Coming Home

Arthur Chrenkoff wrote in OpinionJournal A roundup of the past month's good news from Afghanistan. - Last October I noted a story of three Afghan exchange students coming to Florida to learn about life in America. Now they are returning to their homeland. Back home, the three want to pursue careers in which they can help their countrymen: Rasoli and Barak want to be doctors (Barak a pediatrician), and Fazil is thinking of politics. "The three said they were most amazed by the U.S. presidential election, watching George W. Bush defending his record in televised debates against challenger John Kerry. The thought that it was even possible for a world leader to be deposed without violence was new to them." It's just one of many things they will take home with them. "It was the first time we have ever seen an election," says Barak. "It was good to see people choosing their own leader." Rasoli adds: "I know when I go back that people are going to say bad things about America, about Jews and Christians. . . . I am going to tell them no. They are wrong. It is not like that." Perhaps we need more such exchanges to build understanding between Afghanistan and the West. Since we can't all swap places with a family in Kabul for a month or two, it would be good to have comprehensive and balanced media reporting to build a clear picture of the realities, challenges and successes, not just disjointed glimpses when something goes wrong.

Arthur Chrenkoff blogged Also available from "The Opinion Journal" and Chrenkoff. As always, many thanks to James Taranto, Joe Katzman and all of you for your continuing support. Please also note that as this segment would have normally appeared last Monday but for the Independence Day weekend, it contains stories from the past five, and not the usual four, weeks.

Jan Haugland blogged The country is getting ready for the parliamentary elections, vaccinating children against polio, writing new laws, improving prison conditions, girls and women are going to school, and a woman has found out what to do with all the unused burqas.

I always look forward to Chrenkoff's reports of Good News for Afganistan and Iraq. It is a shame we can't depend on the MSM to report these good news items.