Clearly one of us didn't understand the response, and having read it again, I still dont

Thanks! I work in self-driving military vehicles, and this just shows how challenging that will be in the wild. (a self-driving car would be like a lamb to the slaughter for most of the stuff you were worried about, except loss of life).

Never (you know that) but I had more excitement driving on the highway here last night what with the accidents ' car fires and shootings.

Thanks for sharing, Steve!

I always liked seeing the perspective of someone on the ground versus what I was seeing at 300 feet AGL and 135 knots (KIAS). It may appear boring to the layperson, but I don't think that they can appreciate all that's going on while we're driving or flying. I remember wearing myself out trying to scan for every possible threat or obstacle and having the best sleep of my life when I got back to the FOB just out of shear mental exhaustion.

I love it. Always great to see other places.

I think we have an image of nothing but torn down buildings but it looks deceptively safe and "normal" which I'm sure it never did for you.

Here's what Kabul looks like from the air (helo) as you're flying into NKC.

We had a couple aerostats (giant zepplin like baloons) up with powerful camera systems on them. You could see their camera feed in our JOC. A lot of time the cameras were pointed at the girls around the pool at the US Embassy compound

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Steve

For some reason it looks bigger than I imagined and not very nice from that view. It looks like everything is packed in and not a lot of green space. I picture driving through that city in a vehicle, lots of places for bad guys to hide on roof tops and alley ways and not knowing enemy from friend. That would keep you on your toes.

Didn't the Israelis/Mossad use that tactic in Iran vs the nuclear scientists?

I've been there multiple times over the years. Driven thru Kabul multiple times over the years. In general it's pretty safe. Our main concern--when driving in our armored behemoths--was magnetic/sticky bombs place on our vehicles by someone on a moto.

Some great street food. Much like Iraq. Much like Vietnam. All the garden spots my Country has sent me. Of them all someday I'd love to take my wife back to Vietnam to see some of the things I've seen. Wonderful people. Beautiful country.

There are some places up on N Afghan I'd love to go to someday. I've only viewed them via UAV footage but it's like the Tetons or Sierra. Beautiful mountains and flowing streams. Good trout fishing

One time we zapped this really bad guy but he must have been wearing a armored vest as he lived thru the blast. We watched him for days as they loaded him up---initially on a door and later on a stretcher. It was a very impressive effort. They carried him for days towards Pakistan. We took note of where they went and who they stopped with. Just before he got back into Pakistan----zipp Missle #2. Great scenery tho.

/r

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Steve