to the wall and beyond

Dear friends and family,

It has been a busy few months. The Marine Corps had an old recruiting poster, it has a drill instructor in the face of a new recruit, it states simply “we didn’t promise you a rose garden.” Well that is very true it is what I signed on for. Now Erica and the girls, well that is another story, they have the hardest mission to support me in the defense of the nation and the national interest. It ain’t easy, taking them to the far ends of the earth, strange and exotic places like Iowa. Then moving on to the 21st centuries version of Hadrian’s wall, the Pacific rim and Okinawa. When you get here you (well I do) truly feel a connection with those ancient Roman Legionnaires who stood watch on the frontiers. Here a thin line of troops faces the uncertain world, while behind us back in the ‘empire’ all we cherish continues. Sure it sounds a bit hokey but not from out here. The sign on the wall could read ‘beyond this wall lie the barbarians’. I’m not talking about nations like China or Russia, no we have more in common with them than not. I am talking about places like Afghanistan. It is time to head out beyond the wall once again.

Afghanistan, the place were empires find their doom. Alexander did ok his subordinates held onto Afghanistan for a short while after his death, but some say his marriage to Roxanne the Afghan Princess was his undoing. Genghis Khan and his sons rolled through but did not stay long, it was considered too much of a hassle to remain. The British and Russians played their ‘great game’ over the barren wastes of this country. The only lasting thing the Afghani’s have had has been constant conflict, Kipling and Churchill both considered the Pathans, Waziris, and other tribes some of the most warlike peoples on earth. Not much has changed.

I’ll be getting the opportunity to spend some time in this unique gem of a land. It will be a challenge, one I am uniquely qualified for. The benefit of a lifetime of study, mental and physical preparation for war in all its forms. We know what doesn’t work. We know what has worked in other places. There has never been a generic prescription for war and Afghanistan is one of the most bizarre patients.

When I get my new address I will send it out. I will have email access and some phone as well. I’ve got to get out there to see the infrastructure. It is a little bit better than the old Centurion’s. I’ll be working in operations planning for the lead element of the Marines new contingent. We’ll be working in the South of the country. It’ll be cold, but I prefer this to the heat of summer. And another thing I have over the old Centurion, my boots beat his sandals hands down.

I will keep you as informed as I can, on an open source.

Until then, GO PHILLIES!! They need to close this one up before I fly out. Rain Delay...ugh.
---Karl