People and Places Pics from a recent mission - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

xepherys · 02-15-2008, 08:16 AM

These are some pics I took on the mission I just got back from. Ten days in Bak District, Khost, Afghanistan. It was a pretty crazy mission. Almost got exploded twice in three days... w00t!

Anyways, what do y'all think?

Two of the SGTs in my fire team overwatching a town below.

Afghan NDS (their CIA) para-military guys doing a weapons showdown for their Commander.

Two Afghan men 'perching' on a wall. This is how the Pashtun people pretty much always sit.

A stairwell I enjoyed... looked very medieval

In Afghanistan (and Iraq I believe) they have cargo trucks called "jingle" trucks due to the chains and charms they attach on every inch of vertices that make the truck have a jingling sound as it drives. This is, as far as I can tell, their take on a jingle bicycle.

abaya · 02-15-2008, 08:24 AM

Fuckin' A... thanks for posting these, man. Amazing. The 3rd and 4th shots were my favorites... especially the Pashtuns sitting on the wall. That's National Geographic worthy, sir. The guys in the 2nd shot look damn tired...

We just watched The Kite Runner last night... gorgeous movie, perhaps better than the book. I hope Afghanistan recovers enough that I'll be able to see it myself some day. Until then, thank you for sharing with us.

xepherys · 02-15-2008, 08:27 AM

Thanks for the comments abaya.

I haven't seen The Kite Runner yet, but I did read the book when I first got here. Quite moving. As for recovering enough for Western travelers... Not anytime soon :-|

Glad you liked the stairwell shot. I wasn't really sure it was very good, I just liked it personally. Glad I'm not the only one. The Pashtuns sitting on the wall was a favorite. Originally it was just the younger guy, but as I walked over there to take the pic, the older guy climbed up to bum a smoke off the younger guy. I asked if I could take their picture and they were happy to let me. I guess they'd rather a camera pointed at them than an M4.

abaya · 02-15-2008, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xepherys

As for recovering enough for Western travelers... Not anytime soon :-|

Heh, they say similar things about Lebanon, and I've been there twice in the last few years. But yeah, I guess Afghanistan still has a very long way to go before it's even up to the place where Lebanon is, in terms of a modicum of infrastructure.

Lucifer · 02-15-2008, 09:00 AM

Incredible shots! Love the mountains in the first one and the two guys on the wall. I've always wanted to visit Afghanistan ever since I saw "Caravans" on the big screen in the late '70's and later read the great book by Michener. Hopefully the situation will improve there. If you get a chance, drop by the Kandahar Airbase and grab a cup of Tim Horton's coffee courtesy of your Canadian buddies.

Quote:

Two Afghan men 'perching' on a wall. This is how the Pashtun people pretty much always sit.

I believe this is referred to as 'hunkering down', and is the way most people squat in the third world from Arabia right across into the Pacific. Apparently, it's quite comfortable, judging by people sitting that way for hours, but try it for 5 minutes. Pain!

jewels · 02-15-2008, 11:11 AM

Those truly are amazing! I agree with Abaya, they need to be published.

Thank you so much for sharing.

xepherys · 02-15-2008, 09:56 PM

*blush* Thanks

Willravel · 02-15-2008, 10:07 PM

That first pic could be in Time magazine. Seriously.

Charlatan · 02-15-2008, 11:48 PM

Great shots, I really like the first and the third.

You've got a great eye for composition.

Plan9 · 02-16-2008, 06:47 AM

Looks familiar. Nice.

TotalMILF · 02-16-2008, 02:50 PM

Amazing, truly.

Tully Mars · 02-16-2008, 03:32 PM

Great shots. They're all great, I really liked the two men sitting and the bike. I notice the wheels are covered with "ICE world cup cricket." Wonder how many people in Afgan can read those English words?

xepherys · 02-16-2008, 07:45 PM

Tully, most of the Afghans can't read Pashtu (their own language) let alone English. *shrug*

Tully Mars · 02-16-2008, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xepherys

Tully, most of the Afghans can't read Pashtu (their own language) let alone English. *shrug*

I figured as much. I was in Kenya years back and many local housing unit (read shack/shanty) were built out of pallets and cargo boxes with logo's such as Coke, Nike etc... I met a guy who did hand wood carvings. I followed him back to his house to see some of his work. His "house" was made up of a bunch of boxes that said "Property of Nike." I said "So you live in the shoe house?" He said "why do you call it the "shoe house?" Because it says "Nike" all over it." He pointed at the writing and said this says "Nike?" "Yep." I went by the next week to pick up the elephant he carved for me and there was a Nike "swoosh" spray painted above the door.

An odd side note, as part payment I gave that guy my shoes.

bermuDa · 02-16-2008, 08:30 PM

these are excellent shots. Thanks for sharing, do post more when you have a chance

Damnfinn · 02-18-2008, 01:27 PM

Thank you for the pictures. Good Pics. Thanks for your service.

xepherys · 02-27-2008, 01:40 PM

thanks all

RonRyan85 · 02-28-2008, 02:43 PM

Great photos! We get nothing like that in our left wing Houston Chronicle
newspaper here. Nothing about your fighting over there. Some video on
TV. Most info comes from Talk Radio or FOX NEWS on TV. Wish we had
a General Patton or Goldwater or Ronald Reagan to vote for President
this November. Keep sending us the great photos.Yahoo!
Conservative in Houston,Texas

silent_jay · 02-28-2008, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonRyan85

snip.....FOX NEWS on TV

Oh jesus no

xepherys · 02-28-2008, 05:44 PM

jay prefers CNBC

silent_jay · 02-28-2008, 06:30 PM

CBC

Oh yeah, excellent pics, my buddy sent me back some from his tour in Afghanistan, looks like a beautiful country, hope to be able to travel there someday, but like you said earlier, not anytime soon, stay safe.

Tully Mars · 02-28-2008, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silent_jay

CBC

I got Star Choice when I moved to Mexico. CBC seems pretty balanced. Still have no idea how the political system works up there. But I do get more hockey jokes now.

02-15-2008, 08:16 AM	#1 (permalink)
xepherys <3 TFP Location: 17TLH2445607250	People and Places Pics from a recent mission These are some pics I took on the mission I just got back from. Ten days in Bak District, Khost, Afghanistan. It was a pretty crazy mission. Almost got exploded twice in three days... w00t! Anyways, what do y'all think? Two of the SGTs in my fire team overwatching a town below. Afghan NDS (their CIA) para-military guys doing a weapons showdown for their Commander. Two Afghan men 'perching' on a wall. This is how the Pashtun people pretty much always sit. A stairwell I enjoyed... looked very medieval In Afghanistan (and Iraq I believe) they have cargo trucks called "jingle" trucks due to the chains and charms they attach on every inch of vertices that make the truck have a jingling sound as it drives. This is, as far as I can tell, their take on a jingle bicycle. __________________ The prospect of achieving a peace agreement with the extremist group of MILF is almost impossible... -- Emmanuel Pinol, Governor of Cotobato My Homepage

02-15-2008, 08:24 AM	#2 (permalink)
abaya Location: Iceland	Fuckin' A... thanks for posting these, man. Amazing. The 3rd and 4th shots were my favorites... especially the Pashtuns sitting on the wall. That's National Geographic worthy, sir. The guys in the 2nd shot look damn tired... We just watched The Kite Runner last night... gorgeous movie, perhaps better than the book. I hope Afghanistan recovers enough that I'll be able to see it myself some day. Until then, thank you for sharing with us. __________________ And think not you can direct the course of Love; for Love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course. --Khalil Gibran

02-15-2008, 08:27 AM	#3 (permalink)
xepherys <3 TFP Location: 17TLH2445607250	Thanks for the comments abaya. I haven't seen The Kite Runner yet, but I did read the book when I first got here. Quite moving. As for recovering enough for Western travelers... Not anytime soon :-\| Glad you liked the stairwell shot. I wasn't really sure it was very good, I just liked it personally. Glad I'm not the only one. The Pashtuns sitting on the wall was a favorite. Originally it was just the younger guy, but as I walked over there to take the pic, the older guy climbed up to bum a smoke off the younger guy. I asked if I could take their picture and they were happy to let me. I guess they'd rather a camera pointed at them than an M4. __________________ The prospect of achieving a peace agreement with the extremist group of MILF is almost impossible... -- Emmanuel Pinol, Governor of Cotobato My Homepage

02-15-2008, 11:11 AM	#6 (permalink)
jewels Eponymous Location: Central Central Florida	Those truly are amazing! I agree with Abaya, they need to be published. Thank you so much for sharing. __________________ We are always more anxious to be distinguished for a talent which we do not possess, than to be praised for the fifteen which we do possess. Mark Twain

02-15-2008, 09:56 PM	#7 (permalink)
xepherys <3 TFP Location: 17TLH2445607250	blush Thanks __________________ The prospect of achieving a peace agreement with the extremist group of MILF is almost impossible... -- Emmanuel Pinol, Governor of Cotobato My Homepage

02-15-2008, 10:07 PM	#8 (permalink)
Willravel ... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.	That first pic could be in Time magazine. Seriously.

02-15-2008, 11:48 PM	#9 (permalink)
Charlatan Getting it. Super Moderator Location: Lion City	Great shots, I really like the first and the third. You've got a great eye for composition. __________________ "My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars." - Old Man Luedecke

02-16-2008, 06:47 AM	#10 (permalink)
Plan9 I Confess a Shiver	Looks familiar. Nice. __________________ *Whatever you can carry.* "You should not drink... and bake."

02-16-2008, 02:50 PM	#11 (permalink)
TotalMILF Delusional... but in a funny way Location: deeee-TROIT!!!	Amazing, truly. __________________ "I'm sorry, all I heard was blah blah blah, I'm a dirty tramp."

02-16-2008, 03:32 PM	#12 (permalink)
Tully Mars Living in a Warmer Insanity Super Moderator Location: Yucatan, Mexico	Great shots. They're all great, I really liked the two men sitting and the bike. I notice the wheels are covered with "ICE world cup cricket." Wonder how many people in Afgan can read those English words? __________________ I used to drink to drown my sorrows, but the damned things have learned how to swim- Frida Kahlo Vice President Starkizzer Fan Club

02-16-2008, 07:45 PM	#13 (permalink)
xepherys <3 TFP Location: 17TLH2445607250	Tully, most of the Afghans can't read Pashtu (their own language) let alone English. shrug __________________ The prospect of achieving a peace agreement with the extremist group of MILF is almost impossible... -- Emmanuel Pinol, Governor of Cotobato My Homepage

02-16-2008, 08:30 PM	#15 (permalink)
bermuDa don't ignore this--> Location: CA	these are excellent shots. Thanks for sharing, do post more when you have a chance __________________ I am the very model of a moderator gentleman.

02-18-2008, 01:27 PM	#16 (permalink)
Damnfinn Crazy Location: WI,U.S.A.	Thank you for the pictures. Good Pics. Thanks for your service. __________________ I was told to get a life, but all the good ones were taken.

02-27-2008, 01:40 PM	#17 (permalink)
xepherys <3 TFP Location: 17TLH2445607250	thanks all __________________ The prospect of achieving a peace agreement with the extremist group of MILF is almost impossible... -- Emmanuel Pinol, Governor of Cotobato My Homepage

02-28-2008, 02:43 PM	#18 (permalink)
RonRyan85 Insane Location: Lone Star State,USA	Great photos! We get nothing like that in our left wing Houston Chronicle newspaper here. Nothing about your fighting over there. Some video on TV. Most info comes from Talk Radio or FOX NEWS on TV. Wish we had a General Patton or Goldwater or Ronald Reagan to vote for President this November. Keep sending us the great photos.Yahoo! Conservative in Houston,Texas

02-28-2008, 05:44 PM	#20 (permalink)
xepherys <3 TFP Location: 17TLH2445607250	jay prefers CNBC __________________ The prospect of achieving a peace agreement with the extremist group of MILF is almost impossible... -- Emmanuel Pinol, Governor of Cotobato My Homepage

02-28-2008, 06:30 PM	#21 (permalink)
silent_jay Her Jay Location: Ontario for now....	CBC Oh yeah, excellent pics, my buddy sent me back some from his tour in Afghanistan, looks like a beautiful country, hope to be able to travel there someday, but like you said earlier, not anytime soon, stay safe. __________________ Absence makes the heart grow fonder Last edited by silent_jay; 02-28-2008 at 06:32 PM..