8 Mar 2007
Listening to Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and unable to dance because I’m unable to dance
Although my always updated and always running McAfee Antivirus software assures me my computer is virus-free, I have little doubt it is infected by something. It is running slowly, and my task manager is disabled. If anyone knows of an internet-available solution for such a virus/worm, please let me know. That way I can run something that actually works, as opposed to the over-priced and currently useless stuff I’m running.
Mike “Buzz” Toomer promised he’d have a post for me today. It’s currently 8:18 PM, and he’s off watching TV. If it’s not ready by the time I post this, it will have to wait until tomorrow. He says his wife is a reader now. Perhaps she can shame him into more regular participation. Nothing from Odie or Rat yet either. Hmmm. I guess they are all out starting their weekend binges.
It’s time for part 2 of our history lesson. This time I’m going to use the timeline I posted yesterday, but with each phase of history, I’ll tell Han’s story. Remember, this is history as related to me by Han. It is his view. I make no other claim than that.
WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES FOLLOW
1940 - 1973 - Zahir Shah ruled as king of Afghanistan
Han says this was a relatively peaceful time, without much fighting between the tribes. The ex-king lived in exile for many years once he was overthrown, and was still alive when the Taliban were defeated. Many Afghans were hoping the monarchy would return, but once they realized the US was pulling the strings, they knew the king would not return to power.
1973 - 1978 - Daoud Khan - Cousin of the King abolishes the monarchy, declares himself president
1979 - 1986 - Babrak Karmal rules as president, Soviet Union invades in 1979
1986 - 1992 - Dr. Najibullah takes over from Karmal - Soviets withdraw 15 Feb 1989
Han was a young boy during this period. It was peaceful in Kabul, and Han just remembers going to school, and his only worries were his classes. Even though the Soviets had invaded, things were relatively good in the capital. Maj Atabar joined the Afghan Army during this period, and he actually work in some way for Dr. Najibullah, or at least in his building. Atabar thought he was a decent ruler.
April 15th, 1992 - The Mujahideen take Kabul and liberate Afghanistan; Najibullah is protected by UN. The Mujahideen form an Islamic State and hold elections. Professor Burhannudin Rabbani takes power.
There are four major tribes in Afghanistan, and many more smaller ones. Although the factions of Mujahideen are generally divided up along tribal lines, this is not always the case. Once the Russians were defeated, a Mujahideen government was set up, but civil war would soon break out. Kabul is still untouched by combat, but not for much longer. I’ve read and been told that Kabul was a nice, modern, cosmopolitan city up until this point.
1993 - There is a civil war throughout 1993 between four main groups of fromer Mujahideen (now know as warlords); there is large scale fighting in Kabul and in the north
Han is a young teenager at this time. Combat is going on daily, and much of the combat is done with rockets. Kabul is slowly destroyed by endless fighting. Han showed me some photos of dead bodies in the streets.
“Sir, I saw these bodies. I stepped over them almost every day. We’d be in school, and alarms would go off to warn about rockets or fighting, and we’d have to run home, and there would be dead bodies in the streets.” Han speaks to me as though trying to convince me of something I won’t believe, but I have no trouble believing him. The look in his eyes as he tells me this is a combination of hopelessness and despair. I am moved by what he must have gone through, and he is seemingly desperate to finally be able to tell his story in such detail to an American. It is urgent that I understand what has happened.
1994 - The Taliban militia is formed and begin to take over the country. Two warlord factions fight against Rabbani and Masood's government; Kabul is reduced to rubble.
Han hates all the warlords. As he shows me photos of their soldiers, he tells me which tribe they are from, based on the clothes they wear. He repeatedly shows me how they look like animals, and tells me how evil they are. Whenever he shows a photo of Rabbani, he calls him names. One photo shows Rabbani and some of his cabinet praying. Han snorts.
“They will all go to Hell,” he says matter-of-factly.
By the time the Taliban advance near Kabul, the warlords pull out of the city. The capital is spared any more fighting, but the damage has been done. Almost every building is rubble. Han shows me many before-and-after pictures of buildings, including the one his father worked in. The despair in his voice makes my heart ache. He lived through the slow destruction of a lovely city, watching his own people kill each other and destroy Kabul in the process.
1996 - 2001 - Taliban militia force President Rabbani and his government out of Kabul. After the capture of Kabul, the Taliban enter the UN compound where Najibullah is being protected, drag him out, and execute him. They rule until driven out by the Northern Alliance.
Han was an older teenager during the reign of the Taliban. At first people welcomed the end to warfare, and the Taliban did not immediately implement the repressive and oppressive measures for which they are famous. One of the first shockers was the day that Han and his friend bought tickets for a soccer game in the big stadium in Kabul. He said two good teams were going to be playing, and they were excited to go and watch. But the once the game got going and all the fans had packed the stadium, the Taliban stopped the game and began a series of executions of “criminals.” According to Han, no one knew this was going to happen, and the Taliban wanted a huge crowd to see this, so that why they pulled this surprise at a big sporting event. Han had many photos of people being killed here. Men were hung from the soccer goals.
“Sir, I saw this with my own eyes!” He would repeat this over and over.
A woman was forced to kneel in the penalty area (you can clearly see the chalk lines for the soccer field). A man points a rifle at her head, and shoots her. The photo shows the bullet striking the ground in front of her as her life ends.
Another photo shows a young teenage Taliban holding s severed hand and foot, while the next photo shows the man who has just had them cut off.
Han continues to barrage me with photos of Taliban brutality, all in the name of god. As much as Han hates the Warlords, it pales compared to his feelings towards the Taliban. My mind reels as he tells me story after story of their hatefulness. I see a photo of a man and woman being stoned to death for having sex. Men are pulled from cars and buses, and their hair forcefully cut if it isn’t short enough. A woman is beaten with a stick for showing her face. On and on it goes.
Han experienced many inspections by the Taliban while in school. They would come in and forcefully cut the students’ hair if it was too long. Life was an endless torment. Women could no longer work, and girls could not go to school. TV and radio were forbidden. Music was banned. Total evil reigned.
During this time the Northern Alliance was formed, which was essentially the warlords, now united. They were forced into the northeast corner of the country, and as the Taliban passed through the northern cities, they would loot and pillage, and many villages and towns were completely destroyed. However, once 9/11 occurred, and the Taliban continued to harbor terrorists, the US backed the Northern Alliance, and they marched back south and regained control of the country. Many of the leaders are in key government posts today, and many of them still have their own private armies, er, security forces.
That’s it for today. I’ll see if I can find some of the photos Han showed me.
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Care Packages
No packages today, which is probably just as well, as we need time to eat all the goodies we’ve gotten the last few days. Hamid was wolfing down snickerdoodles, and is most thankful. Snickerdoodles are an important part of Hamid’s complete breakfast.
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Blog Watch
Here is an excellent article about Rambo in the Christian Science Monitor
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0308/p01s02-wosc.html
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The William Arkin Obscene Amenity of the Day
(Named for William Arkin, the blogger who thinks the military is made up of mercenaries with too many amenities). Don’t be a stranger, Bill.
Today’s amenity comes from Leta Carruth, whose care package of blonde brownies is doing me in. Did you know brownies and coffee are an important part of a complete breakfast? In my case, the only part of a complete breakfast. Anyhow, here’s Leta:
Both have been on year-long deployments. One is enlisted. One is an officer. Both told stories about being at both Bagram and Manas having (in my words) to beg for flights home. I guess I'll never understand why the military (Army? since they are both Army) can't plan flights better.
So, they get to Bagram or Manas - schlep their bags (ALL OF THEM) to the airfield to find out flight information/get put on the list/whatever you guys have to do, wait and wait and wait for the flight only to find out they don't make it. Find out the time of the next flight then schlep the bags back to "wherever" to get 2, 4, 5 hours of sleep only to do it all over again. In the case of the enlisted guy at one of the airports (not sure if it was Bagram or Manas) they kept his bags and he had to find a cot and a blanket to use for sleeping for SEVERAL days. Doug, that's just inhumane and WRONG. Anyway, I'm sure you know or are aware of this drill better than I but it is definitely an "amenity" on my list.
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Five Seconds of Fame
Yesterday’s quote , “How many weapons you plan on bringing? You only got the two arms” was from Serenity, the movie based on the terrific TV show Firefly. And as an aside, two of my foster dogs were named Zoe and Serenity. You folks from Pap 911 will remember them. Now you know where I got the names.
Today’s winners of five scrumptious seconds of world-wide fame include TSgt Paris from a few huts down, Pam Sande, and Lorrie Cramer, and new winner LT Sean Marvin, US Navy. Always glad to have a new military reader!
Remember, you too can be famous. Just identify the quote and send me an e-mail. You can also send a photo of your choice to be posted. In fact, here’s one of TSgt Paris wishing it wasn’t his turn to wash the vehicles:
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Quote of the Day:
"Some of you will flunk out of basic training, and you will be buried with full military honors.” My friend Matthew said he thought of this quote every day I was training at Fort Sill. It’s tough and obscure, but oh so good. It is from a science fiction book. Bonus fame if you get it.
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I’m grateful I never had to experience what Han did.
- Bear
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Here’s Rat.
Today was day spent getting things prepared for training and meeting the American mentors that will be providing me with their Afghan Officers to train. Since the religious holiday is Friday, they tend to only work half days on Thursday. The reason I bring this up is to tell you about what these enterprising individuals do to pass the time on a
remote Forward Operating Base. You have to understand this place is about the size of a high school football stadium. There is very little in the way of recreation facilities to speak of. They do have a small gym, and depending on the time, you get there is can be pretty packed. Some people will spend the time doing college classes on line,
one of the few things allowed on government computers, and others will watch movies on their laptops, many for the 4th or 5th time. Or some, like myself, deployed with their X-box or Playstation and use that to entertain themselves as well. I spend most of my time playing Tiger Woods Golf, and we have even built our characters to look us, the
resemblance is frightening.
They have also managed to put together a Texas Hold'em tournament each week, and they have had companies donate t-shirts and hats for prizes, since there is no money involved. Each week the turn out is better than the last, and in some cases it can go on for many hours. The guys here also have a dart tournament they do each week, and it has become pretty popular. They charge a dollar to enter, and this pays for the dart boards and supplies. Today’s lasted over 4 hours before a champ was crowned. I spent my time watching and working on my training plan as each person was eliminated. The amount of testosterone present was astounding, as each player talked his trash and then had to back it up.
I have learned some new words here, but alas I cannot share them with you,
as the FCC would certainly be unhappy. All in all it was a good day, even if it did rain most of the day with snow expected tonight. Tomorrow is our day off, so I have no idea
what is in store for me, but I will keep you abreast.
Captain Doug Templeton reporting live from Gardez, Afghanistan.
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Here’s Odie
Not listening to music right now. It’s movie night in the office and we’re playing “The Beast” which is a movie about a Russian tank in Afghanistan in the 80s. The Russians are having a bad day…
This, my friends, is the Stars and Stripes newspaper. It may be missing color, but otherwise it’s identical to one you might find in Germany or England selling for a couple of dollars. How much exactly I don’t even know. Why? Because we get it absolutely FREE. I can even afford it on my AWAC salary. They’re all over the place. Sometimes you might read a couple of them a day just because you can. Living large.
I almost got outside of the wire today. There was a VCR (it means Volunteer Cultural Relations, I think) trip to a local school. I had done all the work planning and packing up the supplies for it, the trip itself is kind of like the reward for all the work. Anyway, I had a meeting and, by the time I got out, put on my IBA and forced marched out the gate to the far parking lot, they had already left. At least I got some exercise from it all and a chance to cross a crowded street a couple of times. A guy in a taxi actually sounded like he growled at me. That was a first. Of course it could mean, “Please, sir. Feel free to cross in front of my taxi.” But since I wasn’t certain, I stepped out in front of the next one and got the more universally accepted hand wave.
A friend who made it on time said it was neat and there were hundreds of kids in an itty bitty school not much bigger than a large house. If I get some pictures, I’ll share. In the mean time here a kiddo from the last time I got outside.
That’s all for today.
Cheers!
Odie
Odie, Odie, Odie - IBA, as I understand it, was NOT designed to protect your body from the perils of Afghan traffic. Did they not teach you that anywhere along the line? :) Glad you made the trek out and back to the parking lot safely but really sorry you missed the VCR outing. I've read about several of those from Soldiers who have been on them. The story itself is always inspiring and heart wrenching - the photos of the Afghan children are touching. They are so beautiful just as the photo of the little girl you shared with us. Hopefully next time you'll make it out on the trip. Looking forward to the pics from this one that you missed and to the day when these innocent children reap the benefits of a better life thanks to the efforts of what you all are doing there now along with the other NATO nations.
Ratman - please have some of the guys at Gardez go to www.anysoldier.com (which covers ALL branches of the military) and have them sign up. Then please, with their permission, let us know who they are so we can "adopt" them from here. If they would prefer not to have their names published on AWAC (with celebrity comes fame) please email me their names. And, if any of you AWAC dudes know of any troops in Ghanzi (sp?), Camp Blessing, or any of the more remote FOBs etc. please do the same. Meanwhile Ratman, continue to stay safe down there. We'll be happy to get you back "home" to Camp Phoenix.
Which brings me to Bear's post...
Yesterday one of the comments on your post "History Lesson Part 1" was left by a gentleman named Doug Kemp who wrote, in part, "Do many Afgans realize just how wealthy they could be if they had a stable society? Many Afgans appear to live +/- the poverty line, few luxuries, etc. What if they were shown just how wealthy the west has become, with our stable democratic gov. Wouldn't they want the same?" I hope he reads your post today. There are at least 2, if not 3 generations in Afghanistan who don't need to be "shown" the benefits to a stable government because they have lived under one. Those who lived in the more metropolitan areas DID understand "weath" and success. Tt may not have been a democracy like we are privileged to have but it was a stable and safe environment with much less poverty than today. Just as an earthquake, hurricane or tornado can destroy property and lives in seconds or minutes which can take years from which to recover - Afghanistan's modern day regimes and wars have torn down a nation that will take decades to rebuild both structurally and as a free and civilized nation. EVERY positive step that guys like you bring to the Afghans is but a tiny, albiet it necessary, building block in that process.
I wonder why no one has inquired as to why the interpreter's lives are in danger by working with the NATO forces as you have mentioned on more than one occassion? That, in itself, should speak volumns to the "outside" world about the struggles Afghanistan is facing as it works to rebuild a society that can stands on its own and flourish. We in American are so used to going out and "buying" whatever it is we need to "fix" something. Even after spending BILLIONS in Afghanistan we haven't been able to "fix" all of their problems. Money can only "fix" so much. And money cannot "fix" the evil people who wield their power, who oppress those who know no better. (Refer to a prior AWAC post concerning the low literacy rates and the continued power of the religious and cultural leaders - thanks Mike). Our great nation didn't build itself in 2, 5, 10, 20 years but each year progress was made towards that end. Nor did our great nation build itself, unfortunately, without loss of substantial human life.
No, no other nation came to the "rescue" of the US when we were in the national building phase but, then again, we weren't ravaged with those who had a desire to kill all of those deemed (right or wrong) as infidels. Not only is Afghanistan struggling to be a free and democractic society, they are doing so while trying to rid (and protect from further invasion) their land of those who fear freedom as a means of defeat and will go to any length to insure freedom of the masses never happens.
So, I look forward to more history lessons from Han. Hopefully HIS information will assist those who read this (including me) to understand the reality of the entire situation there and not just what the media would have us know.
Meanwhile my continued thanks to you all and your families for the great work and sacrifices you continue to contribute in order to ensure our safety and security back here in the greatest nation on earth.
Posted by: Leta | March 09, 2007 at 09:19 AM
I think the photos of Taliban brutality bring home the horror of the regime like no other media. You must post more. To me this illustrates the power of the blog and freedom of expression it brings to the writer.
Posted by: Gary Smailes | March 09, 2007 at 03:29 AM
As a matter of fact, Matthew had me reading Stainless Steel Rat years ago. I don't deserve the fame, all I ever need is Matthew..:)
Posted by: Gloria & Matthew Gauthier | March 08, 2007 at 12:26 PM