The Sergeant Major: May 08 Kabul to Qalat

In early May, we travelled from Kabul all the way down to Qalat in Zabul Province. Our travels took us through 4 provinces; Kabul, Wardak, Ghazni, and Zabul. We inspected police check points and headquarters along the way.

This is the animal bazaar on the outskirts of Kabul city. They sell sheep, cattle, chickens and camels and probably other types of mystery meat.

We drove by this Kuchi settlement in Wardak Province. Yes, those are camels in the fore ground and asses in the background.

Deputy Minister Mangal talking to ANP at the Wardak Provincial Police Headquarters

Located across the street from the Wardak ANPHQ is this ANP training site built and run by the Turks. In the background, which cannot be seen is a sheep herd. During the course of our visit, the sheep found two land mines the "hard way." There is also a Turkish PRT (Provincial Reconstruction Team) located in Wardak. We were invited to eat lunch with the Turkish officials. They provided us with outstanding hospitality.

Here is a sheep herder and his flock. The expert "boxing in" of the photo on the left was done by yours truly.

"Back blast area is NOT clear!!!!" This ANP is doing the correct thing by facing out, however, he would have wiped us all out with the initial shot from his RPG.

Stopped at this green zone in southern Wardak Province. The compound in the rear has seen better days. What the Afghans forgot to tell us at the time, is this particular spot is a traditional ambush point for the Taliban. And we stopped to look at it, duh! Generally, the Afghan Taliban will try and avoid hitting us when there are civilians around. So, if you no one is around there probably will be trouble.

The Afghans are very efficient in their own special way. Yes, that is a bus loaded with people with a SUV and a shipment of tires on top. And, yes there are people riding in the SUV. It is not unusual to see people riding in the rooftop luggage racks of all types of vehicles.

This is a ANP checkpoint on Highway 1. Many of the checkpoints are really battle positions just like this one. Trenches and sand bags are the norm. The green connex in the back ground is where the police live. We call it a "Cop in the box." At least the thing gets the police out of the elements. These checkpoints are attacked regularly. We easily lose twice as many ANP as we do Afghan Army soldiers. The ANP is the front line of the fight against the insurgency.

The Taliban conduct illegal checkpoints on the highway and shake down truck drivers for cash. This is what happens when you do not pay. Moments later the Taliban re-engaged this area with small arms fire.

This is the gate between Ghazni Province and Wardak Province. It is also a ANP check point.

Here is Col. H. my Texas buddy and I in the Ghazni Provincial Governor's house. We spent the night here and much to my surprise discovered that the Ghazni Governor is from New York. He was born in Afghanistan and moved to Long Island where he owns a real estate business. He shared his Hooka Pipe with us. The Governor assured me it was only tobacco, just so ya know.

Here is one of the challenges of securing the Afghan highway system. This guy is the member of a illegal security company. These guys heist convoys of trucks and charge them for safe passage. Of course many times, you are paying them off so that THEY will leave you alone. This situation got a little tense when we pulled them over and proceeded to disarm them.

Here is an example of what a bunch of dumb asses the Taliban are. They tried to blow up a bridge that they regularly use themselves. They also tried to blow it up at the strongest point of the bridge, right where the bridge meets the ground. All they succeeded in doing is blowing a hole in the bridge. Talk about chopping your nose off despite your face.

Final destination, Qalat ANPHQ in Zabul Province. That is the Qalat fortress in the back, on the high ground.

From Qalat we turned around and went back to Kabul, and drove through a wicked dust storm. We blew through one large daisy chain IED, which luckily did not explode. We also passed the ancient walled city of Ghazni, which is the mound in the back ground.

This is one of two "Towers of Victory" just east of Ghazni. It is a minaret built in the 11th century. It was built by Sultan Masud who was the successor to his Father Mahmoud. The founder of the short lived Ghaznivid empire, which stretched from Iran to the India and places in between. Notice the burned out Soviet APC in front of the tower.

Here is another ANP checkpoint. Basically, another fortified bastion with hesco barriers and sand bags. It is built around the remains of a old compound.

The truck in the back ground is a "jingle truck", the work horse of the Afghan economy. They are usually precariously over loaded. It is not unusual to see one lying on its side along the road. They are called jingle trucks because of the decorative chains hanging from the bumpers. Obviously they "jingle" when in motion.