Let me switch it up a bit. I told ya’ll about my homie Gabe a few months back, how he enlisted with Uncle Sam in our fucked the fucked up great war against terrorism. Gabe was just deployed to Afghanistan earlier this month. My dude just sent an email letter (gotta love technology) and I feel compelled to publish it. I ain’t even get his consent yet, so I’m hoping when he finds out, that he’s cool with this. My intent is not to glorify his experience, but to remind me, remind us all that sometimes life takes real people away from the comfy existence we have here in the states and places them in dangerous conditions, supposedly for greater good of peace and democracy for all. They hold it down while we maintain the privilege to keep on sippin on our Starbuck’s, gossip and review materials about and by our favorite celebs and carry on with mindless beef and what not. My friend Gabe Tolliver is one of those real cats living on the front lines, right now, as I type and as you read this. So from him to you, a letter from the front lines:
Greetings from Kandahar, A-Stan
Friends/Fam,
A week seems like a month here. Kandahar Airfield (KAF) is a dusty/hot place in an ongoing state of flux: construction, people and the war. Fighter jet, attack helicopters, UN relief choppers, cargo planes, private and military to and fro… I am glad it’s a NATO base but make no mistake, we are the largest presence here and the ones fitting the most of this war cost.
First night here was a mortar attack that I didn’t hear but we had to seek cover in a bunker. At that time, I was found myself in bunker outside the Dutch Bar-where non alcoholic drinks are served. It was a gaggle of us Americans/Europeans -the mood was business as usual-conversations in all languages as we awaited the sexy british vox that said “ALL CLEAR”.
My living situation at the moment sucks. Huge PT Barnum Bailey circus tent with elephant style AC hoses blasting Arctic air at night causing one to catch cold or to sleep with a hat on and in winter gear while the days are blazing, dusty hot. The dust is called “moon dust” real light and powdery. The food is not bad, there are several dining facilities that serve decent food. Then there’s those “taste of home” things like Subways, Tim Horton’s (the caffeinated crack spot) and Pizza Hut, all run out of converted 18 wheeler trailers. There’s wi fi spots and computer/game rooms. Again surreal…BTW, Iraq has better facilities. KAF has a bit to go…
We are expected to move at some point into some new digs once they are built. Since “O” (President Obama) announced this new surge, the place has become quite crowded with troops and equipment. I haven’t been able to take photos/videos yet but will in the coming days to share. We are still getting the media operations center off the ground and it’s reminiscent of being at one of those early web start ups.
The days are starting to blur, which I like but at the same time, I am remaining in the present. This is where I am for the next 51 weeks, God willing. Going outside the”wire” is still a possibility and I want to see the Afghan people, despite the threat of insurgent activity (80% of casualties are from IED’s) They are ingenious at planting homemade bombs and using all sorts of material to make them. Guerrilla Warfare in full effect. The average Afghan is caught in the middle of this sh*** and yes, there is no easy solution. “Mr. Talib”, as I call the insurgents, is running a good campaign at terrorizing the populace. As much as they claim they are fighting in the name of Islam, they, like a lot of hands here, are looking to get their cut of the poppy profit and run thangs. Throw in some warlords/drug dealers and it is all a crazy complex. Poppy is the cash king here. He who has the gold, makes the rules…so the lines are blurry. We are not going anywhere soon ;-(. The US and it’s NATO allies have too much invested here to pull out anytime soon. Again it begs the question, “At what cost?”
I am strangely calm for the most part-restless to get my side projects in effect and get settled into a routine to help make the time go away. As for going outside the wire, I walk in faith. At the end of the day-when it’s your time to go, it’s your time-no matter where you are. Being in a warzone forces one to accept and be present in the now. I’ll have some things to post once I get my private internet wi fi up and about.
I do have an Afghan cellphone. The SIM card/minutes is a big racket here. The network is not too bad. Kinda surreal to call folks from a warzone. The number is: ###############- THERE’S NO VOICE MAIL SETUP. Otherwise you can call my same cellphone ###-###-#### and leave a message that I can read on Google.
If you like writing…My address is:
Gabriel Tolliver
ABCD EFG HIJ
I will write back especially because sending mail is free ;-0
Much love to you all. I carry you in my daily meditations and feel and appreciate your prayers/thoughts.
Until next time
Gabe
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"There's A War Going On Outside" / Letters From The Front Lines9.3106
i don’t know if putting his mailing address out was the best idea. but this is a good read for those of us who have served. thanks fam.
^ Thanks for your words, point well taken. Thank you again.
God bless the men who fight for “our country”, whatever that means nowadays.
Still, utmost respect to Gabe.
Peace to Gabe, truly, motherfuck Obama and his bullshit drug war. Welcome to Vietnam you witless pawn, and the public option on health care will be where again? Oh, in Kandar, GREAT!
Question: how many nations in history have conquered Afghanistan?
CJ, you know way more than most: how much money being pissed away here could help Haiti (America’s greatest, closest shame foreign police wise) join the 21st century?
Again, this is no cut on Gabe in the least, get home soon and safe but this is a goddamn farce not any kind of “change” that I can see, let alone “believe” in.
I appreciate this read and hopefully you can continue publishing Gabe’s words from the field.
Tell Gabe we thinkin bout him at home and keep his head up. I’ll buy him a drink when he gets home.
Have to respect a man that can sit back, take in the situation at hand, comprehends the consequences and be able to understand that the honorable path he chose may not be always honorably used by others…but stands up to the task at hand anyway.
I appreciated his words and you posting his email. I pray his safe return.
I’ve made it to the end. Thanks for putting it together. Lots of things I didn’t know. BOOKMARKED!