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When soldiers shoot first and ... well, just shoot first.

TheStar.com | World | When Afghan tempers explode

"Don't shoot!" I croaked. "Just let the ambulance pass!"

The doors opened and two soldiers got out, clearly angry.

"You!" he hollered, pointing at me. "Get back where you were."

Then, stomping up to my Afghan colleague, the senior soldier got right in his face. "We've got a problem here," he spat out. "And you are creating an even bigger problem. Now go back to your car or we will have one REALLY REALLY BIG PROBLEM."

I felt the Afghan's humiliation and saw red.

"Don't you f----g talk to him like that. And don't you f----g talk to me like that. This is his country. Not yours, not mine."

The second soldier, a younger fellow who looked intensely embarrassed, whispered to me: "I'm sorry ma'am. It's just been a long day."