12 Nov 2006
My job in Afghanistan is working at an Afghan Transportation Unit called the Central Movements Agency (CMA). I am assigned here, along with twelve other Americans and a growing number of Afghan military and some civilians. Our job is to help this unit become self-sufficient and operate without our help. The Commander is Col Rasoul, an honest and competent officer in a country where those qualities are hard to find. Due in large part to his leadership, CMA is an excellent unit.
But we got sad news recently. Both Col Rasoul and Col Raheim, the Director of Operations are being transferred. Both are leaving today. I can’t really comment on this, other than CMA will suffer heavily by losing both these key people at the same time. Some people are, in my humble opinion, making a big mistake. But I could be wrong. It’s just my opinion.
Col Atabar, the Director of Logistics and a good friend of mine, was also being looked at for a transfer, but it seems he will be staying for a while. He has enough other sources of income that he can retire if they try to move him. I asked him if he and his friends and family followed the US elections (yes) and if they were worried we might pull out of Afghanistan now that the Democrats controlled the house and senate. He gave me a big smile and held both thumps up.
“America will not leave us. We are not worried.”
Neither Maj Apple (my boss) nor I smiled. We both knew better. America has pulled out of countries before (rightly or wrongly) and I have little doubt it could happen here too. I sure hope it doesn’t. But this was turning out to be a depressing day.
When we put on our armor and left the building, Col Rasoul was standing there to say goodbye. After Maj Apple and he said their goodbyes, I shook his hand and hugged him, and we spoke briefly. He thanked me for all I had done for CMA, not for him, but for his people and for Afghanistan. I told him I would miss him, I loved Afghanistan, and I hoped it would always be free. I was glad I had my sunglasses on, because my eyes were getting misty. We shook hands and hugged again, and I headed off to the vehicle. Sometimes the good guys lose.