Here is a video series depicting a day in the life of a company of soldiers which is unlike anything you'll see on the nightly news. No gore--you never see the "enemy" the soldiers are fighting. There's also not much editorializing done within the series - viewers will come to their own conclusions.

INSIDE AFGHANISTAN WITH BEN ANDERSON

• Trailer
• Part 1 of 8: Afghanistan's National Army and their British babysitters.
• Part 2 of 8: ANA soldiers collude with the competition/enemy.
• Part 3 of 8: This guy lives for firing his RPG.
• Part 4 of 8: Bad strafe.
• Part 5 of 8: All fun and games, as usual.
• Part 6 of 8: Nothing like a little opium to get you ready for a firefight.
• Part 7 of 8: Please don't land on me.
• Part 8 of 8: And that's a wrap.

I'm left with an impression of the randomness in daily outcomes and the ultimate futility in fighting forces which so casually can say "we'll fight forever" and actually mean it and deliver.

A tip of the hat to The Daily Digest

Update: View Part 7 of the video series, and then with that new perspective, read today's news - ‘Mistaken Identity’ Cited in 9 Afghan Deaths (Oct. 22, The New York Times)