Fight Poverty, Gain Peace.

Fight poverty, gain peace. This should work in third world countries, but not if you just give handouts, we know that doesn't work. Jobs restore self respect, not handouts. Education frees the mind, and lifts people out of poverty. This is common sense, and it's working.

New program aims to give Iraqis jobs

Grinding poverty and disillusionment with the government and U.S.-led coalition can create fertile ground for insurgent or militia recruitment.

But the U.S. military believes it has a way to help residents and the village by providing jobs that also could dim the allure of militancy.

Modelled on a program under which the United States pays armed groups who turned against "al-Qaida in Iraq," the military has begun recruiting villagers for public service jobs such as working to improve sanitation, do repairs and pick up trash.

"Today is a new idea," said Capt. John Horning, 36, company commander of C Company, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment stationed in the area. Instead of hiring people to secure their neighbourhoods, "we'll have them doing sanitation, cleaning up the area, reconstruction."

"It's a pilot program," said Horning, from Houston, Texas. "We'll see how it works."

The hope is that the jobs will give residents a legitimate way to make a living and prevent them from turning to militia or insurgent groups, many of which are suspected of paying men to carry out attacks.

It sounds like a good plan to me, so where are the non-profit organizations? How are they planning to help these people? Last I saw of them, they were wearing polar bear suits at the Bali baloney conference.

Afghan army gets surplus C7 rifles

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - After a frustratingly long three-year wait, the fledging Afghan National Army finally has a new weapon in its arsenal: the Canadian C7 rifle.

Some 42 boxes of surplus weapons arrived at the ANA base just up the road from Kandahar Airfield last week, Brig.-Gen. Gul Aqa said Wednesday in an interview with The Canadian Press. And training is already underway.

Aimed at replacing the Afghan army's old Soviet-era AK-47s in order to bring the force's fire power capabilities in line with that of NATO countries, the Canadian rifles are a welcome addition, Aqa said.

"They're very modern and new weapons and the C7 is a real necessity for the ANA," he said through a translator. He said the AK-47s often jam, leaving soldiers vulnerable to enemy fire.

This is good news for the Afghanistan army, Afghanistan people, and Canadian forces, the ANA will be more independent, and will not have to rely so heavily on Canadian fire power. It's a win-win for all troops, but don't expect the media to see it that way.

Why are guns a means to fight poverty? First you need stability, then you need jobs for the people. The Taliban pays idle people to kill, we need to pay for productivity. As a Mother, I would want my child to be in school, and then working, rather than taking up guns to kill. Why aren't the feminists protesting the way women are treated in Afghanistan, why are they so quiet?

They are too busy here in safe Canada trying to set up a money sucking daycare state for our kids, funny those same feminists have usually aborted any kids they might have had, but feel it's their right to tell me how to raise MY kids. Butt out, babes! (Oh well, that's a fight for another day!)