The White House debate over Afghanistan took place as the battalion was suffering its worst casualties. The policy-wrangling directly affected these troops, but it became “white noise,” says their commander. “We knew there was a debate in Washington, but there’s always a debate.” The 17th Infantry has a history of tough fights. Its nickname, the “Buffaloes,” dates back to the Korean War, where it fought in the battle of Pork Chop Hill, a bloody push to win territory that arguably had little strategic value. But even that conflict was easier to measure than the one the Buffaloes are fighting now. “Here, it’s one small incident at a time,” says Neumann.
There’s a scraggly Christmas tree atop one of the prefabricated trailers where the soldiers of the 1-17 bunk when they’re not out on missions. It’s not a place any of us would want to spend the holidays, but in conversations with soldiers here, I didn’t hear any complaints.
In this season of peace, here’s a holiday toast to people everywhere who don’t have that blessing today.
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