My husband works for the State Department and has the opportunity to travel to Afganistan to set up a software pilot site.
Obviously, he is not as gung-ho about it as he is about his other assignment - Germany during Octoberfest. I think it would probably be a very interesting experience. However I’m not the one who will be escorted around by armed marines for my own protection. Mmmm…marines…
A-hem, sorry.
So would you do it?
Job responsibility, sure.
Just because, nah.
Well, it doesn’t even fall under job responsiblity since he can tell them to put the pilot somewhere else. I’m not sure whose idea it was to pick Afganistan or what in the world they were thinking - surprised they didn’t lobby for Iraq.
If it was just me, I would go every time. It’s a once in a lifetime experience to be able to go somewhere like that, especially during a rebuilding effort. It would be like being in Germany soon after WWII, trying to rebuild.
I don’t know that I would go if I had to take the family with me, though.
Go for it! What an adventure! I think it would be an interesting experience to find out just exactly what the “man in the street” in Afghanistan would have to say about a great many issues. I would probably ask if it would be okay to have a personal sidearm issued for the duration of the visit, but that aside, I wouldn’t be too worried about my personal safety - them Jarheads can be mean mofos when necessary.
As an example of the kind of information that you can learn when you’re “in country” - I have always thought that Edouard Shevardnadze (president of Georgia) is a good guy; you know - bringer of democracy, stabilizer of economy, beloved by his countrymen. Well, it turns out that he is reviled in his own country and considered to be a crook, as corrupt as every other politician in the region. This was a real eye-opener for me, because the western world has portrayed “Shevy” as such a great reformer.
I was in Afghanistan for a few months earlier this year. If he is attached to the embassy, you don’t have to worry too much about security. They are getting increasingly restrictive on letting staff move outside of the compound.
I think your biggest frustration might be not getting to see much of the country. Security in Kabul is pretty good, compared to the rest of the country
The best advice I can give you is to remain flexible and open minded if you go.
Have fun and if you get a chance go to a Buzkeshi game. One thing is certain, you will have a unique experience far different than Oktoberfest.
I was in Afghanistan for a few months earlier this year. If he is attached to the embassy, you don’t have to worry too much about security. They are getting increasingly restrictive on letting staff move outside of the embassy compound.
I think your biggest frustration might be not getting to see much of the country. Security in Kabul is pretty good, compared to the rest of the country
The best advice I can give you is to remain flexible and open minded if you go.
Have fun and if you get a chance go to a Buzkeshi game. One thing is certain, you will have a unique experience far different than Oktoberfest.
Hell yes, in a heartbeat, it sounds like a fascinating country from all I’ve heard. If you don’t want to go, can I?
Afghanistan? Ain’t no friggin way!
Pro:
- it would be a once-in-a-lifetime-chance to see a hotspot in person
- your security would be pretty solid
- you could be with your husband, for the solace of both of you
- it would be an experience, and adventure
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Con:
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- you’d be an additional responsiblity for your guards
- you probably wouldn’t be able to see much of the people or land firsthand
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I’d guess it’d be a toss-up, based on expectations. Me? Yeah, probably, though I’d want some tough answers on what I could do relative to making the job harder for the military. I dunno, maybe that stuff is pretty well set anyway.
Now wasn’t that helpful?
Sigh.
If I had three or more armed guards working around the clock for my personal safety I would go. I would think that would be the case if he worked for the state department.
It is really a damned shame that Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Kashmiri area cannot be at peace, because they would be and are facsinating places to go see and visit. I may go to western China and Kazakhstan next summer which is somewhat close by.
Thanks for the replies. I will forward them on to him. I doubt I will be going, and even if I did I would most likely not be able to leave the compound. I assume that they still expect women to be covered there and that would not sit well with me. The marines will just have to suffer my absence. 