Merry Christmas Afghanistan

It is what it is

Merry Christmas kid 

Here's more Magazines 

Go kill infidels 

We can turn away

But they won't go away

An old cold war chess board 

With A thirty four year checkmate 

Merry Christmas Afghanistan 

Allah's rubbish bin 

B 52'S fly by in silence 

Bombs rain down like sin 

Merry f*****g Christmas 

old Afghanistan 

Worst nine months of my life 

Playing policeman 

Author's Note

We were deployed to Afghanistan in 03, just after the initial invasion which from a military perspective was wildly successful. We were grossly under supplied thanks to the big build up for Iraq. Who ever the enemy was, they were either dead, playing local farmer or hiding in Pakistan or Iran. Our interpreter spoke Farsi, the most common of all the Persian languages which would have been Okay if it were not for the local Pashtuns who mostly spoke Pashto with a local dialect so half the time we had no clue what was up. It was freezing fucking cold in winter (coldest I've ever been in my life) We lived in plywood hooches with tar paper for insulation with old school wood burning stoves. We never engaged an enemy in any fashion. We just asked the locals questions which we rarely got answers to cause of the massive communication barrier. We searched the occasional vehicle we spotted. (The local transport of choice was Donkeys and goats) We counted the hours until the deployment was over so we could go home. As violent as Iraq was at least we were doing what we had been trained to do, engage the enemy and destroy them so we had a purpose their. Afghanistan was this weird empty void of freezing cold under supplied dysentery I've tried to blot from my memory because it was as I said in the poem, the worst nine months of my life. Freezing cold boredom wears you down in a different way than heat and moments of extreme violence does. At least the violence is exciting. Maybe you had to be there to get it. Probably. Anyway, Merry Christmas boys and girls.

Reviews

[Eric Pudalov]

Hey Rico! Excellent (and sad, and scary) poem you've written here. I read your author's note as well...I actually do understand, in a strange sense, about the "freezing cold boredom" wearing you down. I imagine it just seems to go on forever, like an interminable torture.

And not saying that I like violence, necessarily, but the action must pump you up - I would think that in that situation, you at least know what you're working toward, and are doing what you were trained to do.

I think the most interesting verse here is this one:

We can turn away
But they won't go away
An old cold war chessboard
With a thirty-four year checkmate

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you seem to be talking about the true reason behind both the 9/11 attacks and the deployment to Afghanistan. It really sounds like hell on Earth. As you said, "It is what it is."

Great poem, though. I say this a lot, but with me, at least, my greatest poetry comes out of my deepest pain. I think it's true for you as well!

[Baby Ricochet]

The 34 year reference was to the soviet invasion in 79. The Soviets were asked (more like begged) to intervene on the side of the pro soviet afgan government in a civil uprising lead by the mujjahedeen. Like every other foreign power to have ever found themselves in that region of the world they were soon bogged down by terrain, treachery and a dogmatic enemy that would rather be slaughtered than back down. Once the mujjahedeen got some backing training and weapons from the cia, particularly stinger heat seeking missiles the Soviets were caught in the afgan quagmire much like U S forces are today. Military intervention in Afghanistan can best be described as "you can't win for losing "

[Eric Pudalov]

Checkmate, indeed!

[Brave girl]

sad right,i recall...but don't you think you were too rough on the country in spicific and on the movement in general...I don't wanna talk politics here but...anyway keep on writing!

[Baby Ricochet]

Everyone has different experiences for different reasons. Thanks for stopping by Brave Girl. I appreciate it.

[Brave girl]

aw you're welcome!

[Relic]

Incredible what you had to go through. If I recall correctly, guys were sending letters home to ask relatives to get supplies for them, or was that something else? War is never pretty but that goes without saying. I don't like government or armchair generals. I don't like hearing about American guys dying overseas. I don't like any of it. I'm not informed enough to even give a review on this but your experience and memories bring a horrible situation to life in a way no one else on WC can. Excellent writing Ric.

[Baby Ricochet]

We were always begging for care packages from home. Baby wipes, batteries, Bic lighters and that's just the B's

[MsJewel]

There is so much emotion in your writing. Thankfully you are home safe. I know this is a horrific memory for you - you have expressed your pain and anger well.

:) Julie

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you Jewel

[Harrisen Viator]

Yeah I can feel your frustration and anger in this piece. I do believe are soldiers need to be here in America, so based off of your inspiration for this poem, maybe you could write something to spark change in that direction. Just an idea, but other than that good poem, I'm sorry for what you went through and thank you for doing your duty.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you Harrison

[Inda]

Strong stuff, fantastic write.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you inda

[Cody Williams]

A sad write indeed! Very moving! Thanks for sharing it!

-CW

[Baby Ricochet]

thanks for reading Cody

[s y e]

I don't think people properly realise what war is exactly; how dangerous and what they expect of soliders... this is a sad write... to me anyway but you've written it brilliantly.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you Noodle

[Mark]

Malala is Pashtun. I'm reading her book. her village was in Pakistan though, not Afghanistan. Still, she talks a little about how the war came to them. Also a little about the Pashtun people, quick to anger and there was a lot of Hatfield/McCoy like stuff going on. It's a great book so far.

[Baby Ricochet]

Old world tribalism with new world weapons. F*****g lovely combination. Thanks for reading Mark. I appreciate it.

[Tai Ryens]

Boredom is often what leads to quite complex situations, even theorized to eventually lead to insanity in some cases. No one can bring light upon the issue of war better than someone who's experienced it. Well done, and it's a true sorrow that anybody has to go through such things.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you Tai