ABA Journal - Law News Now

Spring is in the air, the snow is melting fast, and that means time to get out of the office and visit some more PRTs.

This time we took a trip up to Regional Command North to the Swedes in the famous city of Mazar E Sharif, Balkh province and the Hungarians in Pol E Khomri, Baghlan province.

Our first stop was Mazar E Sharif PRT to visit the Swedes. We got a goood view of downtown from the SUV windows. The northern part of Afghanistan is on a plain coming down from the Hindu Kush (killer of Hindus). Mazar itself is on flat ground and the PRT is almost in the heart of downtown. We were not allowed to go see the famous Blue Mosque because it is always a prime target, although RC North is actually quite safe compared to most places I've been.

The fun thing about the Swedes is that the first thing they build on their PRT is a nordic sauna. Gotta have it! We didn't get to use it and as we were there only for a day we didn't get out on any missions for them. We spent the next day at RC North and got out a bit in one of their armored tactical vehicles for a meeting with the UN.

The next day we took a German helo flight from Mazar to Pol E Khomri which was quite thrilling. We stayed low to the ground, often only 10 feet off the deck. We climbed through the mountains to the south and dropped into valleys and fields, scattering sheep and the occasional horse as we went along. The land was virtually treeless with low stubby grass and lots of rock outcroppings. But soon it gave way to better farm land and even a highway with major power lines - almost as if we were back home in the states.

Suddenly our flares popped off. I thought for sure we were being attacked but the Germans assured me that the automatic sensors go off quite frequently sending out flares right and left. It was at least somewhat thrilling.

We finally settled down into the city of Pol E Khomri. PEK PRT is in the middle of the city near a canal and major river. There are mountains to the east and west. After our meeting they said we were going out to a ribbon cutting ceremony on a new water pump in the town. So we drove along the canal for a while to a large dam. The mullahs decided that they wanted to sacrifice a cow for us. Fun Fun! That was the first time I've ever seen an animal like that slaughtered. They just tied the poor thing up, did a long prayer, and then slit its throat. Fortunately they weren't expecting me to eat any - they gave it all to the poor. Fine with me! I had to keep from gagging.

Then they gave us shawls and hats as party favors. So I guess I'm now a member of their tribe.

After the ceremony and a meeting with the mullahs and government officials we got back in our cars (unarmoured!) and drove with the windows down through the town back to the PRT. It's supposed to be pretty safe, but last November a suicide bomber showed up at a political rally and killed something like 20 people including many children. I guess no place is really that safe.

The next day we took another long low flying helicopter ride back to Mazar for our main flight back to Kabul. This time we were flying in and out of canyons and over orchards before coming back to RC North.

I also took some pictures of the flight back to Kabul. I noticed several deep canyons, like the Grand Canyon. It would be interesting to go and explore these. You could hide the entire Taliban deep in them and no one would ever find them. The area would probably make a good national park, like Canyonlands.

Well that's it for now. As always please forward on to all my other friends and family. See you guys soon enough!

Sterling

All photos courtesy of Sterling DeRamus.