A-bad revisited

Not only is that probably Alex "Prettyboy" Rodriguez's latest nickname, but it's short for Asadabad here. Since I can't bring you coverage of the latest operation down south - they wouldn't let me play this time - here is more from my time up north in Kunar a couple of months ago. After the first phase of the op with the media crews, I got them to A-bad, then immediately plotted to return to the field. It wasn't easy getting back out there, it turned out.

A-bad is one of those bases tucked in the mountains, seeming like it would be a cool retreat if not getting rocketed on a regular basis. As a matter of fact, just before we flew from there to start the op, a rocket intended for the base struck a school in town - tragically, during their recess. The despicable attack killed 11 children and wounded over a dozen others, who were rushed to the base for immediate medical attention, saving some who were in really bad shape. The medics and docs on hand were incredible that day.

So Easter morning, after getting in the previous late night, I ended up on a convoy heading to the governor's house in town. The commander of the region's provincial reconstruction team (PRT) grabbed me to discuss the ongoing operation. I was glad for the chance to not only check out another new place, but one that I'd read so much about before this deployment.

The gardens in the governor's compound give you a good idea of how different life is for the power brokers in Afghanistan, much like anywhere else for that matter. People may be living in dirt outside, but inside the pink walls, life is good. This policeman may not have been thrilled that I was taking pictures, but the AfghaniDan was packing two loaded weapons at this point, so maybe I got a free pass.

Smiles all around on the Afghan army officials in the gov's office. I found it impossible not to think of all the times an office like this, or the base for that matter, would have changed hands over the past 30 years. Afghan royalists, Afghan communists, Soviets, various warlords, Taliban and now three governors already in the current government's time. And that's just the past few decades!

I just had to include this one, not for any photographic value, but for the little chief of police in the middle. Isn't he adorable? I hope that peaked hat of his gives him the extra foot of authority he needs.

Scenes from the town...again, this is a provincial capital. Things are a little different in Kunar. It's like the Alabama of Afghanistan, not that there's anything wrong with that (I can just feel the hate mail pouring in...)




Back on the base, the big guns were active. I didn't catch them firing with my camera, but lord almighty did it shake, rattle and roll the place when they did.

Next installment: making my way back out west. Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there, by the way...especially all of you with children here. You can be proud as hell of these young soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen, as I'm sure you are. Politicians, reporters and those idiotic talking heads on the ubiquitous TV "news" programs can pontificate all they want about what's wrong here or what can't be fixed (and there is a lot of both), but the American military and our allies are busting their butts every day to improve security for the people of this war-torn place, no matter how long the changes may last.