Mentally, we’re turning the corner on Afghanistan. By that I mean, we’ve made the decisions to leave, and now we’re slowly shutting down the feelings. For us Americans it’s changing from something we care about to something far off and foreign. We’ll soon be able to almost forget it, unless (as in Vietnam) there are people hanging from the helicopters as we pull out our last diplomats.
But an extraordinary, long story in today’s New York Times reminds me that it’s still on, and that our soldiers are still there. The report by Luke Mogelson has detailed, textured reporting of some of the most dangerous places and most aggressive warfare. It draws few conclusions, merely describing the fighters, the terrain, and the battles. I couldn’t put it down.
