Esercito Italiano is the Italian Army. We work closely with them at Resolute Support, and after the past few months I now have a number of Italian Army friends.
I was excited when Jason and I stumbled across a military Humvee in Rome, and quickly pointed out they were wearing the same uniform my friends in Kabul wear.
But then we kept seeing the military and the Humvees stationed in spots all around the city.
I thought about a conversation I’d had with a French friend and officer who had visited Kabul just last week to capture video for a training piece she was working on. We had joked about the fact that she was the only service member in all of Afghanistan from France and it was like coming across a unicorn.
Over a Thai dinner on base she described the French military, roughly 100,000 service members, and the challenges that they were facing. She explained how she’d joined the Navy, but then had to do her tour of duty in Paris and after that had switched over to the Army.
She explained how the military had taken a significant role in protecting the city from terrorists. I let that statement pass through my mind innocently, but now here in Rome, I’m feeling the full gravity of what she described.
At every tourist attraction, and stationed throughout the city, Italian service members stand guard and are constantly observing and watching ensuring they stay “left of bang.” Hoping to prevent “high profile attacks” like suicide bombings and vehicular slayings.
Observing these soldiers this week in Italy, hammered home for me what I already knew. This isn’t a 17-year-
long “war in Afghanistan.” This is a 17-year-long worldwide war against terrorism. Afghanistan plays a central role and our presence their (as well as in other unstable countries) prevents it from falling into a terrorist super state, a worst-case scenario.
Sure it is important to help Afghanistan grown and achieve suitable military capability, but in so much as they themselves can serve as local counter-terrorism partners in this continual fight against an evil that is so hard to understand.
