For those that know me, I try to pride myself on being well spoken, articulate and nuanced when it comes to talking about the wars. But having read this article, I can only say:
This is absolute, total fucking bullshit. What the fuck are we doing in Afghanistan?
We walked into a trap, a killing zone of relentless gunfire and rocket barrages from Afghan insurgents hidden in the mountainsides and in a fortress-like village where women and children were replenishing their ammunition.
So starts the account of an ambush in Ganjal that killed four Marines.
Written by Jonathan S. Landay, this is a riveting first hand account of what we face in Afghanistan. Rightfully reluctant to use overpowering air support in villages, Marines and Afghan forces were trapped for 8 hours holding off enemy fire in an ambush. 4 Marines died, along with 8 Afghans and an interpreter. May God Bless them and their families.
This is the part of the article I found most revealing:
The operation, proposed by the Afghan army and refined by the U.S. trainers, called for the Afghans to search Ganjgal for weapons and hold a meeting with the elders to discuss the establishment of police patrols. The elders had insisted that Afghans perform the sweep. The Americans were there to give advice and call for air and artillery support if required.
Air support that would not come, which may have already been predetermined for political reason--because of the fear of civilian casualties, blow back and every other awful consequence of fighting against a home grown insurgency.
This is the part that has me ape shit:
Several U.S. officers said they suspected that the insurgents had been tipped off by sympathizers in the local Afghan security forces or by the village elders, who announced over the weekend that they were accepting the authority of the local government.
Whose brainchild was it to sweep for weapons and establish US backed patrols in a village that held off the Soviets for 10 years?
The new strategy is to put Afghans out in front, but this all requires American support--American money, American blood. Four more of our finest and bravest are now dead. Their families are receiving the worst news of their lives. Nothing has or will change in Ganjgal and it's hard to understand how that would make a difference anyway.
Someone give this meaning for me. Read this article and you are overwhelmed by the stunning bravery and nobility of our troops. I know these men would march right back there again and do what is asked because they took an oath and are willing to die for their country. I know this too well.
But why are they doing it? This is not their question to answer. It is ours.