Dominoes

"Fighting in a counterinsurgency war isn’t always sleepless cycles of constant patrols and trying to decipher incomprehensible link diagrams. There are the finer moments; moments and events whose effects on my soldiers’ morale and spirits can’t really be quantified with a pie chart or a PowerPoint slideshow. For example, after particularly grueling bursts of patrolling, I try to ensure that the platoon’s area reconnaissance missions go through Anu al-Verona’s outlying southern village. I tend to be awesome like that.

The reasons for these excursions, while transparent enough, are numerous: the chai provided by the village’s Sheik is always excellent; I’m referred to on sight as LT Talib, which appeals to both my inner and outer swashbuckler; the security plan for our stop is clear-cut and allows for minimal overwatch and maximum dismounted personnel; and, of course, the dominoes always await. Nothing bridges the gap between language and culture quite like men playing games where talking shit and showboating isn’t just encouraged, but actually ingrained into the universal rules."
Kaboom