Afghan Army’s spiritual advisers discuss greater community activism

CAMP DWYER, AFGHANISTAN

02.01.2011

Story by Sgt. Jesse Stence 

I Marine Expeditionary Force

CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan - Regimental Combat Team 1 chaplains met with local Afghan National Army mullahs here, Feb. 1, to discuss the mullahs’ potential role in defusing religious propaganda purveyed by the Taliban.

Like Navy chaplains, ANA mullahs attend to the spiritual needs of their troops; however, because Afghanistan is an Islamic republic, RCT-1 officials believe the mullahs’ role can extend farther.

Officials with Regimental Combat Team 1 hope the mullahs can help the ANA build relationships with ranking members of the local population. During the shura, the mullahs and chaplains agreed that the Taliban’s so-called jihad is flawed in premise and methods of prosecution. They agreed that the ANA’s goals, regarding the future of Afghanistan, align more closely with Islam than those of the Taliban.

In premise, the Taliban justifies jihad by portraying coalition forces as foreigners who want to permanently occupy Afghanistan and strip the country of its cultural and religious heritage, said one of the mullahs. Despite publicized drawdown dates for coalition forces, many locals believe this narrative. Their lack of education and limited access to public information makes them susceptible to Taliban propaganda, he explained.

In prosecuting their so-called jihad, the Taliban routinely violates basic Islamic ethics, agreed all in attendance.

“They’re not fundamentalists, and they’re not jihadists,” said Navy Cmdr. David Glassmire, the chaplain with RCT-1. “They’re religious fanatics. They have skewed religion so far, in such a way, that’s it’s not what was intended.”

“(Islam) is a religion of peace,” said Glassmire, a Catholic chaplain. “I’ve always believed that. Whether you’re a Jew, whether you’re a Muslim or whether you’re a Christian, we’ve proved it over and over again historically, that people can live together in peace.”

The mullahs’ status as Islamic spiritual advisors may give them more credibility with locals than other ANA soldiers, Glassmire said. By partnering with respected local leaders, the mullahs may be able to amplify the true teachings of the Koran and refute Taliban lies, Glassmire said.

During the meeting, the mullahs discussed progress and challenges they’ve faced.

One mullah said he organized a shura that dissuaded Marjah residents from helping the Taliban plant IEDs. During the shura, the mullah discovered that locals were angry because Marines and ANA soldiers were attacking the Taliban in a marketplace. The elders claimed ensuing skirmishes endangered civilians. The mullah presented the coalition force’s dilemma, listened to the elders’ feedback, and ultimately convinced the elders to stop aiding the Taliban. In turn, local Marines and ANA soldiers took greater precautions in the marketplace.

Not all stories were as encouraging. Another mullah said he doesn’t feel safe in the local mosques. According to him, the ANA soldiers in his area aren’t trusted by the largely Pashtun population. Few ANA soldiers are Pashtun, and the Taliban in his area have successfully cast the ANA as infidels who have sold out their country and culture to foreign invaders, he said.

According to Glassmire, the RCT-1 chaplains are now focusing on helping their ANA counterparts integrate more closely with their communities.

“Showing good will and doing things for the right reason are what’s going to build the credibility,” Glassmire said.

• Date Taken: 02.01.2011
• Date Posted: 02.06.2011 10:41
• Story ID: 64899
• Location: CAMP DWYER, AF