Originally Posted by
catfish
<this is not a zen answer. Please defer to Jundo for appropriate zenness>
I can't answer for everyone, however, many of the people I met in Afghanistan were quite happy and kind. Except in the areas that were currently experiencing heavy fighting, they seemed to go about life as usual. I spent many days in Afghanistan sitting under fruit trees, eating fresh fruit, drinking tea, and watching children play, talking with their fathers about the world. Life is life...even in combat zones, even when sleepy, hungry, and scared. So, I think many Afghanis would enjoy that quote especially as it applies to the farmers, stuck between foreigners (us and the taliban) fighting for power and riches, while they simply wish to happily walk their grazing sheep with their sons early in the morning.
I say metta for my friends there frequently.