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Unfolding Nature Shop: Unfolding Nature: Being in the Implicate Order

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InvisibleBridgeburner
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A new understanding of distant war; Soldier says "We are making a difference in Afghanistan"
    #7505046 - 10/10/07 12:13 PM (16 years, 3 months ago)

http://www.dunnvillechronicle.com/webapp/sitepages/content.asp?contentid=727574&catname=Local%20News&classif=News

Jason Pinnegar's life is filled with beauty, meaning and life-threatening danger.

As a member of the military police in the Canadian armed forces, he'll return soon to his combat assignment in Afghanistan.

He came home to Dunnville for a week's rest after two and a half months in the middle Asian war zone.

The experience has given him rare insight into a people who we, in Canada, cannot hope to gain.

"Afghanistan is a beautiful place, filled with volcanic mountains, gorgeous sunsets and sunrises," Pinnegar said in an interview with the Chronicle.

"There are fields of corn and grapes, and lots of cattle," he said. "It's beautiful country that the television doesn't often show."

Unfortunately, there are also a lot of poppy and marijuana fields. "Opium and hashish are traditional over there," he explained. "The army will conduct some eradication procedures around the military bases, but we try not to interfere in their way of life."

It's this understanding and respect for the Afghan people that provides hope for success by the UN forces who are fighting there.

Pinnegar demonstrates a compassion and regard for the citizens that is not normally credited to military personnel.

"We just want to do the right thing for them and their religious Muslim culture.
We don't want to offend; we want to be open and understanding," Pinnegar explained with sincere clarity.

He has worked closely with the Afghan people in his short stay there but has come away with a desire to learn.

"Our interpreters are great people and Afghans, like every other population, includes good and bad people," he insists. "I'm curious about their religion and their culture."

"Some of the children smile and wave; others throw rocks. It just depends on who's teaching them. Sometimes the hatred is passed on."

But Pinnegar has not lost sight of his goals and he's confident. He is part of a mentoring team that is training the Afghan police.

"We are making a difference. We're there to provide some stabilization and we know it's going to work. And we are certainly making a difference with the police we are training," he asserts.

"Most people know we are there to fight the Taliban and get them out," he explains. "They try to make it a religious war and claim we are there to force our religion on them, but we make conscious efforts to avoid doing that."

While there, Pinnegar has faced battle situations. "We've been mortared, come under fire from AK 47's and I even had a rocket-propelled grenade pass over my head," he recounted.

"It's tough to describe how these situations feel. Your heart races and the adrenalin pumps and then the training kicks in. Your senses are heightened and you look for the little things -- something that's out of place."

"The enemy forces are not traditional. You don't know who's coming at you. One person can come out of the crowd and set off a bomb or start shooting. Not knowing is a tough reality."

Being home at Thanksgiving has special meaning for Pinnegar. "I've been in the military for seven years and Thanksgiving dinner was the last one I had before joining."

He's been married for nearly five years and his wife Wendy takes the uncertain life in stride.

"I knew what I was getting into. I'm behind him 110 per cent." She says they have good communication between them in both their relationship and through technology. "With phones and computers we speak between one and three times a week. Sometimes, it's only for ten seconds but you go about your life until the next ten-second call."

She's busy unpacking their new home on a military base in Halifax. While he's in Afghanistan she spends time with four good friends.

"We help each other because we are dealing with the same issues," she said.

They are thankful to the military for supplying good support systems and providing the chances for soldiers to return home for short visits as often as possible.

And the special fundraiser organized by Stan Hammond last weekend was also meaningful for Jason and Wendy. (See related story below)

"The support from my hometown friends in Dunnville has been eye-opening and surprising. It's been great to have so many people bolster my morale. The timing was great," Pinnegar said.

He didn't tell anyone he was coming home and one by one surprised his wife, parents Gary and Cindy and grandmother Edith, by showing up at their doors. "I love to surprise people," he said.

Pinnegar sees hope for the future and is sure that at some point negotiations with the enemy will be possible. "Some of them will never change. It just depends on their convictions and beliefs."

And for that reason he says, "I am anxious to get back to finish what I started - back to do my job as a soldier."

To him, belonging to the military police and mentoring Afghan police officers is the best of both worlds. "My dad was a policeman and my grandpa was in the military. My grandmother is always telling me how proud of me she is."

It's a safe bet that all of Dunnville is proud of Jason Pinnegar.


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Offlinekidaihuan
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Re: A new understanding of distant war; Soldier says "We are making a difference in Afghanistan" [Re: Bridgeburner]
    #7505099 - 10/10/07 12:24 PM (16 years, 3 months ago)

Yay...


Propaganda!

EDIT

Now that I think about it, this propaganda scares me.

Plus, it's the first article, that I've read, that referred to the war as being Asian rather than Middle Eastern. That scares me for obvious reasons.


Edited by kidaihuan (10/10/07 12:26 PM)


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Offlinea_guy_named_ai
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Re: A new understanding of distant war; Soldier says "We are making a difference in Afghanistan" [Re: kidaihuan]
    #7505250 - 10/10/07 01:02 PM (16 years, 3 months ago)

It's really interesting how they are so focused on afghanistan, when everybody in the know knows the bad guys have moved to Pakistan a long long time ago.


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OfflineShlewm
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Re: A new understanding of distant war; Soldier says "We are making a difference in Afghanistan" [Re: kidaihuan]
    #7505310 - 10/10/07 01:13 PM (16 years, 3 months ago)

Quote:

kidaihuan said:
Yay...


Propaganda!

EDIT

Now that I think about it, this propaganda scares me.

Plus, it's the first article, that I've read, that referred to the war as being Asian rather than Middle Eastern. That scares me for obvious reasons.


Yeah, the evil Canadians are going to invade Communist China to fight the terrorists, they said Afganistan is in Asia because it happens to be in Asia. Do you know anything about this war?


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InvisibleOrgoneConclusion
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Re: A new understanding of distant war; Soldier says "We are making a difference in Afghanistan" [Re: Bridgeburner]
    #7506911 - 10/10/07 08:22 PM (16 years, 3 months ago)

Quote:

"Opium and hashish are traditional over there," he explained. "The army will conduct some eradication procedures around the military bases, but we try not to interfere in their way of life."

It's this understanding and respect for the Afghan people that provides hope for success by the UN forces who are fighting there.






Decimating another's planting and hard work is 'showing understanding and respect'?

Western morals are right and Afghani morals are wrong, is that it? If they ever get the wealth and might, perhaps they can come here and stone our adulterous women (well, just a few) out of respect for our culture..


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Unfolding Nature Shop: Unfolding Nature: Being in the Implicate Order


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