Unlikely Tutor Giving Military Afghan Advice - "3 Cups of Tea" author Greg Mortenson

[groovedaddy]

WASHINGTON — In the frantic last hours of Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal’s command in Afghanistan, when the world wondered what was racing through the general’s mind, he reached out to an unlikely corner of his life: the author of the book “Three Cups of Tea,” Greg Mortenson.

“Will move through this and if I’m not involved in the years ahead, will take tremendous comfort in knowing people like you are helping Afghans build a future,” General McChrystal wrote to Mr. Mortenson in an e-mail message, as he traveled from Kabul to Washington. The note landed in Mr. Mortenson’s inbox shortly after 1 a.m. Eastern time on June 23. Nine hours later, the general walked into the Oval Office to be fired by President Obama.
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The collaboration, which grew in part out of the popularity of “Three Cups of Tea” among military wives who told their husbands to read it, extends to the office of Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Last summer, Admiral Mullen attended the opening of one of Mr. Mortenson’s schools in Pushghar, a remote village in Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush mountains.
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Mr. Mortenson, 52, thinks there is no military solution in Afghanistan — he says the education of girls is the real long-term fix — so he has been startled by the Defense Department’s embrace.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/18/world/asia/18tea.html?th&emc=th

[babylonsister]

1. I think this is great news. Fight with education instead of arms! nt

[BlueMTexpat]

2. Yes, indeed, education for all, but especially for girls, is the

real long-term fix.
There is no military solution there. There never has been.
Ironically, the Russians - whom we helped to force out by training, aiding and abetting the most radical religious elements - were doing far more for education and for women in Afghanistan than has been done before or since.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

3. This book (in paperback now) has been on the best-seller list

forever, and deservedly so.

K&R

[babylonsister]

4. He's also written a follow-up...

Stones into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books, Not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan

http://www.amazon.com/Stones-into-Schools-Promoting-Afghanistan/dp/0670021156/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1279552309&sr=1-1

[BridgeTheGap]

5. If you haven't read "3 Cups of Tea", by all means, do so! n.t

[noel711]

6. Well It's high time they turned to Mortenson...

His is a remarkable story...

The day after 9-11, he walked out of his apartment in
Pakistan to find himself surrounded by armed men-
who were there to protect him, 'Dr. Greg', from the Taliban.

He has an incredible world view, and an invincible spirit.
He is in a class alongside MOther Theresa and the Dali Lama-

He was on the short list of the Nobel Peace Prize this past year,
but we know how that ended up.

Everyone should read his story: he's got the goods on how
to change the world.

There's even a children's book available to share his story
with young people: "Listen to the Wind."

[proteus_lives]

7. It's a very good book.