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Did anybody watch the NBC news segment on the Afghan food aid Saturday?

XMan

XMan

Lifer
I'm still trying to decide if it was funny or sad.

- one segment showed a young child using peanut butter as a toy because he didn't know it was food

- an Afghan man complaining that he didn't like the taste of Pop Tarts

- another complaining that the food in the relief packets does not meet his palate, and that the West should give them better food

- and finally, people using the aid packets to feed their livestock

Truly stunning . . . I mean, these people must not be starving too badly if they're complaining about what they're getting. Hopefully this isn't entirely indicative of what is going on.

 
No, it isn't. It's the media in full support for those pitiful military propaganda drops - unfortunately most of the US populace are too dumb to work it out.

 
no i saw a segment on an afghan saying "thank you, thank you very much america"

most of the older/complainers aren't used to 'american' food. it's understandable. but i believe that most are happy to see the food. one little girl ran for miles just to get the food. then walked back with a huge pack on her head.
 
No I did not see it.

What types of food exactly are we dropping over there?

I would imagine that if we are going to drop anyting, it should be
pretty basic stuff like rice, bread, grains, potatoes, dried meats,
dried fruits, etc.

Pop-tarts? WTF?
 
What I DON'T understand - why are the instructions in English and Spanish?

We've had over 3 weeks since the WTC bombing. Has no one thought to include an extra card with instructions in Arabic and/or their local language?

It would be a great propaganda tool. I think we missed a big opportunity here.
 
the military rations we have been dropping have been vegetarian.

I didnt know anything else, like pop-tarts, was even being dropped.

<edit-this isnt to say pop-tarts arent vegetarian...but they are, well...we dont even know what pop tarts are made of. 😉
 
During the Kosovo mess the humanitarian crisis was obvious because you could see hundreds of thousands of people at refuge camps on TV as proof. There's no such footage yet in this conflict. Yes, I believe the media may be blowing things out of proportion for ratings (and perhaps other reasons).

Food drops and camps are proper and we should keep that up. They'll learn to enjoy Pop Tarts and if they give 'em to their pigs it still ends up helping in the long run...
 
Frys,

I think the contents vary like MREs. They showed packets of peanut butter, rice and beans, Pop Tarts, and I think beef jerky. So they tried to vary it a little bit I guess.
 


<< - and finally, people using the aid packets to feed their livestock >>


I think I can understand this.

EDIT: Why weren't instructions included in the LOCAL language?
 

What I DON'T understand - why are the instructions in English and Spanish?


I think it's a moot point. Afghanistan has something like a 90% illiteracy rate. There are pictures on the packages, though.
 


<< I think it's a moot point. Afghanistan has something like a 90% illiteracy rate. There are pictures on the packages, though. >>



There is always that 1 in 10 that everyone gathers around to read to the other nine.

I think America missed a big opportunity for some propaganda with the food.
 
I think America missed a big opportunity for some propaganda with the food.

They know where it came from.
 
The "aid" that the US is giving with these drops may seem like a good idea but it's nothing compared to the amount of humanitarian aid that was pushed out of the country due to the US attacks.
 


<< They know where it came from. >>



That is not the point. That same leaflet you would throw away (in any other setting), you tend to read at a fast food restaurant because you are eating.

These people are suspicious. They know their country is being bombed by the US. Perhaps they are worried about being poisoned (hence giving the food to an animal first).

An explanation of WHY we are bombing their country might be in order. After all, they don't have any access to TV and only hear their government's propaganda.
 
apoppin, etc. You've missed the point.

The military propaganda was not for the Afghans benefit - it was for YOUR benefit.

Dropping 37,000 veggie MRE's on top of a known minefield area (a fact conveniently omitted from many US reports) while bombing the sh*t out of civilians due to old intel (remember Vietnam, folks?)... I can only shake my head. This is going to create a thousand more Bin Ladens - and these guys will have a degree of legitimacy than Bin Laden (and Bert) never had.





 
And how many stories have you been hearing about people getting thier legs blown off by mines picking up this food? NONE... So goes the news..

The food is not Military MRE, they are civilian MRE that were put together without meat so as to not offend any religious beliefs. They are primarily vegetable type meals, breads, etc. I believe each meal has 1200 calories.

This is designed to be a stop gap measure until we can get real quantities in through the ground. The Taliban has been demanding large sums of money to allow the convoys to proceed to feed their people.

 


<< Dropping 37,000 veggie MRE's on top of a known minefield area (a fact conveniently omitted from many US reports) >>

I can't believe they would intentionally drop aid into known mine fields. Doesn't make any sense at all. Proof?
 


<<

<< I think it's a moot point. Afghanistan has something like a 90% illiteracy rate. There are pictures on the packages, though. >>



There is always that 1 in 10 that everyone gathers around to read to the other nine.

I think America missed a big opportunity for some propaganda with the food. >>



The US is also dropping thousands of small radios that get one channel which is being broadcast in their native languages from a number of planes circling the country.
 
...we dont even know what pop tarts are made of

Been in a Pop Tart Factory, trust me, you don't wanna know what goes in there !!!!!
 


<< From industrial kitchens in places like Mullins, S.C., to the mountains of Afghanistan, foil packets of ?Peas in Tomato Sauce? and ?Vegetable Biscuits? have been landing by the thousands ? 111,000 at the most recent count ? and hopefully getting to at least some of the thousands of adults and children there who have been subsisting largely on tea and bread. The packs, which cost $4.25 each, are designed to be distributed anywhere there is need. Thus, they contain no animal products in deference to various dietary restrictions around the world. >>



We dont really have the time to remake these packets with the native language and native diet. Its food. Better then nothing I guess. They will finally realize that its a good thing and will be happy with what they have if they are truly starving. Whether they think its from the US or God or anyone else shouldnt really matter. I think that they realize that its not coming from the regime in control of their country.
 
Nah, noone's saying it's intentional - I'm saying it's a badly thought out numbskull plan probably thought out by some Army/AF PR guy that will undoubtedly do more harm than good.
 
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