I nearly cried (for joy) when I saw this news release from the Air Force Link. Mike S., the Captain that replaced me on the PRT last year, forwarded the link to me with a note that everything was working out nicely. Evidently so!, as the article says that the PRT now has $70 million under contract. When I arrived in March of 2007 the PRT only had about $1 million under contract (less than a dollar per-capita for Nangarhar province) with plans for perhaps anther $1.5 million over the coming years. When the 07-08 PRT crew pulled out last year we had about $20 million under contract (100% of which was directly to Afghan firms) and firm programing for another $150 million dollars in projects. And long range plans for more than $1 billion dollars in development projects. ...so to see that the PRT now has $70 million under contract is very gratifying. It means that they have turned the switch up to 'full-tilt-boogy!' and that they are continuing to think big-picture/long-range about what needs to be accomplished.
The note from my buddy also mentioned that province's southern-ring-road was now under construction. See #s 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, & 11 from this map. This is also really good, as this road is an extremely important project that will greatly improve both security and commerce in the region. This road project road hugs the base of the Tora Bora Mountain range (and borders the ever news worthy region of Waziristan....). Very very promising stuff. :)
Posted by paul at January 17, 2009 05:54 PMbtw: we started that well project too :)
Posted by: ~ Paul at January 17, 2009 07:10 PM