Tim McGirk, you ruiner-

13 April: Time Magazine publishes an article written by Tim McGirk about the “manic craziness” of Kabul’s nightlife, patronized, according to him, by spies and mercenaries who make an excess of $100,000 to blow on hookers and booze. You can review the article online, Kabul Nightlife: Thriving in Between Bombs, and read about what a …

Conversations in Afghanistan

At a business appointment in Kabul, 30 March- CT: Would either of you like some hash? Me: No…no thanks. You know, I don’t want to do anything that would interfere with my ability to run away from something. CT: You’d be surprised how the adrenaline kicks in. Anyway, sometimes it’s about knowing when to run …

A little flashback-

Day Zero (2 Feb 2010 or somewhere around there): My Afghan visa arrives in the mail. I’m mystified that these things just get handed out. Day One: I take a leave of absence from grad school. Day Two: I solidify the lying process to my parents and several others to protect them from my new …