On September 11, 2001, the lives of two boys on opposite sides of the world are changed in an instant.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Baheer, a studious Afghan teen, sees his family\u2019s life turned upside down when they lose their livelihood as war rocks the country.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n
A world away, Joe, a young American army private, has to put aside his dreams of becoming a journalist when he\u2019s shipped out to Afghanistan.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Joe\u2019s unit arrives in Baheer\u2019s town, Baheer is wary of the Americans, but sees an opportunity: Not only can he practice his English with the soldiers, his family can make money delivering their supplies. At first, Joe doesn\u2019t trust Baheer, or any of the locals, but Baheer keeps showing up. As Joe and Baheer get to know each other, to see each other as individuals, they realize they have a lot more in common than they ever could have realized. But can they get past the deep differences in their lives and beliefs to become true friends and allies?<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEnduring Freedom\u201d is a moving and enlightening novel about how ignorance can tear us apart and how education and understanding can bring us back together.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n
ARAH, AFGHANISTAN October 4, 2003<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That night, Joe and a bunch of other soldiers were gathered in the new recreation building, all with their cardboard trays from the chow hall. They sat on the floor or on upside- down buckets if they could find them, waiting for the last of the guys interested in watching the movie to get their food and join the group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An explosion rocked in from the distance like a sharp crack of thunder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The crude jokes, laughter, and stupid conversations froze silent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Joe closed his eyes and didn\u2019t move, a bite of chicken on his fork inches from his mouth. Come on. Not tonight. Can\u2019t we just watch the movie? First Squad was on Quick Reaction there were any emergencies that required a rapid response, they\u2019d call for QRF.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But nothing happened. The guys went back to talking, Joe ate that bite of chicken, and they started the movie. But just as on the screen the Rebel Alliance shut down the main reactor on the blockade runner, they heard the leaders shouting from across the PRT and radio traffic on the half dozen handhelds in the room lit up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLet\u2019s go, Del-tah!\u201d First Sergeant Dalton shouted over the radio. \u201cFull battle rattle! QRF to your vehicles!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDidn\u2019t even get to eat,\u201d Baccam said. Soldiers left their food trays on the floor and the movie still running as they sprinted out of the rec building to their stations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When a squad was on standby for QRF, they left all their gear, save for their individually assigned weapons, in the QRF Humvees. As Joe and the rest of First Squad were finishing scrambling into their armor vests, Lieutenant Riley ran up in armor and a helmet, 9-mil. strapped to his thigh. Their chief medic, Master Sergeant Dinsler, another medic named Specialist Gooding, and one of their Afghan interpreters were with him. The lieutenant pointed at the vehicles. \u201cFirst Squad! Let\u2019s go! Mount up!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Staff Sergeant Cavanaugh shouted, \u201cAlpha Team, Humvee one! Bravo Team, number two! Have your night- vision goggles ready!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Joe fought to keep his hands from shaking as he clicked the four-inch single-eye night-vision scope onto the flip- down mount on the front of his Kevlar. He was suited up, but he wasn\u2019t sure he was ready.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMove it!\u201d Sergeant Paulsen shouted. \u201cBaccam, drive. Killer on turret. Mac\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRide behind the driver and try to stay awake,\u201d Mac said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat do we got?\u201d PFC Zimmerman asked as the squad scrambled into their armored Humvees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not knowing mission details was not unusual. Their job was to provide security for the CA soldiers who would be rolling out in a small civilian SUV. The squad rarely knew why they were going somewhere or what the CA guys would be doing, only that they had to protect them and the vehicles. The system had annoyed Joe at first. The journalist in him was always hungry for information, but he was getting used to not knowing much by now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What I\u2019m not used to is scrambling to roll out on QRF after an explosion has gone off somewhere. No time to think about it now. Do your job, Killian. Move!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Joe put his foot on the front bumper and heaved himself onto the hood of Humvee two. Two steps and a jump put him on the roof of the vehicle, and then he dropped into the circle hole of a turret, leaving only the top half of his body still visible outside. He unzipped and removed the light blue nylon cover from the Mk 19 in front of him on Humvee two\u2019s roof, dropping the cover onto the empty rear passenger seat. He unslung his M16 and lowered it into the vehicle, too, before gripping the handles of the Mk 19. Ahead, Alpha Team\u2019s Humvee spit gravel, racing toward the gate, with Shockley on the .50-cal. machine gun that pointed forward. The Toyota Land Cruiser with the two medics, the Afghan interpreter, and Lieutenant Riley followed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Baccam peeled out after them. Joe pulled the turret release lever and twisted his body to rotate his Mk 19 to cover the rear, steadying himself with one hand on the gun\u2019s handle and the other on the support strut that held the turret hatch open. Down in the Humvee, Mac yanked the charging handle on top of his rifle to chamber a round. Joe flipped up the Mk 19 feed tray cover, set the chain of 40-millimeter grenades in place past the feed pawl, and slapped the cover back down, the standard posture for their missions so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cKiller,\u201d Paulsen called out. \u201cLock and load. Keep the safety on till you need to fire.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOK. Here we go,\u201d Joe whispered. The situation must be really serious if he\u2019d been ordered to chamber a round. That procedure on the Mk 19 was a bit tricky, requiring solid manpower. If a soldier didn\u2019t give it full strength, the link holding the lead grenade to the chain of grenades wouldn\u2019t break right, and the weapon would jam up. He pulled the charging handles back until the bolt locked to the rear. Then he hit the butterfly trigger, sending the bolt slamming for- ward to grab and position the lead grenade. The second pull was much harder. He yanked the charging handles with everything he had, breaking the grenade away from the others. With the bolt locked in the open position, the weapon was ready. He checked the safety switch below the trigger to make sure bumping the trigger wouldn\u2019t accidentally fire a bunch of grenades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The sun had nearly set. \u201cQuiet, everyone!\u201d Sergeant Paulsen shouted. \u201cDelta Actual, this is One, Bravo. Go ahead, over.\u201d Silence while Paulsen listened to whatever came over the net. \u201cRoger. One, Bravo out.\u201d He shouted to everyone, \u201cThe UN compound was bombed. Multiple casualties.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A fresh wave of dread hit Joe. Baheer was supposed to be helping with a delivery to the UN compound tonight. If these Taliban monsters . . . Joe shook his head. Focus. Do the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Paulsen continued. \u201cWe\u2019re gonna close the street in front of the place. Lead vehicle will stop beyond the compound, Land Cruiser will park in front, and we\u2019ll stop short of the compound. Killian, the commander doesn\u2019t want you shooting a bunch of grenades in the tight space downtown. Leave the gun ready in case the Taliban show up way down the street and we need heavy firepower. We\u2019ll all dismount and establish security perimeter. The medics may call some of us to go inside and cover them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Joe let out a long breath. That was one bit of good news in this mess. He\u2019d been wondering what he was supposed to do with a grenade-launching machine gun downtown right next to the bazaar. The Mk 19 wasn\u2019t a surgical-precision fire weapon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The convoy passed the mountain of fifty-gallon drums at Farah\u2019s main fuel distribution point, the cemetery with its crude headstones and human-shaped mounds, and the police checkpoint, and then they were onto the paved bazaar road, passing more and more people and vehicles as they went along. A few more turns and they were on the right street, with the UN compound four blocks away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bright flash. A boom! The Humvee braked hard, throwing Joe toward the front of the vehicle, his ears ringing from the explosion. His back hit the turret lid, his head snapped up, and then he bounced forward, his front armor plate crashing into the rear of his gun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSecondary explosion!\u201d Paulsen shouted. \u201cScan your sector, Killer, these guys aren\u2019t done!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As their Humvee rolled ahead again, Joe regained his footing and watched behind his convoy. More than anything, Joe wanted to turn around to see what was happening. He wanted to see if Baheer\u2019s family\u2019s jingle truck was at the UN compound. Screams. Shouting. He couldn\u2019t look. He had his sector to cover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGet ready to dismount fast!\u201d Paulsen shouted as the vehicle slowed. \u201cNow! Go!Go!Go!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Joe grabbed his M16 and was out of the turret, scrambling down. He jumped, having just missed stepping on a bloody human hand, shredded at the forearm. This can\u2019t be real, can\u2019t be happening. Focus, Joe!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ll cover down the street,\u201d Joe said, glancing to his guys so he could get his interval right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Land Rover burned in front of the UN compound, its top shredded. The explosion had collapsed part of the compound wall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Joe chambered a round in his M16, keeping the safety on. \u201cYou wanted real war, Joe?\u201d he whispered to himself. \u201cThis is too real.\u201d It was getting dark, but the burning vehicle lit the place up too bright for night vision to work, and it cast a bunch of areas in shadow, giving the enemy concealment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Joe\u2019s heart thundered through his body, his breathing came heavy, and his thoughts flew: Are they coming? When are they coming? We got no cover out here. Shoot fast if anyone makes a move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A crowd of Afghans gathered on his side of the perimeter. Joe tried to hold them back. \u201cBoro! You people gotta leave! Taliban could hit us again!\u201d Where\u2019s an interpreter when I need one? The terp they\u2019d brought with them must have gone into the compound with the medics to offer assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The problem was, this road was the center of Farah\u2019s shopping district. Joe could tell from the pointing and sacks of goods that people had been shopping and were now trapped by the soldiers\u2019 barricade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One man tried to walk through. \u201cRoad\u2019s closed! Back up!\u201d Joe hurried in front of him to push the man back. \u201cBoro!\u201d \u201cMac!\u201d Sergeant Paulsen yelled. \u201cGet inside with the medics. Got a radio?\u201d \u201cRoger that, Sergeant!\u201d Mac answered. \u201cI need help keeping these people back,\u201d Joe called to the others. A jingle truck slowed to a halt behind the crowd, engine still running. \u201cNo way that truck comes through here!\u201d Sergeant<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Paulsen shouted. \u201cShoot the tires. Shoot out the radiator. Whatever you have to do. They are not driving that thing through here. In fact we need to back that truck up. Could be loaded with explosives.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The passenger door on the jingle truck swung open, and Baheer swung out, surveying the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Joe perked up. Thank God! He\u2019s alive. \u201cThe truck\u2019s no bomb, Sergeant Paulsen,\u201d Joe shouted back to his team leader without taking his eyes off his sector. He beckoned to Baheer. \u201cCome here! I need your help. I need a terp.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI need to get home,\u201d Baheer said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Joe wanted Baheer as far from the area as possible, but without Baheer\u2019s help, even more people would be in danger. Move fast. Get all these civvies, including Baheer, out of here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCome on,\u201d said Joe, looking Baheer in the eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Baheer appeared nervous, taking in the horrible scene. Then he ducked back into the cab, and when he emerged, his head and most of his face was wrapped in a shawl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s he doing? \u201cBaheer! Help me help your people! Please. Tell them they cannot pass through here. The Taliban might attack again. If they do, people here are going to get hurt. Tell them to leave. Now. Tell them I have orders to shoot anyone who tries to come through here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Baheer made his way through the crowd to Joe\u2019s side. \u201cYou would shoot\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo, Baheer, but just tell them that to make them leave. Now translate! Hurry!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Baheer talked to the crowd. Some men argued. \u201cHey!\u201d Joe showed his rifle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Baheer kept talking. Gradually the crowd retreated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThanks, man,\u201d said Joe. \u201cCan you help out my guys on the other side of our perimeter?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLet me get my uncle out of here.\u201d Baheer ran to his truck and shouted up to the cab. The driver argued with him for a moment but then finally seemed to calm down, and the truck began a six-point turn so it could head back the way it had come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBah\u2014\u201d Joe stopped himself. Maybe Baheer doesn\u2019t want to be recognized here. Joe shouted to his squad, \u201cOur friend is coming through! He speaks English.\u201d To Baheer he added, \u201cGo quickly. Tell anyone on the other side the same thing you said here, then get home!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBale,\u201d Baheer said. \u201cHey.\u201d Joe grabbed Baheer by the shoulder. \u201cTashakor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n