Afghans See Their Army Woo Them With Piety
At The New York Times, Azam Ahmed reports that the Afghan military, in order to appeal to local leaders, is emphasizing the advantages their American counterparts couldn’t: commonalities in language, culture, and most importantly, religion. While the Taliban has tried to brand the military as the secular arm of the Western world, Afghan soldiers are hoping to sway local populations by handing out Korans and prayer rugs. “Afghan troops are adopting the strategy, employing religious and cultural affairs officers to craft messaging and outreach efforts,” Ahmed writes. “This is a Muslim army, and piety is crucial.”