Transition

Everybody's talking about it. Big T, small t. I know, I know, they say there's a bipartisan consensus that we should be out by yesterday. But first there's got to be someone to take over, right? Transition.

Thus it was that in July, we got a start with the provinces of Bamyan, Laghman, and Panjsher, as well as the municipalities of Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif, and Lashkar Gah "transitioning" their security responsibilities from NATO to Afghan troops. At the time of the initial announcement (March), was much wringing of hands of inclusion of Lashkar Gah on the list - the thinking being that it was little more than a stunt to include a "Taliban stronghold" and nexus of the opium trade among the serene and happy areas on the list, as if to hoodwink the international community into thinking this place was actually ready.

President Karzai just upped the ante, when with some fanfare he announced ceremonies to mark the occasion: Lashkar Gah's would celebrate its ritual of taking Afghanistan back on July 21. And oh what a show - we had the ISAF Commander - John Allen - along with "my" own general, John Toolan, plus Afghan luminaries galore. Helmand Gov Mangal trotted out a NY Post front page from the bad old days ("Talislam!") as a prop for his pean to peace and progress. A heady military ceremony - featuring Marines and flowers occupying the same space - capped things off.

It all appeared a masterful spectacle, full of passion on a historic day. Some cross between participant and observer, my own experience of the whole thing though was much like what the waiter sees in the kitchen: much aimless milling around, migrations leading to dead ends, phantom "hold" rooms, an overcrowded dais. For all the confusion and speakers overshooting their allotted times though, it all ended only 15 minutes late, the strong visuals more than compensating. Me, I was glad to don my body armor and be convoyed away to the LZ for that smooth (but always adrenaline-inducing) ride back to Leatherneck on a big ol' Chinook.

Long live Helmandia!