Afghan Elders to U.S.: Let Us Do Fighting
But the most striking message of all was this: Stop fighting for us.
“You must understand our culture,” one said. “It’s insulting for you to die for us. We should be dying to take back our country, not you.”
That was the lead in to his demand that the Americans start sending more money and training their way. “One of your soldiers costs a million dollars a year. One of ours costs $6,000. So spend that money on us, and we get 165 of our soldiers for one of yours.” Mullen told him he had a good point, and carefully wrote it down in his green spiral notebook.
Of course, the elders did add that they wanted their forces to continue fighting alongside U.S. forces, because the Americans have air support. “If we are fighting with you, and we need an air strike, it comes right away,” one elder said. “If we’re on our own … “
Not so much, he essentially shrugged.