Where Have I Been?

I've been back from Afghanistan for about 6 months now. The time has shot by. But my thoughts keep returning. It's not uncommon, actually, and I wonder if it's some kind of sickness?

In any case, where I have been? Trying to get reestablished at work, to begin with. Trying to piece together relationships that probably felt abandoned by friends and colleagues. Although the internet is a help, we didn't have real access during my time in Afghanistan. And I was only gone from home for about 15 months total.

I've been watching and reading the "3D" debate again--reading how swimmingly things are going in the "interagency". This completely contradicts my experiences in Afghanistan where the diplomatic and development circles hated people in uniform. Just because we wore the uniform. The hatred and tension was indescribable. I'd like to write about it, or even perhaps make a web product with interviews and short articles, perhaps video clips illustrating the hatred felt on both sides. How are we to succeed when there is this much tension and hatred? The Afghans play us against each other, too. So while the pundits back in DC make their personal fortunes talking about how great it is that the S/CRS office is up and running here in DC, there is little discussion about the embattled PRTs or civilian platforms in Afghanistan. It's ridiculous.

It feels overwhelming to read things here about how we are getting along when in reality, where it REALLY COUNTS (e.g. in Afghanistan or even in Iraq still) we are not getting along. If the taxpayer only knew.

I've been debating whether to keep this blog going, to post, think about this issue more or just move on. I am still not clear, to be honest. I have such a dirty feeling about the entire experience, I'm not sure I want to wallow in it. Then again, sometimes these fights and issues are those most worth thinking about.

So that's where I've been-- putting my life back together, doing yard work, getting in to the swing of things at work, celebrating a friend's new citizenship, going out to dinner. All these activities that I didn't get to do while I was in training and then deployed. It's a good life we lead. Deceptively good. We are priviledged people. I think I'll keep posting things and developing this blog little by little. After all, it's the community that's the prize, to paraphrase from a friend in the US Embassy in Kabul.