efforts as key, it also brings new meaning to Obama’s pledge to at least meet with our enemies.

When it comes to bang for the buck, there are likely other steps we can consider to help reduce the extreme, anti-American mindset prevalent in these countries.