Kabul’s ‘Obama Market’ Where You Can Buy All Sorts Of US Military Goods

Published on November 15th, 2009

Your tax money at work. As to how the market gets its wares, did you ever read the book or see the movie, Catch 22, with its military entrepreneur Milo Minderbinder? Guess this is what they mean by ‘nation building.’

First came the Brezhnev Market. Then the Bush Market.

Now Afghans are beginning to call their notorious bazaar full of chow and supplies bought or stolen from the vast US military bases by the name of the current American president, a modest counterweight to his Nobel Peace Prize.
[...]
The small market, tucked behind a commercial building in the northwest side of the city, is a US taxpayer’s nightmare. [...] Inside, two assistants were stacking hundreds of bottles onto a wall of shelves full of Gatorade. Shelves on the other walls were jammed with Quaker Instant Grits, Aunt Jemima syrup, McCormick spices and the giant cans of vegetables used in chow halls.

All around were stalls offering cases of MREs (meals-ready-to-eat), new-in-the-box military cots and goods usually sold on base stores, such as American-made shampoo, military ID holders and the huge plastic jars of the food supplements used by bodybuilders.

One shop offered an expensive military-issue sleeping bag, tactical goggles like those used by US troops and a stack of plastic footlockers, including one stenciled “Campbell G Co. 10th Mtn Div.” Another had a sophisticated “red-dot” optical rifle sight of a kind often used by soldiers and contractors.
[...]
NATO officials know about the market, and an ISAF spokesman, Capt. Mike Andrews, said that if any sensitive equipment turned up for sale, security forces would take action.

17 users responded in " Kabul’s ‘Obama Market’ Where You Can Buy All Sorts Of US Military Goods "

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# 1 John E. Quantum said, on November 15th, 2009 at 6:03 am

Ah… Catch-22. I read it at the age of 12 and it warped me for life.

I wonder if they sell chocolate covered cotton at the market.

# 2 Toxic Asshead said, on November 15th, 2009 at 6:37 am

Hope and change… yeah.

# 3 highaman said, on November 15th, 2009 at 7:12 am

Wait … is this a second hand protein supplement bottle you got there?

Ahh military grade stuff at the price of stolen goods, I wish my flea market had some of these.

# 4 RTaylor said, on November 15th, 2009 at 7:31 am

Black markets are as old as war itself, part of the overhead.

# 5 Floyd said, on November 15th, 2009 at 7:33 am

From what I heard in my military days, “Minderbinder Enterprises” was active in Vietnam too. There was supposedly a pizza copter service for troops in the boonies…with a general running the business.

# 6 clancys_daddy said, on November 15th, 2009 at 7:35 am

Story as old as the military itself.

# 7 Animby said, on November 15th, 2009 at 8:20 am

I was in northern Afghanistan during the NATO bomb runs. Between bombing, the Air Force would make low altitude runs and drop pallets full of MREs (well, actually HDRs – Humanitarian Daily Ration) and others full of blankets, winter coats, tents, shoes, etc. Kids and adults alike would risk their lives to get to the drop zones first. They’d collect as much as they could and deliver it to … the local merchant who would put it up for sale.

Also, not everything comes from the Baghram BX. These merchants are making weekly (or more often) runs to Pakistan, usually Peshawar, where you can buy anything your heart desires. Campbell’s Soup? Johnny Walker? Some of which is real, much of which is counterfeit from China. Sadly, I lost it in an evacuation but, I used to have a can of Cambell’s Cream of Ministerone Soup (sic and sic, again). Never had the courage to open it and see what was inside.

And each major military force there has it’s own contracted suppliers and these suppliers all have a separate, semi-public commissary operations. After all, if you’re going to airlift a hundred cases of canned peaches, why not throw an extra ten in and sell them to the locals and/or NGOs at a 300% markup? Some of these commissaries are stocked better than your local Safeway! I know as a personal fact that at least two of these stores near Kabul were doing almost as much business out the back door as through the front.

Point being, just because it’s the same stuff being used by or made available to the military doesn’t necessarily mean your tax dollars are paying for it. Not saying that you didn’t pay for some of it, either.

# 8 Greg Allen said, on November 15th, 2009 at 8:22 am

I warned the conservatives this would happen — that these wars would become huge holes to dump out tax dollars in.

But they demanded their wars anyway: “We have to invade NOW NOW NOW!!! Don’t think!!!!!!!! (If you hesitate, you love the terrorists and hate the tropps!!!!!!) Start bombing!!!!!!!! Now NOW! NOW!! WE CAN’T WAIT!!!!!!!! WAR!! NOW!!!!!!!!”

Isn’t it interesting that they same people screaming for “War NOW!!!!!!” during the Bush administration are the same ones criticizing Obama for thoughtfully considering all our options in Afghanistan right now?

# 9 Norman Speight said, on November 15th, 2009 at 9:11 am

So How does Capt. Mike Andrews know if any stuff WILL turn up?
Does he inspect regularly? If he does, then having knowledge of stolen goods without taking action makes him rather complicit does it not?
I suppose that a foot locker, with a a serving soldiers name stencilled on it, doesn’t count as evidence?
Amazing. Capt Andrews sounds to me like a future Govt. employee, he certainly has the right credentials, Deny Deny Deny. Probably be President one day.

# 10 Faxon said, on November 15th, 2009 at 9:50 am

So what? How is this a problem? Here in the Bay Area, tons and tons of food are given out daily to Chinese People who show up in Volvos with five of them inside, and they all line up for their free bag of groceries. Then, the next day, they do the same thing at another neighborhood church (for instance, in the black ghetto of Bayview). There is a line a block long in my neighborhood, and it is 98% Chinese people who all have a very comfortable income, good homes, and free food to boot. It’s considered a part of life for them. Free white people food.

# 11 chuck said, on November 15th, 2009 at 9:58 am

As long as there’s back-room (or counter) where they’re selling pron and britney spears cds then we will win.

# 12 MikeN said, on November 15th, 2009 at 11:21 am

>Isn’t it interesting that they same people screaming for “War NOW!!!!!!” during the Bush administration are the same ones criticizing Obama for thoughtfully considering all our options in Afghanistan right now?

But it was all the people who criticized Bush for invading Iraq that assured us the real fight was in Afghanistan, and Bush was a moron for going to Iraq and ignoring the real war. As I suspected at the time, this was just convenient political posturing and lying.

As for the thoughtful consideration, Obama has had his options since August 1st. so that is 3 1/2 months that have gone by with no decision.

# 13 RTaylor said, on November 15th, 2009 at 12:37 pm

Obama is screwed no matter what he does. Afghanistan will chew up all you can throw at it. There is no battle lines, one minute a guy is holding a RPG, the next standing in a field with a hoe. Remember Vietnam? If there is another terror strike on US soil, then he failed to stamp them out there. They’ll just move into Pakistan if things do get heated. You can’t win an insurgency. It’s a chronic condition. They’ll take Pakistan down eventually.

# 14 Hope N. Change said, on November 15th, 2009 at 2:08 pm

Ummm… At lease Obama’s willing to change strategy?

before: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LsSppYxSHk
after: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhVPpnUycSk

# 15 Greg Allen said, on November 15th, 2009 at 2:41 pm

MikeN,

What posturing? Something like 90% of Americans (including a ton of liberals) supported the invasion of Afghanistan.

But Bush & Co. totally bungled it.

Now many Americans (including Republicans) are far less enthusiastic and can see no way to fix the gigantic mess that Bush created there.

This isn’t “posturing” it’s just a realistic reaction to the criminally disastrous war-time leadership of the conservatives.

# 16 soundwash said, on November 15th, 2009 at 3:34 pm

Whats the purpose of this story? this has been going on since the beginning
of time.

When i transfer from the 5 train at 125th and lex, to the lexington m101 bus, [a key "trade hub" in harlem]i get inundated with people offering me shopping bags of food from local food pantries tied to the methadone program two blocks from the station. (as well other food prgms and churches) [i'm in a wheelchair]

Street economics 101:

Offhand, a few deli’s i know of in the bronx have a “trade arrangement” with the people who get the food..

-before the food stamp program here went all electronic, food stamps “sold” on the street at “participating deli’s at 60¢ to 70¢ on the dollar.

So typically, a $10 coupon would get you $7 cash.

After electronic conversion you just “buy” some food, leave the food there and get your change..

With the food pantries, the exchange rate is closer to 40¢-50¢ on the dollar and not as many deli “participate” unless you bring *a lot* of food.

This is rectified by making rounds with a shopping cart to 5-7 or more pantries throughout the day.

This I’ve know about since I was a teenager, -and that would be the 1970’s.

So… don’t be too angry with your “tax dollars” being erroneously spent. This sort of thing has been going *everywhere* since the dawn of time.

“Food Aid” in the U.S. (and obviously elsewhere) is just as big a racket as the military and drug business. (really one and the same)

Also…when you hear of the “poor and starving” people here in the states, remember this: Only an absolute moron (currently) will starve here in the states, -barring some so called “natural disaster”.

This is absolutely a fact in big cities.

Anyone who is plugged into or works for, government subsidized *anything* knows all about the massive “profits” to be made by staying plugged in.

My advice, never donate to a large charity.. your throwing your money away. -they’re all scams.

Only donate to extremely local organizations that you know *serve and stay in your local community*

There are always exceptions to the rule, but during “normal economic conditions” **always** keep your charity local.

-s

# 17 Angry said, on November 15th, 2009 at 10:18 pm

Do they sell the Obama Chia pet? HAR!

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