ONCE YOU HAVE COMMITMENT, YOU TODAY 1770 1919 1942 2008 QUOTE NEED THE DISCIPLINE AND HARD DAY IN OF THE WORK TO GET YOU THERE. British explorer Captain Sir Barton wins the Belmont World War II: The United States The Fermi Gamma-ray Space DAY HISTORY James Cook runs aground on Stakes, becoming the first horse agrees to send Lend-Lease aid to Telescope is launched into orbit. HAILE GEBRSELASSIE the Great Barrier Reef. to win the U.S. Triple Crown. the Soviet Union. MONDAY, JUNE 11, 2018

Karak Break

TOP Customers love Afghan’s flourishing convenience TWEETS4 terror tourism 01 Many western tourists visiting Afghanistan to explore its history are using social networking apps to connect and stay with Afghan hosts at no cost MOHAMED ISA bank employee called me up: “We placed a block order on your credit ow great would it have card until you make the minimum n April 19, a convoy of 100 tourists used his services Most of the Taliban The backpacking odyssey of while showing him around his Hbeen if, after Trump’s requiredA payment?” I asked him: “How Canadian officials inter- in 2013. That number dropped Couchsurfing hosts are Adams took him through parts opium fields. That evening the early departure from the much?” And he replied: “BHD 7.” I retorted: Ocepted Joshua Adams, to a mere 50 tourists in 2017. In low-ranking fighters, bored of Afghanistan where few for- host took Adams for tea with G7, the other leaders had is- “I’ll pay BHD 20 today.” He thanked me and a 24-year-old counselor for 2016, the Wild Frontiers, a Brit- with the unending war and eigners had ventured in years. two Taliban fighters in a nearby sued a statement calling for hanged up. homeless gay teenagers in To- ish adventure travel company, curious about the world be- He spent his time exploring orchard. “My host’s uncle told the Mueller investigation On the way home, I stopped by the Bank’s ronto, on a remote road in cen- canceled its “Afghan Explorer” the largely neglected heritage me they were Taliban fighters, The Author having dinner with his host in Kabul to be allowed to proceed Cash Machine to make the payment. I in- tral Afghanistan. They tracked tours because of Afghanistan’s yond. These apps give them of the country: the ruins of the and I started laughing because unimpeded?. serted my credit card and deposited the him down by following his In- weak security. a chance to meet peaceful 11th-century fortress of Bost in I thought it was a joke. Then @BillKristol cash. While I was waiting for the payment stagram account, where he had Yet amid increased violence, foreigners and engage Lashkar Gah in Helmand; the they told me he was serious,” 2012, Nenad Stojanovic, a hitch- detained him. After ascertaining those seeking sanctuary, even Survivor.” confirmation message on the screen, it had been posting images of himself Afghanistan retains a firm place them with their worldviews, 80-feet-high murals of pastel he recalled. hiker from Serbia, was alarmed his identity, they released him enemies. Unfortunately, Pashtunwali something else to say: “Your transaction drinking tea with the Taliban in on the Central Asian tourism and in some cases try to palm trees and kitschy crescent They conversed in pidgin to discover that his hosts in Her- the next morning and made up This tradition famously saved has been shattered in many Af- 02 cannot be processed. Please press Cancel.” Helmand. circuit. A largely unnoticed persuade foreigners of their moons at the Eid Gah Mosque English for several hours, as at were insurgents. “They were for the confusion by gifting him the life of Officer Marcus Luttrell, ghan communities. The country I pressed “Cancel” few times without getting Adams hadn’t travelled the culture of Western men and right to rule Afghanistan. in Kandahar. plate after plate of food was regular people I randomly met a sherwani robe and sweets. the sole survivor of a United has been plagued by violence any response. Shortly, the machine printed a 6,755 miles to Helmand to join women visiting Afghanistan to Adams was intercepted and forced upon Adams. “It was a in Herat,” he told me. “I only Most of the Taliban Couch- States Navy SEAL team ambushed since 1978. Last year, the Unit- slip that said: “Your card and cash deposited the Taliban or to volunteer in a explore its history and staying persuaded to leave Afghanistan really relaxed setting,” he said. found out that they were Tal- surfing hosts are low-ranking by Taliban fighters in 2005. Hav- ed Nations Assistance Mission were held by the machine, please contact the battle against the Islamic State. with Afghan hosts at no charge a few miles from the minaret “We mainly just talked, smoked iban after spending a night at fighters, bored with the unend- ing been wounded and left for in Afghanistan counted over Call Center.” He had gone to explore the his- using a social networking app of Jam, a fabled 12th-century and ate fruit.” He ended up stay- their place.” ing war and curious about the dead on the rugged slopes of the 10,000 civilian casualties, while Having the card and cash withheld did tory of Afghanistan, from the called Couchsurfing has come structure of exquisite brickwork ing with them for several nights, Despite his initial fears, he world beyond. These apps give Korengal Valley, Luttrell was aid- opium production reached re- not bother me much, as I know the machine empty niches of the Bamiyan into being. anywhere in the world.” and a blue-tile top soaring over free, before heading back to Ka- found his hosts “surprisingly them a chance to meet peace- ed by Pashtuns from the village cord levels. ’m extremely saddened must be checked daily for cash deposits and Buddhas to the Great Mosque Last summer in Khiva, Uz- Adams, the Danish dumpster 200 feet on the banks of the Hari bul by bus. friendly and hospitable.” They ful foreigners and engage them of Sabray, who looked after him The Taliban continues to Iand sorry that some withdrawals as well as withheld cards, if any. of Herat, famed for its exqui- bekistan, I came across a small diver and the German filmmak- River and circled by high moun- The number of these encoun- gifted him traditional Afghan with their worldviews, and in and protected him until American bomb Kabul and recently re - sentiments have been What bothered me most was the expected site tile mosaics — monuments group of Europeans sitting in the er were part of a small wave of tains in central Ghor province. ters remains vague because clothes, helped him hide his some cases try to persuade for- troops came to his rescue. jected President Ashraf Ghani’s hurt by a recent episode inconvenience of calling the Call Center. I attesting to the country’s place shadow of the great Islam-Hoja travelers who rely on the Couch- Experts consider the minaret to they rarely make it into official backpack in a sack and ad - eigners of their right to rule Af- “We did not rescue Marcus calls for political reconciliation. of Quantico. That was do not know about you, but I dread calling on the Silk Road. minaret, hoping to make it to Af- surfing app and similar social be the last standing remains of records. I spoke with 14 peo - vised him to take a particular ghanistan. for money or privileges,” said In such a grim context, these not and would never be them. These calls seem to go forever. And Tourist arrivals in Afghan- ghanistan. A Danish dumpster media sites to see Afghanistan. Firozkoh, the lost capital of the ple who had met with Taliban bus through Kandahar to avoid The Taliban Couchsurfing Mohammad Gulab, the villager bizarre encounters between the my intention. I sincere- istan have been in steady de - diver and an amateur German Kabul alone has about 1,000 Ghurid dynasty. through the app and was able being stopped by the police or community also exists partly who looked after Luttrell, in an Taliban and Westerners offer a ly apologise. I’m a proud cline ever since the bulk of NATO filmmaker secured their visas Couchsurfing hosts. Last De- A significant number of the to confirm 30 more cases. The other Taliban on his way to the because of older Afghan tra - interview with The Daily Beast. faint glimmer of hope. Indian and that will never I called the bank. It forces pulled out of the coun- and crossed the border bridge cember, I estimated that 36 per Afghans hosting the Couch - exact figure seems to be higher border with Tajikistan. ditions of hospitality, such as “By rescuing and keeping him change. surfing tourists happen to be because some of these Taliban took me 16 minutes to try in 2014. Muqim Jamshady, over the Amu Darya River into cent of visitors who had written About 50 miles from the bor- Pashtunwali, the Pashtun tribal safe for five nights in our home, (Sam Dalrymple, a student at Oxford, @priyankachopra who runs Afghan Logistics Afghanistan. “So much heritage references for their Kabul hosts members of the Taliban. Ad - had hosted Westerners before. der, policemen at a check post in code of ethics and honor. One we were only doing our cultur- worked at Turquoise Mountain, a non- finish the call. I and Tours, a travel company in and history,” the Dane told me. on the Couchsurfing site were ams’ host in Helmand revealed Few, if any, of these travelers Kunduz province mistook Sto- of its core principles dictates al obligation.” Their story was governmental organization in Kabul, inevitably had to go Kabul, told me that more than “The hospitality is better than women. himself to be a former insurgent intend to meet the Taliban. In janovic for a Taliban fighter and that one should always protect immortalised in the film “Lone Afghanistan.) through pressing 03 different numbers to navigate the Phone CIVILIAN’S TRIBUNE Banking Menu until I spoke to a “real” person to report the A cloud that won’t fade away incident. Bahrain can ear Larry Kudlow: Do For all his celebrity, Anthony Bourdain remained one of us: Bruised and battered, imperfect and hopeful Dyou know who oppos- es the @realDonaldTrump the answering machine messages are irri- Administration’s steel tar- tating. I am sure you heard this one before: become region’s famous and seemingly unapproacha- Mr Bourdain’s writing was important, he always said that. The iffs on Canada? American “Your call is important to us, please continue ble he became in the world, he was al- so good that it was easy spaces are hot and cramped, people’s steel companies & steel to hold for the next available representative.” ways one of us. He was a cook at heart. not to dwell on the abuses movements quick and awkward, the workers. The very industry Now, I only call Service Centers when I am education hub In his writing, he ripped open the pressure constant and severe. The you are purportedly help- driving around or when I am buying bread glossy facade of the celebrity chef, and mental health issues restaurant kitchen resembles a war ing opposes these tariffs from the local bakery not to waste my time. which in the early 2000s was still implicit in his stories, but zone more than a professional work on Canada. Why? Because I called the Bank. It took me 16 minutes to new and shiny, exposing the often they were always there. environment. they know a trade war finish the call. I inevitably had to go through DANIEL PATTERSON unsavory realities of the trade that One of his strengths was For so many cooks grinding it out hurts America. pressing different numbers to navigate the lurked beneath. Inspired by Hunter his restlessness and his day after day, we looked up to Mr @tedlieu Phone Banking Menu until I spoke to a “real” was introduced to Anthony Bour- S Thompson and gonzo journalism, openness to new ideas. Bourdain as the one who succeeded person to report the incident. The repre- dain in 1999, at dinner at the home Mr Bourdain’s writing was direct, against the odds, which makes his sentative was professional and courteous in Iof the author Paula Wolfert. Not often brutal and always from an in- suicide even more devastating. As a her dealing but she told me I had to visit the him, exactly, but his writing. It was sider’s perspective. If it was shocking friend asked me this morning, “If he 04 Bank’s Branch to get my card back. In essence, late in the meal, the table covered to people who knew restaurants only can’t make it, with everything he’s more inconvenience to me – the customer. with empty plates and wine bottles, as diners, it was honest and revealing accomplished, what chance do we I visited the Branch. Collected my service when Ms. Wolfert suddenly jumped and brave to those of us who knew have?” token. It was 108. I thought: “Let’s see how up and ran out of the room. She re- the other side. He was a celebrity who seemed like long before I finish, there were 11 customers turned with the current copy of The The legacy he left behind is vast. one of us, which is increasingly rare ahead of me.” After 70 minutes, it was my New Yorker and started reading out The compassionate skepticism with in our era of plasticised heroes. His turn. I informed the staff about my card. He Anthony Bourdain working on a special dish at one of his shows. loud from his now-legendary story which Mr Bourdain viewed the world new ideas, even when that meant ad- popularity was always rooted in his fetched it in minutes. In total, I spent almost “Don’t Eat Before Reading This,” in has now become standard in food mitting that his old ideas were wrong. relatability, his humanness and im- am not supporting any two hours driving and waiting in the bank. which he detailed the realities of a writing. As his celebrity grew, he cre- In recent months he spoke loudly and perfections. Mr. Bourdain celebrated Iteam in the World Cup I will not call this a waste of time because I professional kitchen with gallows ated television shows that invited our stories in all of their complex and confidence we were all damaged, frequently about the gender inequi- life for what it is, a wondrous but diffi- as my team is not there. was listening to a motivational speech and ahrain has all the capacity to become the educational humor and scientific precision. It was viewers to explore the world through humanity. He made cooks feel proud the cracks beneath the surface leaking ties and discrimination that still exist cult and often lonely journey: “As you I will choose a favourite this incident inspired writing this column hub of the region. Its diverse culture will attract stu- electric. No one on the inside had ever his eyes, with the same openness and of who we are and what we do. the sadness and loneliness that prob- in professional kitchens. He criticised move through this life and this world team on a game to game and two more to come! Bdents from different parts of the world to come here and written about professional kitchens in curiosity as he did. But more than As much as he humanised the peo- ably drew us to cooking in the first chefs accused of sexual harassment you change things slightly, you leave basis but, most of all, I My question to the bank is: Why do I have pursue their education. The government should considering such an honest and open way. anything, he left his mark on cooks. ple working in kitchens, he also made place. Kitchens were places where and took responsibility for his own marks behind, however small. And want to see the beautiful to go through all of this inconvenience, why opening more universities, mainly technical and medical. As That article and the man who wrote At a time when we were just be- their lives seem somehow enviable. we could find others who shared our words. In December he wrote, “To in return, life — and travel — leaves game being played well. don’t you send me the card withheld by of now, brilliant students are going either to Europe or the US it changed everything — for readers ginning to emerge from the shadows, His early writing unintentionally experiences. Where we could hide. the extent which my work in ‘Kitchen marks on you. Most of the time, those @TriciaMarwick the machine by courier instead? Give it a for their higher education. These days many are also going to and other writers, but even more so he shone a bright but warm light on glorified the culture of toxic mascu- Mr Bourdain’s writing was so good Confidential’ celebrated or prolonged marks — on your body or on your thought. Make it easy for me and I will love India and China. So there should be an attempt to attract these for his fellow cooks. The outpouring who we were. Misfits and outcasts. linity that existed in kitchens then, that it was easy not to dwell on the a culture that allowed the kind of gro- heart — are beautiful. Often, though, you for that. Customers’ convenience is key students. The Kingdom can also boost its private education of grief and confusion from cooks Conflicted and uncertain. Caring and and that in many ways still exists. abuses and mental health issues im- tesque behaviors we’re hearing about they hurt.” to a great service. sector to accommodate foreign students. around the world, overflowing so- generous. In kitchens in Mexico and As a teenager I worked alongside plicit in his stories, but they were all too frequently is something I think For cooks all over the world, this cial media and spilling into texts and Palestine and Copenhagen and New the macho, swaggering line cooks always there. about daily, with real remorse.” one hurts. (Mohamed Isa is an Award-Winning Speaker & Best-Selling Author. Satish Chandra emails and calls, speaks to how deeply Jersey he was there with us, some- that he described so vividly. I know One of Mr Bourdain’s strengths was Kitchens were never safe places, (Daniel Patterson is a chef and writer.) Reach him at: [email protected].) he touched our lives. No matter how times in body, always in spirit, telling that underneath that veneer of excess his restlessness and his openness to and he always knew that — and more

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