TMy tree samples of the whole not-us world

Queen's Beach, Waikiki.

An article in today's Post reminded me of the larger world.  Hussein is ordering a rethinking of the Afghan War, and not a minute too soon.  A new plan will be announced in April, and I am waiting in eager anticipation for it's contents, hoping that it will recognize who the Pushtuns are and how they might be successfully dealt with.

The world is large and complex.  For example, there is a republic in Russia, seeking autonomy, that traced its history to the stone age. We are rightly proud of our history, but think what it must feel like to be able -- at least theoretically -- to trace your ancestry to the Stone Age!

I can't focus everywhere, so I've taken three small parts of the world, hoping that they are fairly representative of those parts of the world that are not like us.

Chitral is first because it has such a wonderful history of successfully resisting conquest, from Alexander the Great to the present.  The citizens of Chitral are Sunni, but relatively moderate, and Chitral is located in the Pushtun tribal areas that straddle Pakistan and Afghanistan, an area of vital significance to our national interest. Also, they play polo on yaks.

The second area on which I have focused is the large desert in North-West China thinly populated by Uighurs.  I was initially taken by Uighurs because I got a kick out of the way Uighur is pronounced:  WEE ⋅ gur.    But they are much more than a funny name.  Their civilization is very old, their alphabet is a marvel, they are relatively moderate Sunni, and they, like the Tibetans, are violently repressed by the Chinese.  They are of interest because they reflect the culture wars that are going on in Turkey, Russia, Iraq, and, with less violence, in Europe and even here, where some favor an emphasis on ethnic and racial autonomy and others prefer that all adopt the Anglo-Saxon model.

Third, I focus on Bolivia, because it has recently elected an Indian as its president.  Bolivia is the first country in South America to elect an Indian, as we are the first Western nation to elect a Black person.  Indians are, in Bolivia, an impoverished minority.  President Morales is trying to improve their lot by nationalizing gas production, which lies in provinces controlled by Spanish-speaking elites who have enjoyed the fruits of natural gas production for years and are threatening secession if the Morales government insists on sharing the wealth with the impoverished Indians.  Bushco supported the secessionists' efforts and diplomatic relations between our country and Bolivia are now severed.  To me, Bolivia is a critical test on Hussein's character.  I hope he supports the Morales government, with all its faults.  If he does, I will thereafter refer to him as President Hussein.

So, from time to time you will get reports from me on these areas.  Perhaps you will come to share my interest. Perhaps it doesn't matter if you do or don't. I'll get a kick out of writing about them, anyway.

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The first time I remembering writing an article I was in high school.  David Lee Williams and I collaborated on an article about Uruguay, I think because its name is unusual, to Westerners.  I've loved Uruguay ever since.  Uruguayans' football fans are second only to Albanians in zeal [what others might call fanaticism].  I'd like to go to a football game in Uruguay.