Here is the background,
During the Taliban reign in Afghanistan they had a special talent for
pissing people off,
They pissed off drug addicts by executing them, (usually by a gunshot to the
head at the Kabul stadium)
They pissed off swingers/adulterers by executing them (usually by public
stoning at the Kabul stadium)
They pissed off thieves by amputating their left hand (usually at the
Kabul Stadium)
They pissed off drinkers by flogging them (Kabul stadium)
They pissed off clean shaven people by forcing then to wear beards (if you
refused to wear a beard you would be flogged (Kabul Stadium) and
thrown in jail until you had a decent one.
Music lovers, flogged (Kabul Stadium)
and the list goes on and on……..
To piss off children they banned kites, flying one would result in ……wait
for it……
a public flogging at the Kabul stadium.
Once we (ISAF) established control over Kabul (and the stadium)
someone (who shall remain nameless for fear of a fatwa) came up with the
idea of having 500 kites with a Canadian flag motif printed on them shipped
into theatre in time for Canada day.
When the kites arrived I picked them up at the post office, flight tested
one over Camp Julien, called the PAFO (Public AFfaires Officer) and we made
arrangements with CIMIC to tag along with them for the inauguration of a
community centre north of our AOO (Area Of Operation)
During our trek to the ceremony, every time we saw a group of children we
would stop and give away kites flags, toys, pencils, paper and anything else
I could pilfer from the QM.
The mission was a resounding success and most of the goals were attained, we
made a lot of friend, we made the kids happy, I got a lot of great pictures
and we demonstrated to the Afghans that the Taliban were a spent force in
the Kabul area.
AND MOST OF ALL WE PISSED OFF THE TALIBAN.
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