Dateline Afghanistan

By Michael BroihierSome will rejoice, others not so much, but my time as your editor has come to an end. For several reasons I have accepted a yearlong job in Afghanistan. Remuneration aside, the two main reasons I’ve decided to leave the paper are the mission and my wife’s experiences during her tour of duty in Afghanistan in 2010.My penultimate reason for taking an overseas assignment, albeit in a civilian vice uniformed role, is that the mission in Afghanistan is a worthy one. During Passover, I listened to my wife carefully explain to a reluctant relative why we are fighting in Afghanistan today. Here are the wave tops: the Afghans fought our proxy war with the Ruskies, bleeding them into submission in 1989 after a decade of brutal combat. With the Soviets evicted, we lost interest and for all intents and purposes abandoned those who’d fought for us. A short-lived government was overthrown in the early 90s and replaced by the intolerant Taliban which ruled the country by terror, allowing any radical Islamic group to call Afghanistan its home. Little attention was paid to Afghanistan until 9/11 when al-Qaida operatives planned, trained for and launched their attacks on the US from that country.The simple fact is, that if we leave Afghanistan before we have fundamentally changed the way it is governed, the Taliban or some other like-minded group will quickly return with the expected result that it would, once again, become a terrorist safe haven.  Through the selfless efforts of our servicemen and women, that has been forestalled, but after cheering from the sidelines for almost a decade, it’s time to put my money where my mouth is. I’ve argued on this page that we need to stay in Afghanistan until the mission is completed, and now I am going to go and do my small part to further that end.My second reason for taking this assignment is that there is no one’s opinion I value more highly than my spouse’s and her words, when she returned from Afghanistan 18 months ago were, “Dude, you’ve got to go!” She loved the country, the people, most of the culture and the job the Marines she served with were performing. She knew that I would like it too. We both spent most of our adult lives in the Marine Corps and the lure of travel, adventure and service to country does not lessen after retirement.I leave the paper healthy and in good hands. The Interior Journal’s parent company, Schurz Communications, has not selected a new editor yet, but have hired ace intern Katelynn Griffin to report on Lincoln County news. The same genial and efficient staff remain in place, and with Bonnie Kolasa, Gina Cooper, Nancy Leedy and Anne Montgomery performing in their usual professional manner you can be assured that the paper will continue to thrive.I would be remiss not to thank those ladies who’ve helped immeasurably as I stumbled my way through learning the duties of first reporter then editor. My thanks also go out to Publisher Scott Schurz and Executive Editor John Nelson who have never given anything less than total support to my efforts to maintain The Interior Journal’s pivotal role in the community. The list of those in the community who’ve helped me in my tenure as editor is too long to thank each individually, but you know who you are. In most cases I couldn’t have done it without you and hope you will build the same professional relationship with whomever is hired to replace me.I hope to check in from time-to-time and keep you updated as to what’s happening amongst your servicemen and women overseas which will fulfill one of my few journalistic aspirations, to sign a byline, “Afghan Bureau Chief.”It’s been a pleasure and an honor to serve as The Interior Journal’s editor and I will remember this short time and all of you fondly. Thanks, be well and stay in touch.-Ed.