Comments on: Entering the FOB

By: Wrld Trvlr

Wrld Trvlr — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 11:27:00 +0000

Its the Army, they don’t use common sense like the Marines, Air Force, or Navy, I lived there for 4 years and cannot believe the stupidity I was surrounded by.

By: Chase Mateusiak

Chase Mateusiak — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 02:14:00 +0000

As a US soldier, I want to make sure that the parenthetical is emphasized. Some of us, most of us I hope, are generally respectful. We are multi-lingual (often not in the right language), highly educated, and extremely curious. Not everybody, for sure. It is hard to expect low-ranking general infantry forces to be intellectuals, and cross cultural understanding requires education. How many people in any society are capable of seeing others, especially in a warzone, without prejudice? If this was a common human trait, our history wouldn’t be told largely through the wars we’ve fought with one another.
I’m making no excuse for our mistakes. But please remember, there are those of us who are not swearing or using racial slurs and who are willing to sacrifice our lives in an attempt to make life better in a place very far away from home. We were told that by doing so, our country would be safer. It’s not my place to question, but to try to do what I’m told. I sincerely hope that we are able to positively contribute to the lives of Afghans, present and future.

Ma Salaama,
US Army specialist

(By the way, I love this blog. The pictures and stories are fantastic–thank you)

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 13 May 2011 22:43:00 +0000

Right, for example Turkish soldiers walk around and shop in the markets. An aside, even Israeli troops walk around and shop in Gaza. Cooped up on bases, many American soldiers attitudes towards Afghans are akin to that of vermin. (Needless to say, not all think that way, but surprisingly many.)(Needless to say, not all think that way, but surprisingly many.)

By: Guest

Guest — Fri, 13 May 2011 22:08:00 +0000

i’ve heard horror stories about US convoys not yieldingto livestock, pedestrians, and civilian traffic. I can see how one would be reluctant to yield in certain high sress situations, but from what I hear not all coalition forces are as gun ho as and isolated from locals as US troops.

By: abeniami

abeniami — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 17:27:00 +0000

U.S. does not want to win the "hearts and minds" of the Afghan people. I think it is clear enough not only on Afghanistan's example but elsewhere U.S. conducting it's external policies.