Speaking of Afghanistan -- here's a phenomenal report from my friend Michael Yon. Seems that the Lithuanians are instituting their own unique form of Eastern European badassery out in the Zabul Province...
Zabul Province give high marks to the Lithuanian Special Forces, who like to ride these captured Taliban motorbikes to sneak up on, and chase Taliban fighters. The LithSof are on their way to becoming living legends: Both Afghans and Americans report that the Taliban are afraid of the Lithuanians. Stories about them are filled with dangerous escapades and humor.
Americans say that the Lithuanians are sort of a weaponized version of Borat, who think nothing of sauntering around a base in nothing but flip-flops and underwear. They look like mountain men. They never shave, sometimes dont bathe, and often roll out the gate wearing nothing but body armor and weapons. Not even a t-shirt, an American soldier told me. The Lithuanians may be a little bit nuts, but the Americans love to have them around because Lithuanians love to fight, and when you need backup, you can count on them. That contrasts starkly with many of the NATO partners. Maybe when your country spends almost a half-century with the Soviet boot on its neck, its first generation of free soldiers know what freedom is worth and that you sometimes have to fight for it.
--John Noonan
