I just finished reading Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. It’s a great 2006 book on philanthropy, social justice, and what’s happening in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
I was struck by one paragraph in particular, where Pakistani Brigadier General Bashir Baz ruminates on education and America’s progress on its war against terrorism. And I quote:
“‘Osama, baah!’ Bashir roared. ‘Osama is not a product of Pakistan or Afghanistan. He is a creation of America. Thanks to America, Osama is in every home.
“‘As a military man, I know you can never fight and win against someone who can shoot at you once and then run off and hide while you have to remain eternally on guard. You have to attack the source of your enemy’s strength. In America’s case, that’s not Osama or Saddam or anyone else. The enemy is ignorance. The only way to defeat it is to build relationships with these people, to drawn them into the modern world with education and business. Otherwise the fight will go on forever.'”
So Greg Mortenson drinks three cups of tea and builds schools to educate boys and girls.
