You Mates! Roman's Kabul Blog

[Times Roman]

I love Americans and their unbelievable lack of security UNBELIEVABLE ..... so now we (and every Tom Dick and Harry or should that be Hamed, Ali and Abdulla?) know where you live .... where your office is ...... how many and where your safe rooms are and how long they are designed to hold out for..... how long the military back up should take ......... how many vehicles and which ones are armoured and I have only looked at three photos!!!

at first when you said that mate, my nose cleared up and I took a deep breath. Yes, of course, this is a rookie mistake. But then I took pause and thought about it. And this is what I came up with:
1 - We are really of no strategic interest to the Taliban
2 - Our security is extreme, considering the circumstances. Civil uprest is primarily our biggest concern.
3 - We move compounds frequently (this compound has been active only a month and a half)
4 - There are many NGO's in the area with similar surroundings... this means a dilution of risk since breaching a specfiic compound would require a significant effort
5 - In fact, there are kidnappings, but frequently, the village elders will demand of the kidnapping parties that we be returned unharmed since we are making such a significant impact of quality of life to the average Afghani, that many of us are returned unharmed, and no ransom being paid.
6 - Taliban intellegence gathering capability is low. Extremely unlikely anything I say here will have any impact at all.

Yes, what I revealed creates risk. But so does walking in a cow pasture at night.... remember.... you could be hit by lightening!


So let me ask you, where are you in the middle east?

[Times Roman]

hahahahah I see your living in "poppy homes", its a term we gave homes like this because most are owned by druglords and leased to US company/forces. You have it made bro, living like a King compared to most people.

If you need anything let me know bro

yes, I know exactly what you are referring to about Poppy Homes... and there are many. Although we are supposed to do a back ground check on our living quarters, and our BGC came back clean, that doesn't what you say isn't true... but the reality is these building are fairly new, and what isn't new is renovated. Doubtful what you think is the case here. Poppy homes are very well known, and this compound has no such reputation

I'm not so sure I'm "living like a king" mate, mostly I feel like an inmate. Kings command. I can't make a move with out body guards all over me... different!!

Where exacly in the middle east are you?

[Twist]

This thread, and photos, are really cool. Thanks for posting this stuff bro

[Times Roman]

This thread, and photos, are really cool. Thanks for posting this stuff bro

you are welcome, mate! I do this more for myself, since I have zero social life, and really appreciate the interaction with all on the board

I'll post some more pics (link) here in a bit, so long as the russian internet connection remains stable,,, I've gotta download them to photobucket first

[Times Roman]

edited - I will post some links to pics here in a bt


just some random pics if you are interested

[Times Roman]

this is a mosque... i'm losing track of what pics I've already shared
edited

[Times Roman]

a little snow
edited

[terraj]

Got to side with Zane on this one OP.

As a non war zone contractor myself, I am under strict rules about taking photos.

Be careful man, you can also take fire from your own side in this regard.....just saying.

[paulzane]

I am in Saudi Arabia, Robert. so it is relatively safe, BUT we do have a strict no photos - no talk policy. I just wonder what your employers would think if they ever saw your postings on here!

[Times Roman]

no. absolutely no orientation from DC. Our security chief didn't mention pictures beyone don't take any near a Governmental building, ministry, or military base. Everything I learn is on my own, more or less.... some of the experienced expats here will tip me off to things.

I did a rethink and edited out some stuff. if there is a specific frame that should go, let me know.

thanks for the heads up mates!

[Matt Rock]

Many thanks for sharing TR. I was lurking when you were presenting this option/offer of emplyoment to the board. You are having some unique life experiences and it's cool having an inside look into them!

[paulzane]

I just don't want you to drop a bollock as you have only just got there!!

[Times Roman]

I just don't want you to drop a bollock as you have only just got there!!

i am taking your advice mate!

many thanks again

[Times Roman]

this should be better. going forward, anything of a sensitive nature, or if you need to ask some very specific things, we can do as a pm

http://s1111.photobucket.com/albums/...oman/Compound/

[terraj]

Good play mate^^

[Times Roman]

here is another link to a photo album if anyone is interested?


http://s1111.photobucket.com/albums/...om%20the%20AV/

[Times Roman]

this is the game I was talking about on another thread... called Playing buskashi - instead of a football, they use a dead goat (just a pic i ran across off the internet)

[Times Roman]

looks like this bloke is about to score? notice that the head is cut off?

[Times Roman]

couple shots of bourbon, a little lipstick..... what do you think lads?

[Times Roman]

traffic is crazy here! there really are no traffic laws that i can see.... with 5 million people in this city (designed for about 500,000) there are only three traffic lights, and I think I heard only one is working right now

[Times Roman]

poppy capitol of the world

[Times Roman]

wedding hall in kabul. didjya notice there are no women? the women are in another hall, seperate. I have been told severall times from a few different people that women are only for having babies.... If a bloke wants to have some fun, that's what boys are for

[Times Roman]

sitting here eating oatmeal. 2nd time today. evidently the cook gets a day off??? wtf is up with that?

[stack_it]

Hahah no cook no food? Can't you cook something up yourself?

So looks like dsm and Sholva will be headed your way to have some fun.

[Times Roman]

i can cook a little, mostly i just do the bbqing, but we haven't madeone yet, and no steaks to burn yet either. Just sitting here sipping on some bourbon... two of my boxes of alchohol were opened, bottle removed, resealed, with a nasty gram in there. But several with boxes did go through, fortunately

[SlimmerMe]

Keep "channelling" your AVY for protection.

You are in another world.

[Times Roman]

hey there you are darlin'

was wondering when you'd pop over and say hello! =)

[Times Roman]

talk to me before i crash and start dreamin of those tan lines =)

[SlimmerMe]

Start dreamin .......sweet thoughts....

[Times Roman]

aw ya big tease!

btw... went shopping today... the market is incredible!! You never know what you will find. Of course there are rugs, I was looking at one today made of silk, hand made, taking three months to produce. Fairly large, for about $1700

Now I know what a black man feels like in the states.... enter a room, and everywhere you look, all eyes are on you.... a black friend of mine made that comment to me once. I took hundreds of pictures, and it will take me a day or so to upload to photobucket. Everything is for sale...

[Times Roman]

btw... as you look through all the items they have here, if you have an interest in something, you can PM me and we can arrange for me to ship it to you

[Times Roman]

Consider how hard life must be to drive someone to do something like this......?


Saudi man dies after setting himself on fire

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – A Saudi man died after setting himself on fire in the southwestern town of Samta, local media said Saturday, in what could be the latest example of a rash of self-immolations sweeping the region following events in Tunisia.

It would be oil-rich Saudi Arabia's first such incident since an unemployed man set himself on fire in Tunisia last month protesting the economy and sparking riots which brought down the government.

Since that time there have been a wave of copycat immolations across the region, though with few fatalities.

Civil defense spokesman Capt. Yahia al-Qahtani said in a statement carried by Saudi newspapers that the man, in his sixties, set himself on fire Friday and died in the hospital.

No name or motive was given.

Saudi Grand Mufti Sheik Abdel Aziz Al Sheikh on Thursday condemned suicide even in response to harsh living conditions.

In Egypt, a 25-year-old unemployed man died in a hospital on Tuesday after setting himself on fire in the Egyptian port city of Alexandria, while three others in Cairo also attempted to set themselves on fire, but survived.

Protesters in Mauritania and Algeria have also set themselves alight in apparent attempts to copy Tunisian Mohammed Bouazizi, 26, whose self-immolation helped inspire the protests that toppled Tunisia's authoritarian president.

These incidents, though isolated, reflect the growing despair among much of the Arab public which has no real means of expressing its dissatisfaction. They are deeply symbolic means of protest in a region that has little or no tolerance for dissent.

[Public Enemy]

Hey you been to Kuwait right? I heard Kuwait City is incredible.

[SlimmerMe]

Are you feeling a bit more local? do you have a horse? could you get one if you wanted one?

[Times Roman]

nope, never been to kuwait.

and no darlin... no horses for me... the only horse I will ride is the iron variety, and that won't be happening any time soon =(

[Times Roman]

here is a link to the Chicken Street expedition. There should be a couple of hundred pics

http://s1111.photobucket.com/albums/...g%2021Jan2011/

[Times Roman]

with very limited bandwidth, this downloading to photobucket takes forever... I'm up to 150/192 pics...

[Times Roman]

remember playing I Spy with your kids?

So see if you can find the following in the shopping album....
KFC
short video
open sewers
pornogr@phy
Turbocharged Motorcycle
Old Military Compound on top of the hill
Ugly Furniture
Any Afghani that is smiling

[wmaousley]

this is the game I was talking about on another thread... called Playing buskashi - instead of a football, they use a dead goat (just a pic i ran across off the internet)

Headless Goat right?

[wmaousley]

Hey you been to Kuwait right? I heard Kuwait City is incredible.

I have lived in Kuwait for 5 years and it is not incredible.