We can almost pretend it’s not there.

The days go by. We shop, go to work, to church.

The mountainous country makes its way into our news cycle, then fades. We all carry some vague idea that the devil hides in a cave there with lots of guns and a video camera.

But at this point, the U.S. war in Afghanistan rarely shocks us. Usually, we don’t even think about it anymore.

It’s just another one of our current national projects, like domestic oil and job creation.

On Oct. 7, we marked the ninth anniversary of our war in Afghanistan.

In that time, we’ve elected a new president, marched against the war, supported the war, and paid our war taxes.

In that time, I’ve heard a man say that when he was younger, he used to think he’d see an end to war. Now, he doesn’t.

In that time, I’ve heard my cousin express his struggle in not knowing exactly where his son is fighting in Afghanistan. He reads the newspapers to follow the war and always he worries.