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Views of Afghanistan: The Wahab Brothers
Zaher Wahab has been living a double life for nearly a decade now. Since 2002, when the U.S. toppled the Taliban in Afghanistan, the long-time Lewis and Clark professor has been spending four months each year in his native country. He spent the first few years as a special adviser — or "handyman," as he puts it — to the minister of education. For the last few years he's helped develop a curriculum and program to teach Afghans how to teach. Zaher paints the issues facing his native country in stark language — its education system is still in the "middle ages," he argues — but he's hopeful that there is a way forward for a more peaceful, more equitable, more tolerant Afghanistan. (The first step, he says: the U.S. has to leave.)
Zaher's younger brother Amin works for the City of Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services. He, too, has been back to Afghanistan, most recently for a month-long trip in July. Amin basically gave himself a civil engineer's tour: he drove around for weeks, checking out Kabul's electrical grid and water systems, air quality and road conditions. He saw a city and a country in dire need of infrastructure investments, but he also saw an opportunity; rich or poor, he says, and regardless of language or tribe, everyone can agree on the importance of clean air and water.
Zaher and Amin joined us back in December when we last talked about Afghanistan, but now we'll have them both for an hour.
What questions do you have for these brothers who have their feet in two worlds? What do you want to know about what they've seen and heard?
Do have similar experiences? What is it like for your adoptive country to be at war in your country of origin?
Tagged as: afghanistan · civil engineering · war
Photo credit: Carol Mitchell / Creative Commons
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Thank you for sharing this. Tiffany Jewellery I wish this would have been an option for me growing up. I had the same issue, very bright but didn't do homework. Gucci UK I would like to do the same for my daughter.
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In your opinion what is the most important thing the U.S.A. should do to help Afghanistan?
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Amin,
What cultural differences... or way of life differences... make the difference in infrastructure and transportation systems in Afghanistan? What would you design differently there than here?
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Good morning. I just want to add that I took a Social Foundations in Education class from Dr. (Zaher) Wahab 26 years ago at Lewis and Clark College. The experience made a profound impact on me and continues to shape the way that I serve the diverse, primarily low-income students with whom I work at a Portland charter high school, where I serve as Principal.
Thank you for continuing to do the important work you do.
Lorna Fast Buffalo Horse, LEP High School Principal and Director
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I was privileged to have Zaher as a prof at Lewis and Clark several years ago, and I thought of him when I saw a recent Time magazine cover. On it was a photo of a woman with her nose cut off, and the headline implied that this was what Afghanistan would look like if the U.S. left. I felt manipulated..... Wondered if the brothers saw this cover and what they thought of it?
I really appreciate this topic and these guests!
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Hello,
I am a doctoral candidate in cultural anthropology. Last year, I was doing research among Afghans in Vancouver, B.C., and more than once, I noticed, some--emphasize some--people attributed the bad water quality to Pakistanis (specifically ISI).
I had no way to evaluate the likelihood of such a charge and it seemed far-fetched to me, because I have lived in the luxury of a relatively safe country all my life. I would like to ask the Wahab brothers if they heard such rumours in Afghanistan when they were there and if they could discuss a little how such notions gain purchase, and if they are indeed far-fetched.
Also, thank you for taking the time to be on this show.
Thanks,
Christina W. O'Bryan
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Comments are now closed.
This month the US Military is withdrawing its last combat brigade from Iraq. By Ramadan next year, the major troop withdrawals will be implemented in Afghanistan.
Is there a risk of instability and chaos in the country?
Is this celebrated as progress among the Islamic World/Arab World? Does it diminish criticism of America?
If instability returns, what is your Family's Plan B?
Is it possible to coexist with the Taliban?