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 Originally
a volunteer to Jamiat faction of the resistance in 1983, Dave
Dienstag worked as a Capitol Hill staffer until 1987. Working
under Andrew Eiva, it was his job to collect and collate all
available information on the Afghan War. In 1988, he went as
a freelance photographer to Afghanistan. Steeped in the details
of the rarefied complexities of guerrilla politics and personalities,
he was able to smuggle into Soviet-held Kabul with two Mujahedin
on his second visit into the country. Upon returning, the resulting
portfolio was received warmly. At a time when America was turning
its back on Afghanistan, disturbing images and a story that was
a frightening look at what was to become the playground of the
most radical Islamic visions was most unwelcome in many places.
"In
Peshawar, you could see the handwriting on the wall quite literally.
It was strange to be in a place so rooted in the past that pointed
so prophetically toward the future."
Dave
Dienstag founded Pulstudio and now works on projects ranging
from still photography to videography to web design in Washington
DC.
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