Now of course, we were in an airport, a good airport with what I think is good security, but still, it seemed as if these people were inadvertently making themselves into obvious targets. I counted, in the crowd waiting to board the flight, five different guys wearing "Dyncorp" hats or shirts; Dyncorp is one of the biggest military contractors. I saw others wearing shirts labeled "General Dynamics" and "Iomax" and still others were wearing "Bagram Air Base" t-shirts, and almost all of these men -- dozens and dozens of them -- were wearing khaki tactical pants, Caterpillar boots, the whole non-uniform uniform. (And fanny-packs and those ridiculous wallet-on-a-string-around-your-neck things, but that is a separate fashion conversation.)

I know it is difficult for Americans not to look like Americans (believe me, as someone who took an unfortunate stroll through an iffy part of Rawalpindi last week, it is hard for Americans not to look like Americans) but there's something to be said for not advertising your military affiliation while standing in an airport in a Middle Eastern country. It's not hijacking that I'm worried about, of course -- the Americans on this particular plane would have eaten a hijacker's liver with ketchup -- but that, over time, someone wandering through these airports will understand that particular flights on particular airlines from particular places carry large numbers of military-associated Americans, and that they will pass that information on to someone who will be tempted to try some sort of bombing or attack. In fact, I'm sure this has already been noticed. So for safety's sake, will someone communicate to the military, and to these companies, that khaki rucksacks and Air Force Academy T-shirts cause your people to stand out in a crowd?

