>From: Samantha Atkins <samantha@objectent.com>
>Actually, I very much doubt this last as many of the Afghanis
>are now at the point of ruining their stomachs eating grass they
>are so hungry. The truth is that not nearly enough food is now
>available to prevent the deaths of millions. And no, it is not,
>or not just, the fault of the Taliban. The country has been
>ravaged by war and various repressive regimes for 3 decades.
>Its agricultural and economic understructure is a total shambles
>and was even before the bombing. The vast majority of food aid
>used to come by truck convoy from Pakistan. We stopped those
>convoys on or around September 16. The food packets we have
>dropped have been only a drop in the bucket of what is needed if
>millions are to avoid death by starvation, malnutrion and
>opportunistic disorders as a result of that and/or exposure.
I watched this morning on the news as barges loaded with hundreds
of tons of food moved into northern Afghanistan today, the first of
many.
The Northern Alliance now control Kabul and there are reports of
the Taliban fleeing Kandahar.
A network of more than 200 caves just north of Kabul has been
surrounded by Northern Alliance and U.S. Special Forces who are
systematically searching them.
Barber shops in Mazer-E-Sharif are reported doing a booming
business as men shave off their beards and reports that women have
abandoned the burka. There is music playing in the streets.
So much for doom-and-gloom prophecies.
Brian
Member:
Extropy Institute, www.extropy.org
National Rifle Association, www.nra.org, 1.800.672.3888
SBC/Ameritech Data Center Chicago, IL, Local 134 I.B.E.W
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