Afghan Water Polo Team
Besides military operations in Afghanistan, the U.S. Marines are assisting in the formation of a world-class water polo team.
Warrant officer Jeremy Piasecki, of the US marines, has been trying to assemble an Afghan water polo squad for three years, with the goal of taking a side to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.Presumably the Olympic Games will be held during a time other than Ramadan.
This represents no small challenge: Afghanistan is landlocked and is believed to have 13 swimming pools, or about one for every two million people. Swimming is prohibited during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, lest a devotee accidentally breaks his fast by swallowing water.
In any event, an Afghan sports team competing internationally could provide substantial benefit. It would enable Afghan citizens to proudly view themselves as part of a nation rather than as members of competing and often warring tribes who simply occupy a defined geographical area.
If the Afghan people learn to work together, inestimable good things are possibly achievable. Of course, with the Taliban and al-Qaeda being part of the population, maybe the simple thought of Afghans working together is a naive fantasy.
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