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Since 2002, teams of Americans have been working in Afghanistan building schools, roads and other projects. The goal is to get the war-torn country back on track with a solid infrastructure and stable government.
A Utah native has been in Afghanistan for more than a year. Today he gave President Bush an update on the progress.
Shawn Waddoups, originally from Roy, works with the State Department and has been involved with various foreign service projects for nearly a decade. Today he briefed the president on the work being done by the U.S. Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs).
"Right now in the province where I am, Nangarhar, which is out on the border with Pakistan, we currently have about $50 million worth of projects that are ongoing," he said.
PRTs are special military units which work alongside civilians to help rebuild unstable nations. The U.S. currently has 25 groups spread throughout Afghanistan. They're working on just about everything.
"That's projects of helping to build schools, clinics. I'm helping to improve irrigation systems, construct roads, build government buildings," Waddoups explained.
Via satellite from Kabul, Waddoups told us about a briefing he participated in earlier today with Bush and President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, who's currently in the U.S. Bush periodically checks in to see how the PRT program is working.
"There's a lot of promise and a lot of optimism surrounding the PRTs, and he reiterated the United States' commitment to this program. President Karzai pressed him a couple of times on that and said really, we need the PRTs," Waddoups said.
Before any project begins, the PRT members meet often with local Afghan community and religious leaders, as well as citizens.
"But it's all about making sure that the priorities of the Afghan government and the people we work with are our priorities," he said.
Waddoups said despite great progress in Afghanistan, the reconstruction teams will remain there for some time. He says local citizens tell him constantly they support the work that's being done.
They say, "Please stay," according to Waddoups. "We need the United States here. We need the Americans here. Things are getting better, but we still need your help."
The American PRT members also work with teams from other countries on these projects. Reconstruction teams are also at work in Iraq, Turkey and other countries.
E-mail: kmccord@ksl.com
