U.S. base becomes economic lifeline for many Afghans

BAGRAM, Afghanistan -- Haggling at open-air markets -- hardly novel stuff in Afghanistan -- is an unusual event when the market is inside a U.S. military base and the buyers are American soldiers.

At a new weekly bazaar, Afghan merchants spread hand-woven rugs and jewelry on a desert field by the runway at Bagram Air Base. It's just one way the largest U.S. compound in Afghanistan is injecting cash into the war-ravaged economy.

About 600 Afghans have jobs here, as cleaners and carpenters, and as clerks at the base store, where Afghans ring up purchases of Britney Spears CDs and Rambo videos.

More than a year after U.S.-led forces routed Afghanistan's Taliban rulers, the base that was the nerve center of that campaign is now the area's largest employer.

"Everywhere we go, one of the first things village elders ask us is, 'Can you get our people jobs at Bagram?'" said Sgt. Stephen Casaceli. He said he often visits the several dozen impoverished settlements near the base, where mud-brick buildings are pocked with bullet holes.

Complaints of kickbacks

But there are complaints, including that local warlords force Afghans working at Bagram to pay them kickbacks, sometimes as much as half their earnings.

"It is very terrible," said a merchant selling jade necklaces. "But what can we do? Selling to soldiers is very good for my business. I'm happy to be here."

He declined to give his name, saying he feared retribution.

Without directly saying he was aware of the payments, Col. Roger King said he and others at Bagram often had to grapple with local customs. He said that included Afghans paying money to "regional leaders."

"We are operating within a society, so we have to kind of adapt our methods to the norms of that society. And it may not be our norms," he said.

Sarah Chayes, from the charity Afghans for a Civil Society, criticized that approach.

"The core issue in Afghanistan today is the battle between the warlord model and democratic nation building," she said. "Americans need to make every effort to nudge things in the right direction. And every effort is not being made."

Land mines also are a danger of working at Bagram, a legacy of 23 years of war. Last week, an Afghan working on a road construction crew was critically injured in a mine explosion.

'OK, OK, 10!'

But most Afghans -- who undergo rigorous background checks before being hired -- consider themselves lucky to land jobs here.

Sher Khan, 35, said he earned $1,000 a month laying roofs at the base -- more than most Afghans make in a year. Others said they made around $400 a month.

At the bazaar, several hundred soldiers browse bone-handle swords or hand-carved marble chess sets. Many are mastering the art of haggling.

As a war plane swoops in to land nearby, one soldier asks the price of a carved, blue stone rabbit, and is told it costs $40.

"Naw, I'll give you 10," answers the soldier.

"30," counters the merchant.

After two minutes, the American refuses to budge and turns to walk away.

"OK, OK, 10!" groans the merchant, chasing the soldier, waving the carving.