Imprisoned by the Dutch
by Taufiq Rahim on March 8, 2008 in Live from Kabul
The other night I went to meet Peter Jouvenal, a cameraman extraordinaire who has spent the better part of the last two and half decades in and out of the region. He was referred to me by Peter Bergen, and the two of them along with Peter Arnett (why it was three Peters we’ll never know), interviewed bin Laden in 1997. In any case Jouvenal, who lives here with his family runs the Gandamack Lodge, an odd fixture in Kabul, that houses antique guns and beer and a bevy of mostly foreigners. In any case, it has been a way-station for countless journalists and others over the years. We had quite a lengthy conversation discussing the many complex challenges facing the country, and of course were not able to arrive at any definitive solutions.
The days have been going by, and soon I will be departing Kabul, back on the Red Line through Terminal Two in Dubai, and eventually coming back to Cambridge. Kabul, like Cambridge, appears to have a curfew. Last night, however, this informal curfew came a little bit earlier, as the Dutch played a role in my imposed imprisonment. As some of you may know a recent Dutch film that purportedly is anti-Islamic has been causing some consternation in many parts of the world. Coupled with the Dutch cartoons, and the flames are lit. Sporadic demonstrations near the Embassy area, meant that driving around was not going to be a great option. So instead of meeting a friend for dinner — I didn’t meet a friend for dinner (not many choices).
There are many other things to note, and point out, and I will do so as I make the journey back. As they say in Kabul, keep it real.
The Long Journey Forward
by Taufiq Rahim on March 6, 2008 in Live from Kabul
There are thousands of expatriates operating within the diplomatic and development community in Afghanistan. As the billions of dollars of aid money has flowed into the country, it has been directed for better or worse by this constituency. As they slice through Kabul in armored vehicles, and convoys of 4×4s, the life of the ordinary Afghan is deferred to the security needs of foreigners. Read more
Cornflakes in Kabul
by Taufiq Rahim on March 4, 2008 in Live from Kabul
It is a rather odd twist that I met someone in Afghanistan for the first time who I already knew, who happens to be from Vancouver. Some people may know that I act as a facilitator for a program called Soliya, which is a virtual environment that brings together university students from the Middle East and the United States Read more
Wait you look like an Afghan…
by Taufiq Rahim on March 4, 2008 in Live from Kabul
Khosh Amadid! It is now Tuesday evening here in Kabul and the temperature drops fast. It also signals the end of the work day. One of my Afghan friends/colleagues at the Embassy wanted to invite me to his place for dinner, but of course that is out of the question. Most expats are in severe lockdown, and nighttime is better deferred by simply doing more work. Read more
“If you don’t need to go outside - don’t”
by Taufiq Rahim on March 2, 2008 in Blog, Live from Kabul
It took a robust 27 hours and a 9.5 hour time difference to traverse the globe and arrive in Kabul, Afghanistan — apparently a key destination on the ‘hippie trail’ of the 60s and 70s (probably not so much today). The flight plan had me go to Dubai via Amsterdam, take in a layover of about five hours, and then head to Kabul on an airline called “Kam Air.” Things got mildly interesting even before arriving.
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