Comments on: At least there’s one good nation-builder for Afghanistan http://aidwatchers.com/2009/12/at-least-theres-one-good-nation-builder-for-afghanistan/ just asking that aid benefit the poor Mon, 06 Sep 2010 11:43:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: fundamentalist http://aidwatchers.com/2009/12/at-least-theres-one-good-nation-builder-for-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-7610 fundamentalist Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:10:11 +0000 http://aidwatchers.com/?p=1687#comment-7610 Paul, so make it legal! Then pay them. Paul, so make it legal! Then pay them.

]]> By: Paul Rigterink http://aidwatchers.com/2009/12/at-least-theres-one-good-nation-builder-for-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-7599 Paul Rigterink Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:56:09 +0000 http://aidwatchers.com/?p=1687#comment-7599 Dear fundamentalist, Paying people not to break the law does not work in my opinion. Can you give me examples where this idea of paying people not to break the law has been very effective? I am sure President Uribe would like to hear your ideas on improving security in Colombia. I have a project in the Department of Cordoba Colombia (called Mas Dinero) and President Uribe just had a conference in Monteria (Cordoba) Colombia on improving security in the region. (see http://home.comcast.net/~prigter/site/ and http://elmeridianodecordoba.com.co/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21841:segun-alcaldes-en-cordoba-todo-esta-bien&catid=40:principales&Itemid=70). I think the people of Cordoba (including those at the BOP) are going to make a great deal of money growing moringa and tropical fruit trees. Also, my friend, Mike Abkin, helped start the ARISE project in Afghanistan and he would like to hear your ideas on improving security in Afghanistan Dear fundamentalist,
Paying people not to break the law does not work in my opinion. Can you give me examples where this idea of paying people not to break the law has been very effective? I am sure President Uribe would like to hear your ideas on improving security in Colombia. I have a project in the Department of Cordoba Colombia (called Mas Dinero) and President Uribe just had a conference in Monteria (Cordoba) Colombia on improving security in the region. (see http://home.comcast.net/~prigter/site/ and
http://elmeridianodecordoba.com.co/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21841:segun-alcaldes-en-cordoba-todo-esta-bien&catid=40:principales&Itemid=70). I think the people of Cordoba (including those at the BOP) are going to make a great deal of money growing moringa and tropical fruit trees.
Also, my friend, Mike Abkin, helped start the ARISE project in Afghanistan and he would like to hear your ideas on improving security in Afghanistan

]]> By: fundamentalist http://aidwatchers.com/2009/12/at-least-theres-one-good-nation-builder-for-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-7587 fundamentalist Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:43:17 +0000 http://aidwatchers.com/?p=1687#comment-7587 Paul Rigterink: I have never understood why the US military does not have a much larger effort to burn the poppy fields in Afghanistan." Consider how devastating that would be to farmers. Why not a program like the US used to have that paid farmers not to grow things. We could pay them not to grow poppies, then let them have any money they made from growing food on the same land. Paul Rigterink: I have never understood why the US military does not have a much larger effort to burn the poppy fields in Afghanistan.”

Consider how devastating that would be to farmers. Why not a program like the US used to have that paid farmers not to grow things. We could pay them not to grow poppies, then let them have any money they made from growing food on the same land.

]]> By: fundamentalist http://aidwatchers.com/2009/12/at-least-theres-one-good-nation-builder-for-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-7586 fundamentalist Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:37:04 +0000 http://aidwatchers.com/?p=1687#comment-7586 While I agree with Ms Lockhart's pessimism regarding foreign bureaucracies, she seems a bit naive to say just give them the money and get out of the way. Maybe I'm oversimplifying here attitude. I will read her book. My experiences in the region suggest that giving the existing institutions and leaders the money and leaving would result in enormous theft because corruption is so bad. Check out the corruption file at memri.org. While I agree with Ms Lockhart’s pessimism regarding foreign bureaucracies, she seems a bit naive to say just give them the money and get out of the way. Maybe I’m oversimplifying here attitude. I will read her book. My experiences in the region suggest that giving the existing institutions and leaders the money and leaving would result in enormous theft because corruption is so bad. Check out the corruption file at memri.org.

]]> By: Male 22-year old http://aidwatchers.com/2009/12/at-least-theres-one-good-nation-builder-for-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-7561 Male 22-year old Mon, 07 Dec 2009 10:22:07 +0000 http://aidwatchers.com/?p=1687#comment-7561 Dear Professor Easterly, As a young individual (who agrees with many of your critiques) getting my feet wet in international development, I would be interested on your commentary on the NSP program in Afghanistan. In brief, the NSP is an Afghan-government partnership with local NGO's that sets up community councils which oversee and drive development at the local level. These representative bodies identify priorities, manage funds and ultimately are responsible to their peers for the outcomes. Several weeks ago the NSP was featured in an NY Times piece, but I first heard about it when doing research for my own organization, which is currently adopting a similar methodology for a country in Southern Africa. Thank you in advance for your insight. Dear Professor Easterly,

As a young individual (who agrees with many of your critiques) getting my feet wet in international development, I would be interested on your commentary on the NSP program in Afghanistan. In brief, the NSP is an Afghan-government partnership with local NGO’s that sets up community councils which oversee and drive development at the local level. These representative bodies identify priorities, manage funds and ultimately are responsible to their peers for the outcomes. Several weeks ago the NSP was featured in an NY Times piece, but I first heard about it when doing research for my own organization, which is currently adopting a similar methodology for a country in Southern Africa.

Thank you in advance for your insight.

]]> By: William Easterly http://aidwatchers.com/2009/12/at-least-theres-one-good-nation-builder-for-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-7537 William Easterly Sun, 06 Dec 2009 21:02:03 +0000 http://aidwatchers.com/?p=1687#comment-7537 One anon suggestion for giving to Afghan projects: http://www.globalgiving.org/dy/v2/content/search.html?q=afghanistan One anon suggestion for giving to Afghan projects:

http://www.globalgiving.org/dy/v2/content/search.html?q=afghanistan

]]> By: TDM http://aidwatchers.com/2009/12/at-least-theres-one-good-nation-builder-for-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-7536 TDM Sun, 06 Dec 2009 20:11:59 +0000 http://aidwatchers.com/?p=1687#comment-7536 No matter how well-intentioned, I can't really get past the striking arrogance of the subtitle. She's "charged with rebuilding Afghanistan"??? Wow No matter how well-intentioned, I can’t really get past the striking arrogance of the subtitle. She’s “charged with rebuilding Afghanistan”??? Wow

]]> By: William Easterly http://aidwatchers.com/2009/12/at-least-theres-one-good-nation-builder-for-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-7534 William Easterly Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:55:58 +0000 http://aidwatchers.com/?p=1687#comment-7534 Word_Bandit: good joke, once I got it! Word_Bandit: good joke, once I got it!

]]> By: Word_Bandit http://aidwatchers.com/2009/12/at-least-theres-one-good-nation-builder-for-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-7533 Word_Bandit Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:54:24 +0000 http://aidwatchers.com/?p=1687#comment-7533 This time, it was my poor attempt at humor. Like men who have Playboy around for the articles . . . you had this issue of Esquire available for Ms. Lockhart alone, but was tongue in cheek. BTW, did you see this: http://ow.ly/IHq6 Hope link works. Enjoy Sunday afternoon! This time, it was my poor attempt at humor.

Like men who have Playboy around for the articles . . . you had this issue of Esquire available for Ms. Lockhart alone, but was tongue in cheek.

BTW, did you see this: http://ow.ly/IHq6 Hope link works.

Enjoy Sunday afternoon!

]]> By: Paul Rigterink http://aidwatchers.com/2009/12/at-least-theres-one-good-nation-builder-for-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-7532 Paul Rigterink Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:48:30 +0000 http://aidwatchers.com/?p=1687#comment-7532 I have never understood why the US military does not have a much larger effort to burn the poppy fields in Afghanistan. This would eliiminate one of the two major sources of funding for the Taliban (My understanding is the two major sources for funding the Taliban and Al Queda are the drug trade and money from the MidEast). You could tell the people this winter that the military are going to burn the poppy fields so that they can plant alternative crops. It takes money to conduct a war even for Al Queda and the Taliban. It is easier to find the poppy fields than people who are hiding. I have never understood why the US military does not have a much larger effort to burn the poppy fields in Afghanistan. This would eliiminate one of the two major sources of funding for the Taliban (My understanding is the two major sources for funding the Taliban and Al Queda are the drug trade and money from the MidEast). You could tell the people this winter that the military are going to burn the poppy fields so that they can plant alternative crops. It takes money to conduct a war even for Al Queda and the Taliban. It is easier to find the poppy fields than people who are hiding.

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