At this sprawling US military base in the middle of the Afghan desert, sometimes it's difficult to tell if there's a war going on.

Along a wooden boardwalk at the Kandahar Airfield, you can order a raspberry smoothie, buy pirated DVDs, eat a pizza, shop for trinkets and watch people in shorts play volleyball on a sand court.

As NATO's US-led force prepares to depart by December, more and more troops are "behind the wire" on heavily guarded bases, with Afghan forces now taking charge of the fight against Taliban insurgents.

The deadly conflict of homemade bombs and militant ambushes seems far away at the larger bases in Afghanistan, where television screens blast US cable news and basketball games.

The contradiction bothers Staff Sergeant Sean Clayborn, 32, from the US army's 101st Airborne Division.

His unit has the dangerous job of clearing routes of explosives, and all the creature comforts can give a false sense of safety when the soldiers return to Bagram Airfield north of Kabul, he said.

"Bagram is very misleading. It gives you the impression you're not really where you are," said Clayborn, who deployed in February.

"You see civilians. You can shop. It's all a distraction."

At smaller, more remote outposts, he said, a unit becomes a "tighter knit" team.

Espresso shots

He has little enthusiasm for activities meant to occupy the troops, including karaoke, salsa dancing and movie nights. "Again, it's the illusion that you're not where you are," he said.

Other soldiers, including those who spend time outside the big bases, disagreed.

"I like it," said US Navy Petty Officer Alexis Palm, 22, as she sipped on a caramel frappe.

She works as a welder at a smaller base down the road, and she said a visit to the boardwalk is a morale booster. "I think it helps us decompress."

Rocket attacks used to be a daily occurrence at Kandahar Airfield, or "KAF", but months have passed since the last assault.

But even if there is little physical danger, the schedule at KAF can be grueling and monotonous.

Most troops work seven days a week, 12 hours a day. Their spare time is spent either at the gym, or watching films or talking to family in online video chats.

Alcohol is strictly forbidden, but to help troops keep up the pace, the Green Bean coffee shop offers extra doses of caffeine.

With the motto "Honor First, Coffee Second", the menu features mocha frappes, cappuccinos and a "MOAC" (Mother of All Coffee) - four shots of espresso added to a giant cup.

Home to thousands of soldiers and civilians and with round-the-clock military flights, Kandahar and Bagram resemble mini-cities, with rules that might seem out of place in a war zone.

While soldiers must carry their assault rifles on the base, the speed limit is a modest 25 km per hour, and seatbelts must be worn at all times.

Agence France-Presse

(China Daily 06/07/2014 page6)