I want to talk some more about Afghanistan today
Sgt. Stryker here. Hope things are going well for you. I want to talk some more about Afghanistan today. As I said before, Afghanistan has a long history of being used as a sort of mudroom in the region. In the past, even technology hasn’t been able to totally calm extremists in the country. If you recall, not even the Russians at their peak could manage to hold and control Afghanistan from the rebels. (Although, some Afghans got a lot of help in the 1980s from the US and other countries covertly… from what I hear…)
Today, though, the most technologically capable country in the history of the world has sent under 100,000 troops to try to tame the area so that it can thrive as an Islamic Republic, a cornerstone of modern life in the region. So far, things have been a little shaky. It’s a lot safer than it was under the Taliban and there are less national treasures being destroyed (remember the Buddha statues?), but there’s still a long way to go. It’s going to be interesting to see if the technology of the coalition forces will be enough to overpower the bad guys who want to sow chaos in the region.
I like to think that US forces and coalition members will eventually be successful. They have a bit to go in securing the area, though. With the addition of new forces and new technology, things may continue to really turn around. Hopefully, the US military with support from coalition partners will be able to bring peace, safety and prosperity to the region after hundreds of years of bloodshed. It’s a might big task, but it’s one that’s totally worth it, especially since things are going to well in Iraq.
Ok, just throwing some thoughts out there. Leave a comment below and let me know what you think. I leave you with some pics and a small update on the reduction of enemy weapons in Afghanistan.
Sgt. Stryker out.
Afghan, Coalition Forces Provide Security in Farah Province
Coalition forces pull security for a helicopter as they prepare for extraction in Gulistan District, Farah province, after conducting an operation in support of the security and stability of Afghanistan. The troops were pulling security for the safety of the pilots and their comrades on the ground. Photo by Spc. Joseph A. Wilson
Afghan national army commandos of the 207th Corps provide security for an incoming helicopter while conducting an operation in support of the security and stability of Afghanistan in Gulistan District, Farah province, on April 12. Photo by Spc. Joseph A. Wilson
A coalition troop pops violet smoke to signal a helicopter for extraction after conducting an operation in support of the security and stability of Afghanistan in Gulistan District, Farah province, on April 12. Photo by Spc. Joseph A. Wilson
Corporal Earns Silver Star Medal for Selfless Heroism on Front Lines
Cpl. Jason Jones is pictured July 13 in the Kunar province of eastern Afghanistan just hours after a firefight where he earned the Silver Star. Courtesy Photo
Afghan National Army Commandos Conduct Air Assault in Farah
A commando with the 207th Kandak pulls security over a large poppy field during an air assault in Gulistan District, Farah province, April 12. Commandos consistently conduct mission to disrupt the poppy trade, which is a primary monetary source for insurgents in Afghanistan. Photo by Spc. James Tamez
Afghan National Security Forces Disrupt Insurgent Activities in Eastern Afghanistan
Afghan villagers provided coalition forces with information leading to the recovery of the pictured mines in the Meydan Shahr District, Wardak province, Saturday. The Afghan villagers were participating in the small rewards program, which compensates Afghan citizens when they provide information leading to the recovery of armament caches. Courtesy Photo
Quick Afghanistan Update:
Afghan national security forces, assisted by coalition forces, disrupted a number of insurgent activities in eastern Afghanistan during the past week while conducting operations in support of the security and stability of the country.
The combined elements discovered a roadside bomb while conducting a combat reconnaissance patrol in the Khowst District, Khowst province, Saturday. The roadside bomb, which was discovered in a culvert under a paved road, weighed approximately 5 pounds and was made to be command-detonated. The ANSF safely neutralized the explosive device.
Elsewhere, in Meydan Shahr District, Wardak province, ANSF and coalition forces recovered a weapons cache containing fourteen mines after being notified of the cache’s location by villagers in the area. The villagers were taking advantage of the Small Rewards Program, which provides Afghan citizens with compensation when they facilitate the turn-in and recovery of armament caches.
Also in Khowst province, Afghan national army commandos of the 203rd Corps discovered a roadside bomb while conducting a foot patrol in the Sabari District, Saturday. An ANA Commando spotted a wire protruding from an irrigation ditch and immediately alerted the rest of the patrol. The combined elements followed the wire and discovered a roadside bomb with a battery pack and switch. The roadside bomb was destroyed in place.
Later during the patrol, the ANA commandos discovered and disabled a car that had been prepared for use as a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device along the side of a road. Wires protruding from the dashboard led to a battery pack and to a switch attached to the gear shift. The back had been hollowed out.
No ANSF, coalition forces or non-combatants were injured during this operation.
First Transportation Co. Departs Iraq for Afghanistan
B-roll of Soldiers of the 154th Transportation Company departing from Iraq and heading to Afghanistan. Scenes include military vehicles being driven down a dirt road, Soldiers loading up backs of trucks, and Soldiers boarding an aircraft.
Afghanistan Engineers District Soldiers in Action
B-roll of Afghanistan Engineer District (AED) members locating and documenting weapons caches. Scenes include a safety officer touring the facility where the bombs were found, various shots of all the shells and others working around the cache area to detect more weapons or ordinance.
B-roll of Afghanistan Engineers District Soldiers finding weapons caches. Scenes include footage of the weapons cache and depot, engineers and Afghans scanning for unexploded ordinance in the ground and digging them up when found.
May 12th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
De realization…but is that the solution for returning soldiers to get back to real life. The fact of the matter is, the medical field will teach them to suppress their flashbacks…but somehow, one day or another, they will return. I think it’s great that they are teaching them how to meditate and how to forgive…themselves and others who gave the orders…but let’s be realistic…anyone who, for a moment, stops and tries to get back to real life…will realize that a part of them has died…yeah, people will say they have gone on and made something new of their life…but truth be told…the past will never escape them. That is why so many have drinking problems…somehow that reality is a little easier to sustain than the real one.