Heart of Darkness - 217

Capt Jack Ramsey who went UA (after the battle of Tora Bora & bin Laden was "allowed" to escape) was leading a mujahadeem and trying capture bin Laden. He was charged with killing 5 Zaran village men after they lied to him about the whereabouts of Fahim Khalili a pharmacist in Moquot who Ramsey believed was tied to bin Laden. After the incident the Afghan people turned against Ramsey so his sources dried up. He offered to clear his name of deaths if he could speak with US legal personnel first and avoid Afghan trial.

Cresswell sent Mac & Harm who got an agreement with Zabi, the Afghan prosecutor general, to allow a US militarytrial; but, then he double crossed and captured Ramsey. Wahid (who's mother & father were killed by Taliban) was sent to "fetch" H & M. On the way they stopped to see Mazin (who was blinded by the Taliban after helping Ramsey). Mazin said that he had seen Ramsey at the same time the villagers were killed, so he couldn't have been in Zaran during the killings. The Judge, without any sense of fairness, didn't allow H or M to see any witnesses or evidence; but, was shown as an honorable person at the end. The only evidence was that: Ramsey had been in the village earlier, been lied to about where Kalili was, the men were killed at night by masked persons, and that a US flag patch was dropped at scene - all circumstantial! Wahid brought Khalili's wife to the trial "so Ramsey could be tried on one that he did, not on the 5 that he didn't do."

Ramsey finally admitted that they had found the pharmacist, Khalili, carrying kidney failure medicines (bin Laden has renal failure) and wanted him to lead them to bin Laden. Before before they could make him, Khalili had killed himself by running off a cliff. Zabi had to choose which crime to try for, he warned that slaying unjustly (?suicide defense not even addressed?) got retaliation at the hands of the family - loss of Right hand & Left leg. Ramsey admitted Khalili's "accidental" death. M talked to Mrs. Khalili who, the next day, was shown ready to cut off Ramseys hand but then changed her mind accepting "blood money" instead: a pickup truck, a well for the town and 100 goats. Zibi was extremely upset. Ramsey was given 60 days brig time & discharge from service.

Big B owns a bikini-wrestling bar but was called back to active duty as one of a few "old timers" who knew the old paper and pencil system - needed in Iraq. He got B to try and help him escape from the recall. His girlfriend Doris got OTC ephedrine and blood pressure pills but they didn't have any effect on preventing his acceptance. He claimed he was gay to the corps wave but she talked dirty in his ear and he had "a hard day." B helped him plead before Capt Curry at NAVSUP who didn't buy all his excuses but told BB that he found 12 other retirees, some older with families, who were willing to go so "we don't need you or want you and won't call you again." The rejection upset BB. B later chided him for malingering over a "broken ankle" he received from being thrown out of the ring by his two female wrestlers but not caught as it was scripted. BB advised that his recal had been recinded but that he had "volunteered" and was going to Athens Georgia to teach at the naval supply school.

The Final shot was of Ramsay offering to give H & M a "home" in his unit and M asking H "you'd like to be joining him wouldn't you?" to which H replied "wouldn't you?" [This was a refreshingly good episode which was well written and where no "short man" crud came from Cr; but, the "elephant is still in the room," although H & M are dealing with it in their usual way - by ignoring it. Even with that, however, it was good to be "back on track," for a bit,with the series!]