"AFGHANISTAN, 1981" "THE SECOND YEAR OF THE RUSSIAN INVASION" "Spread out." "Spread out." "Move it." "Get your weapon on, Golikov." "Over here." "Kaminski." "T5447, what's your status?" "Just mopping up, sir." "Almost done." "Rejoin the column." "All units rejoin." "I got 'em." "Did you get the sheep over there?" "Let's say there's a couple left." "T5447, Roger, six." "Behind this one building...." "Sir." "Gotta shoot it?" "Give me the flamethrower." "What you got?" "There you go, sir." "Over this way." "On my way." "Golikov, come on." "I'm coming." "Bring that cyanide canister." "Where's the extra satchels?" "Bring 'em over here." "Molotov." "Look out at your sides." "There's another at your six." "Oh, my God." "I'm burning!" "Right there." "Oh, God." "I can't put it out." "I can't put it out." "You owe me one." "Get him over here." "Come on, get his arm." "Come on." "Move it!" "You son of a bitch!" "You're dead!" "Put him under the track." "Put your feet under there." "Do you want me to kick him?" "You think you can kill my friends and get away with it?" "Koverchenko, mount and crank it up." "We're gonna squash you like a grape." "Ask him where the other rebels are." "Where are the rebels?" "Mujahedeen are all around you!" "Ten Russian dogs will die for every Afghan!" "What did he say?" "He does not know, sir." "Tell them to stop." "No further!" "Let him go!" "Sherina!" "I order you away from here!" "This commander prefers bullets to words." "Go!" "Traitor!" "Tell your shit eater of a commander to let him go!" "These women, they humbly beg you for the prisoner, sir." "You tell them to watch what happens to him." "Do it." "He is to be my husband!" "No Russian will escape Afghanistan!" "Forward." "Forward!" "Allah is the only God...!" "Direction, sir?" "Right fork." "What?" "Right fork." "Sir, are you sure?" "Driver, I said, "Right fork. " Do you copy?" "Yes, sir." "T5447, do you copy?" "What's your position?" "Why can't they hear us?" "Do you copy?" "T5447, do you copy?" "T5447...." "The tank is lost." "No..." "We need help." "Hasaad!" "Taj..." "Uncle..." "Come on." "Uncle...why?" "Retaliation." "Be his mother." "Sherina." "Moustafa!" "Salaam, Taj Mohamed." "Cousin, truce." "Greetings, uncle." "Salaam, Moustafa." "I always said, have faith in Allah and keep a hidden pistol." "Every part of me screams to see your blood." "Nothing has changed between us, then." "Taj, your father would never dishonor a truce." "What do you want here?" "One of the tanks that killed your people is lost in the valley of the Jackal." "I know that valley." "It only has one way in and out." "I come to call upon your honor to avenge Afghanistan." "When Moustafa talks of honor the end of the world is at hand." "Cousin, uncle, we are tired of this ancient vendetta." "Let us take revenge together..." "We divide the booty." "I will not fight with a scavenger who picks gold from the teeth of dead Russians." "Then run to Pakistan." "I would speak with the Khan." "My father was killed." "My brother Shahzaman is now Khan." "Your brother was martyred by a Russian tank." "You are now Khan, Taj Mohamed." "Shahzaman." "My Khan, we would fight with you to avenge Shahzaman." "With this we can destroy the tank!" "I know how to work it!" "What do you say, Taj?" "Your brother did not go to Pakistan..." "He went to Paradise." "Allah..." "Give me a man to tear apart." "From this time forth I am a stone in your sling!" "Revenge!" "Sir, I can't seem to raise them." "Scared as shit!" "Come on!" "Got any of that splash on you?" "Sir." "Where the hell are we?" "I don't know, sir." "How do we get to Kandahar Road?" "I'm not sure, sir." "The Molotov took our radio out." "We get reception but no transmission, sir." "Those hills must be here." "Kandahar Road is on the other side of those hills?" "I'm not sure." "The grid coordinates are 31 degrees latitude" "Samad, you're relieved of your post." "Give the log to Koverchenko." "For what reason?" "lncompetence." "Record it." "What is my function?" "None." "Give yourself a battlefield commendation." "For what, sir?" "For trying to save those tankers." "To your post!" "Just say, "Yes, sir," and keep out of his way." "Okay." "Why did that rebel we ran over laugh at me?" "He wasn't laughing at you, he was happy." "Such men believe if they die in a Holy War, they will go to Paradise." "Do you believe that?" "After university, I'm not sure what I believe." "I need a woman!" "Maybe you'll find another sheep." "Maybe I will." "Kaminski, turn that music off." "Golikov put it on, sir." "Kaminski, you shit!" "Come here for a second." "I've got something to show you." "Crank it up!" "Gunner." "Troops on the ridge!" "Turret power." "Range." "Three-zero-zero." "At my command." "What's around?" "Get it out of here." "Ready to roll." "Driver." "Forward." "Go!" "Frag!" "Heads up, Samad." "Traversing." "Up." "Fire." "On the way." "Let's go!" "Moustafa." "You said you could kill the tank in one shot!" "Maybe it is not the will of Allah." "Or maybe you are a bad shot!" "I am Khan!" "I demand to be the one to explode the tank!" "Give me the RPG!" "Your nephew is a hothead, uncle." "Moustafa." "We all stay together!" "Taj." "Who calls himself Khan is not a Khan." "Patience, Taj." "This is your trial." "Uncle?" "It's nothing." "A scratch." "Come..." "Allah gives us tracks to follow." "Khanzaman!" "Afzal!" "Come on!" "Only one drank the water, goddamnit." "Samad!" "I told you to throw the canister far away." "They found it." "At my command, gunner." "Frag." "Move." "Move it." "Frag is up." "Fire." "On the way." "Misfire." "Go to manual." "Misfire." "Out of the tank!" "What happened?" "Misfire." "I know it's gonna blow." "The shell looked okay to me." "Samad." "Yes, sir?" "Did you touch that shell?" "Yes, sir." "I just handed it...." "I handed it to Golikov, sir." "That's all." "Misfires happen, sir." "One in every 100 rounds." "Cook-off." "It's the loader's responsibility to unload." "Golikov." "Sir, I've never handled a cook-off before." "I will do it, sir." "He doesn't know what he's doing." "Let me go in there." "All right." "Kaminski." "Sir?" "Pinpoint the Mujas." "Don't take your eyes off them." "Yes, sir." "Koverchenko." "Golikov." "Come on." "Sir, maybe I ought to do this." "What if something happens?" "Then Kaminski will have his first command." "Just tell me one thing, Koverchenko." "Why do you stick up for the Afghan?" "Because he's doing his best, sir." "That's what worries me." "You've got what it takes." "I've seen it." "Keep your head on straight." "Why don't we turn and fight the rebels?" "'Cause they could put a fucking hole right through us with that RPG." "Come on, go." "Come on." "What the hell happened?" "They're gone, sir." "Lucky bastards don't know Samad saved their lives." "I didn't do anything." "Booby trap that round." "Come on." "Driver, crank it up." "Careful." "Get us out of here." "Moving tank." "We bleed because we are weak for Russian junk." "Your mujahed has no chance to live." "Our uncle is wounded too." "Let him stay here with Noor." "My wound will heal when I see the tank explode." "We leave him food and water." "God is great." "Another grave." "The wind covers the tank tracks..." "we want to return to the village." "You have no village -- only "Badal"!" "A Holy Man." "David!" "You have come!" "Prophet Mohamed bid me build a fire to light your way." "God willing, with only a stone you will slay The Beast, David!" "What Beast?" "Goliath!" "Look Taj... tank tracks!" "Build a fire, sir?" "I'm sure you lost those Muja-fucks, sir." "Tend to the track, Kaminski." "You got it, sir." "Oh, God." "Let me hit that thing." "It is called Pakhtunali." "It's the code of honor." "Three obligations." "First, "Milmastia," hospitality." "Second, "Badal," revenge." "Third, "Nanawatai."" "The obligation to give sanctuary to all those who ask." "To all?" "All." "Even the enemy?" "All." "What if I kill your brother and you come for Badal, revenge?" "And I ask for Nanawatai?" "Then I would be obligated to feed, clothe and protect you." "That's incredibly civilized." "What is it, Nanawatai?" "Bread?" "Smells like he's been chewing on fucking buffalo shit." "When we get back, you gotta transfer out of this tank." "I'll win his respect in time." "Listen to me." "When he gets on your back there's no way to shake him." "My dear Konstantin." "I regard this abuse as the price I must pay to learn." "I love Afghanistan, but we are a flea in the tail of a bear." "We must join the 20th century." "And when Afghans accept that, I will be there." "Knowing technology and Russian." "So, you're a patriot?" "Yes." "So was that rebel." "He wanted to keep things the way they've always been." "I wish I believed in something that much." "I envy him." "Then why did you crush him?" "Because I had no choice." "You always have a choice." "Give it." "You never told me she sent nudes of herself." "Give it to me." "She's got that nympho look." "I got the half I want." "You son of a bitch." "Get the fuck off me." "What the hell is going on?" "Nothing, sir." "Thanks, Konstantin." "What is this?" "Brake fluid!" "No wonder they don't work." "It keeps me steady on the gun, sir." "I filter it through bread, and get out all the shit." "Then I put in raisins and sugar, I put it out in the sun." "It ferments in a few days." "Gets a pretty good kick." "Write him up, sir?" "Get over here." "For one mistake?" "He's the best gunner in the division." "Omit it." "It's already done, sir." "In ink." "You'd better watch your ass from now on." "Sometimes Afghan snipers pick off tank drivers." "Sometimes tank drivers pick 'em off first." "Grenade!" "Get down!" "Shit." "Don't blow it up!" "Kill the Russians underneath, not the tank!" "Grenade!" "Open the hatch." "We're getting slaughtered down here." "Open the hatch." "I'm bleeding." "Inside." "Get inside." "Get in the tank." "Hurry up!" "Koverchenko, get us the hell outta here." "Hurry up!" "We've got a fire on top." "I'm dying!" "I can't see." "I'm dying!" "Hard right!" "Gunner, traverse right, 180." "I'm dying!" "Traversing." "I can't see through the fire, sir!" "Gunner, identify." "Bead on the fire of our campsite!" "I can't get elevation." "We can detect anything in 100 meter radius." "They must have camels." "That's got to be how they're keeping up." "I can't believe how bad they want this tank." "They just keep coming." "Shut up." "How much longer do we stay here?" "Till first light when we can see where we're going." "Crack the hatch, sir?" "No." "Sir, I have to piss." "Hold it." "Do we have any water, Samad?" "All the canteens were left behind." "All the rations, too." "Great." "Your pals will feast tonight." "We don't need food and water." "We're safe in here." "My tanks have been hit by everything." "In Mongolia once...." "RPG." "Direct hit." "Commander, gunner and turret went flying." "I drove the rest of the tank back to our lines." "These tanks today are better." "Much better." "I don't think I can hold it much longer." "Sir!" "How many?" "20, 25." "They're all around us." "Battle stations!" "Wait." "I don't think they see us, the way they're moving." "They're in effective RPG range." "Gunner, troops, frag." "Frag is up, sir." "Identify." "I can't identify, it's too dark." "Go to lR." "IR is busted." "They're all around us, sir." "Stand by to traverse left, 360." "All weapons fire at my command." "Traverse." "Fire!" "Up." "Cease fire!" "All dead, sir." "Samad." "Go verify." "Move it." "Yes, sir." "Kaminski, stand down." "Koverchenko, get on the co-ax." "Set Samad in your sights." "What?" "Take him now, he's a traitor." "Are you insane?" "Your insubordination has gotten you demoted from lntelligence to Rescue Operations, to this tank." "Your next stop is prison." "With a record like that, I wouldn't disobey another order." "Take Samad, now." "No." "How many dead?" "It's deer, sir." "It's a herd of deer." "The Russian kills just to kill." "We're leaking oil, sir." "Raise the snorkel and seal the cannon." "Are we going under water?" "There are rebels behind us and they're following our tracks." "Samad, stop it." "I'm in my prayers, sir." "Get up." "Sir." "If I'm able to reconcile dialectical materialism and Allah isn't that my business?" "Why do you not trust me, sir?" "You know I'm a member of the Party." "My son is in the cultural exchange in Moscow." "Do you think I would compromise my son?" "I said, "Get up."" "See how deep the river is." "How, sir?" "Walk in it." "You don't need that." "Like ice, sir." "I didn't ask for the temperature." "Is the bottom mud or stone?" "Stone." "No!" "Why?" "I said, "Why?"" "Shut up!" "What are you doing?" "Recording, sir." "Write yourself up." "This time your insubordination's got you a court-martial." "So will killing your own men, sir!" "If you were commander, you would've done the same thing." "Samad was waiting for his chance to deliver this tank to the enemy." "But I was too smart for him." "And I didn't study philosophy." "I read your dossier, Mr. Intellectual." "What would you say your record says about you?" "That I think for myself." "You think for yourself." "When I was eight years old defending Stalingrad, I didn't think for myself." "When the Motherland asked for our lives, we gave." "My father didn't think of himself, he gave." "My mother didn't think of herself, she gave." "My brother didn't think of himself, he gave." "My comrades tied a rope around my waist and lowered me on top of Nazi tanks." "I stuffed Molotovs under turret and cannon." "And they pulled me up again." "Eight years old." "They called me Tank Boy." "I took a lot of Nazi tanks." "A lot." "Over the years, I've learned to smell a traitor." "How bad is it?" "You mean the tank?" "Konstantin, do you think he's snapped?" "What are you doing?" "What?" "You wanna be next?" "Don't be seen talking to this asshole." "How much further can we go?" "Not far enough." "We should just ditch this bitch dismantle the dosh gun, fucking walk to Kandahar Road." "What are you whispering about?" "Kaminski had an interesting idea, sir." "Ditching the tank and walking back." "He's a fucking liar, sir!" "As a man who thinks for himself, Koverchenko, what do you think?" "Well, sir, the road wheel's cracked." "Kaminski drank our brakes." "We're low on petrol." "The battery's low, we're losing oil." "If the engine heats up, it'll seize." "Terrain, obviously against us." "We have no rations." "The Mujas don't seem to need rations, petrol or anything we know of and they have an RPG." "Their aim is getting better, sir." "You admire them, don't you?" "They've got us on the run, don't they?" "What do you suggest?" "Surrender?" "Clearly, that's a direct violation of Soviet military law." "But you're all for it, aren't you?" "That's mutiny, Koverchenko." "Try it." "Kaminski, get his weapon." "Cover him." "Yes, sir." "Golikov, get some rope." "Now!" "Tie him to that rock." "Tie him to that rock." "I'll haunt you, Kaminski." "I'll be your worst nightmare." "Shut up." "You hear me?" "Be an idiot." "I don't believe this." "Hold still, asshole." "What are we doing?" "You shut up!" "He fucking stepped in this one himself." "You're a fucking lackey!" "Fuck." "Get the log book." "Yes, sir." "He doesn't have it, sir." "He must've left it in the tank." "Booby trap him." "Twisted, insane." "Don't be an idiot." "Don't move." "If you need anything just nod." "Konstantin, I'm sorry." "Anton, you're next." "Go to the tank, blow his brains out, come back and untie me." "You're next." "I can't." "You hear me?" "Anton, don't leave me here." "Don't leave." "I can't." "Untie me." "You're a good soldier." "You can be counted on when they ask you to shoot your mother." "Golikov!" "Goddamnit." "Don't leave me here, you coward." "Golikov, you fuck." "I think you did the right thing, sir." "I appreciate that, Kaminski." "I think I speak for all of us when I say that." "What he wrote in here could close doors for the rest of your lives." "I don't know why you didn't just kill him, sir." "I was trying to buy us some time." "The tank's roomier now." "Sherina!" "What are you doing here?" "Akbar, we would fight the tank with you." "You have no weapons." "Get back to the village, woman!" "..." "Go!" "Uncle am I fit to be Khan?" "To ask that question makes you Khan." "When The Beast is dead, we will return." "I will be waiting." "There it is." "Kandahar Road." "Kaminski, we're home." "Sir, we're almost out of petrol." "Make it to the road." "Stop tank." "What?" "Stop tank." "Stop tank." "I'm sure I can make it, it's only...." "Please." "Untie my hands." "Afghan women, turn your grief to stone!" "Stop." "Jesus!" "Please, stop!" "Nanawatai!" "Sherina, how did you find us?" "It was Allah's will..." "We found him tied to the rock." "You take the honor, Taj." "Nanawatai." "Nanawatai." "He asks for mercy." "I teach you another word " " Badal!" "Blood for blood!" "Silence, woman!" "You speak Afghan?" "Nanawatai." "What is your name?" "Nanawatai." "A crow can speak a word, ...but a crow is not a man, and neither is a Russian." "Kill him!" "If we dishonor our code and slay him we are no better than the infidels." "...but why was he abandoned by the tank?" "Don't." "No." "Nanawatai is for Afghans." "If he is an enemy of our enemy, then he is a friend." "Let us look to our guest." "Eat." "Choke." "You broke it when you dropped it." "So?" "David took Goliath with just a stone." "An RPG." "It's kaput." "Fix." "I fix." "Kaput." "Enfield." "I need Enfield to fix the RPG." "Thanks." "Now he has ruined two of our weapons!" "This one is truly sent from Allah!" "Exactly." "That's a tank." "Tank." "Tank." "RPG." "Tank." "RPG, kaboom tank." "RPG kaboom tank." "He's Russian!" "He knows how to use that and they tried to kill him." "Kaboom tank." "Yeah, I'll kaboom tank." "Come on, man." "Come on, get your shit." "Let's go." "Hey, you guys." "Where'd you guys come from?" "This is beautiful." "We are so glad to see you guys." "My God." "Looks like it's your lucky day." "If we hadn't been looking for water, we'd have never found you." "Go ahead and climb aboard." "I'll call in for a strike on the tank." "Nobody wastes my tank." "Get back in the tank." "What for?" "Because I said so." "We're going home, sir." "In the tank." "Why can't we go home in the fucking helicopter?" "Because you're tankers." "You're also in a cul-de-sac." "There's only one way out of this valley." "Back through that pass." "We'll get back the same way we got in." "Shit." "Got any extra water?" "No." "You two, load the extra fuel onto the tank." "Radio for some more fuel to meet us at the pass." "Jesus, what an asshole." "What are we doing?" "Why don't we make a run for it?" "Are you fucking crazy?" "He'd shoot us right out of the sky." "The tank is leaving!" "The pass..." "The pass!" "It's turning back for the pass!" "What?" "Tank." "I know." "What?" "Tank." "It's a dead end." "The pass." "He's going to the pass." "But why's he going to the pass?" "Why didn't he get in the helicopter?" "The bastard won't leave his tank." "Fucking bastard won't leave his tank." "He's gone...." "Mountains." "He's gotta go around to get to the pass." "Short cut." "You know a short cut?" "Tank." "I understand." "Konstantin." "Konstantin." "Khan." "Konstantin." "Khan." "Sir, the engine's hot." "Maintain 20 kilometers an hour." "Sir, the radiator needs water." "Keep going." "Goddamnit, sir, the engine's gonna seize up!" "Keep going." "The waterhole's not far." "Do you think they radioed back?" "Of course they did." "I hate this fucking country." "Fill the radiator." "Kaminski!" "Golikov." "Battle stations." "Mujahedeen." "1,000 meters." "Crank it up." "Traversing left." "Come on, man." "Come on." "Give me power to the tank." "Shit." "I can't, she won't start." "Go to master battery." "Shit!" "The battery's dead, sir." "Get us outta here." "I'm trying." "It's overheated." "Manual traverse left." "Gunner." "Frag." "We're out of frags." "Anything." "I gotta heat up." "Goddamnit." "Come on!" "On the way." "Spread out!" "Up." "On the way." "They're in RPG range, sir." "Come on!" "I got it." "Khan." "Tank." "Kaput." "Now." "Now!" "Moustafa!" "Come on!" "I have what I want." "The Beast escapes!" "Allah has tossed a peach in our laps -- Enjoy it." "Cousin, you are a pig!" "Hasan, you are clever." "Can you learn a helicopter?" "This way." "Shit." "They can't get us." "We're too high." "Come on, you son of a bitch." "Can't get elevation, he knows it." "Who?" "You're mine." "Badal." "Keep 'em coming." "Last round, sir." "Reload." "We're out." "She's burning up." "Make it to the pass." "Sir!" "Rocket." "I need the rocket." "Khan!" "Rocket." "Throw." "Throw!" "The pass is directly ahead." "One hundred meters." "Faster, Kaminski." "Yes, sir." "It only hit the muzzle." "We made it, sir." "We made it." "Allah!" "Why have you forsaken us?" "Goliath was covered with armor, but just a rock brought him down!" "Badal." "We're off the tracks, sir." "Oh, God." "Make a run for it, sir?" "No." "The gunships are coming, we're safe in here." "Close it!" "Tank Boy." "I said, Tank Boy!" "I've got something for you, Tank Boy." "Koverchenko." "Kinda hot in there, Tank Boy?" "Sir, they got us." "Shit." "We gotta go up." "We're gonna die in here." "Tank Boy." "I want you, Tank Boy." "You know our standing orders." "What?" ""Out of commission, become a pillbox." "Out of ammo, become a bunker." ""Out of time, become heroes."" "You must be out of your fucking mind." "Now." "Together." "Get the pin." "We're gonna die in here." "Golikov." "You son of a bitch." "Don't shoot." "Don't shoot." "Take the knife." "Allah is too generous!" "Konstantin, I didn't want to leave you." "Just take Daskal and let us go." "Please don't let him kill me." "Get up." "Such unmanliness makes revenge unclean." "Nanawatai." "He will always be Russian." "Move aside and I will kill them all!" "Tank kaput." "Tank kaput." "Nanawatai." "Are you an angel or a devil?" "Take the boots." "Take the helmet." "Take the boots." "Sorry, sir." "Not much of a war." "No Stalingrad." "How is it that we're the Nazis this time?" "How is that?" "I tried to be a good soldier." "But you can't be a good soldier in a rotten war, sir." "I want you to live to see them win." "Go." "I said, "Go!"" "Afghanistan." "I don't understand you." "Konstantin." "Forgive me, my Khan..." "Two escaped."