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By Alex Crawford, Sky Correspondent
The young American soldier at the gate at Bagram airbase was glad to see us. I got the impression he didn’t see much passing trade. The airfield base, which is about an hour’s drive from the capital Kabul, is huge and pretty much on its own.
All he had for company in the forty degree heat was two Afghan guards who were supposed to stop vehicles entering the base but weren’t allowed to do the important stuff like checking ID or actually talking to anyone who drove up. One was reading a magazine which was entitled ‘Black Men’ and had a scantily-clad woman on its front page, his rifle laid across his lap. Taliban freedom has sure brought him some rewards.
While we waited to be escorted inside by someone far more important than the gate-checker, our friendly US soldier offered to get us water and made polite chit-chat. It soon became apparent he hadn’t managed to make it off the base in the entire four months he’d been there. ‘What’s Kabul like?’ he asked, ‘I hear the women wear those dresses that cover them up completely.’ ‘Yes,’ we replied, slightly open-mouthed, ‘That’s right. They wear burqas’.
A female Sergeant turned up to help us organise how to get our huge amount of kit onto the base. ‘You!,’ she shouted to one of the Afghani guards. There was a pause. For a minute I thought she might stun us by launching into Durani or Pashto. She seemed to be struggling for the right phrase. Then it came to her. ‘Here, she said jabbing her finger at the bags and then the car, ’Bags…. Car…..Now!’ Ah, the hearts and minds campaign was kicking in.
Inside Bagram they’ve tried to make it a home from home. It’s a mini American town. There’re all manner of fast-food outlets such as Pizza Hut, Burger King, a version of KFC and a coffee bar. There’s a whole road network, a barbers and dozens of small shops even jewellery stores for the soldiers to pick up some bling for their loved ones plus a dress stall with large blue burqas hanging outside for sale as an alternative home-coming gift. But the piece de resistance was the huge gym the size of a football pitch rigged up underneath a massive concertina tent with rows and rows of running machines lined up, many of them occupied by fit looking young men and women, none of them visiting journalists.
We were just passing through en route to going to Camp Salerno in the east of the country so we were ushered through and onto the next available C-130 transporter plane.
Camp Salerno was smaller but no less plush. It had a huge gym too, plus two basketball courts. It had a cinema theatre, an internet café and coffee shop. I also spotted a small embroidery store for all your sewing needs. We were put up in the VIP tents which were eight bedded and air conditioned AND there were separate ones for men and women. The womens' was slightly untidy with clothes scattered around each bed, a few personal belongings laid on the floor and sheets thrown in a haphazard way across each bed. The mens was something else. A visiting military band was in town so the Sky cameraman Jamie Matthews and Sky producer Neville Lazarus had to share with the travelling military musicians and the inside of the tent was a riot of colour. Each bed was neatly made every morning with a gaily-coloured blanket laid out over each one. Their personal belongings were all stacked neatly on the available shelves with clocks and books beautifully arranged. You half expected to see family photos out on display too. Such pride.
Whilst many an “Odyssey” has further reaffirmed such pride symbols of state of internal as well as external matters, frontline forces during times of democracy remain the pride of many a nation.
Your culminations surrounding the “Native New Yorker” as the changing of the guard moves a step closer to peace for all, highlights the comforting note that, whilst many a barrack is otherwise dressed, discipline remains the main objective towards the achievement of success, freedom and above all the banishment of TV Licence Fees!
Posted by: Khalid 3 Sep 2007 11:31:25