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There are no birth certificates in these villages. No death certificates. No driver’s licenses or addresses or phonebooks, and if there were, few people would be able to read them. In this mostly illiterate country, there are no paperwork hassles. Corruption is a problem but bureaucracy and identity theft surely aren’t. Most Afghans have never been entered into any system. Like penguins on the ice, they are born, they live and they die, and that’s all.
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It was one of the most complex military logistical and medical operations ever undertaken – and it saved the life of a young British soldier critically injured in Afghanistan.
It involved hundreds of doctors, air and ground crews of several nations, travelling many thousands of miles, revolutionary and experimental medical equipment, several planes and helicopters and communications between three continents and cost millions of pounds.
For months, details of the massive operation to save one man’s life have been shrouded in secrecy. The injured soldier was not shot by the Taliban but was almost certainly wounded accidentally at his camp near Sangin in Helmand province in late July last year.
It is understood that Soldier X – he is not being identified at the request of his family – was not wearing body armour at the time. The Ministry of Defence has declined to offer any explanation.
The respected American journalist Michael Yon, himself a former US special forces soldier, reported on his blog that he heard the shot and saw a flurry of activity and a medical evacuation helicopter taking Soldier X away.
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From Michael Yon, and Independent Journalist in Afghanistan.
Artillery is called “The King of Battle.” When it comes to the delivery of force, probably nothing outside of nuclear weapons can outmatch the sustained delivery of extreme brutality. Cannons also can deliver small atomic weapons.
Click the image above to read the dispatch and see Mr. Yon's incredible pictures.
Soldiers of the 1-17th Infantry Battalion, 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division honor their fallen comrades.Arghandab, Afghanistan
New Year's Eve, 2009
On this small base surrounded by a mixture of enemy and friendly territory, a memorial has been erected just next to the Chapel. Inside the tepee are 21 photos of 21 soldiers killed during the first months of a year-long tour of duty. The fallen will belong forever to the honor rolls of the 1-17th Infantry Battalion, 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, and they will join the sacred list of names of those who have given their lives in service of the United States of America.
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Michael Yon posted this note from General Petraeus to the US Troops around the world. I thought I would share it here.Michael:
As you know, our troopers are doing magnificent work in Afghanistan, Iraq, and a host of other places throughout the Central Command area and, indeed, throughout the world. Many of them will celebrate the holidays while deployed on combat and contingency operations, defending our nation's freedoms far from home and far from loved ones. They - and their families - have made enormous sacrifices in recent years, in many cases deploying multiple times and enduring long separations from those at home while carrying out important missions in challenging conditions against tough enemies.
As we all remember our many personal blessings this holiday season, we should also take a moment to remember how truly fortunate our country is to have the remarkable men and women of our armed forces who serve so courageously and so selflessly. They truly are America's new greatest generation.
To our troopers overseas and to those here at home: thank you for all that you have done to help keep America safe and to protect the values for which generations of Americans have fought in the past. We are deeply grateful for your extraordinary service in recent years and we are equally thankful for all that we know you will do in the years ahead. It remains the greatest of privileges to serve with each of you.
Best wishes to all of you for a wonderful holiday season and a great year in 2010. May God bless our great country and each and every one of you, and may God bless our troopers serving around the world and their families at home. Thank you very much!
GEN David H. Petraeus
Commander, US Central Command
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Over the last 12 months, 1,042 soldiers, Marines, sailors and Air Force personnel have given their lives in the terrible duty that is war. Thousands more have come home on stretchers, horribly wounded and facing months or years in military hospitals.
This week, I'm turning my space over to a good friend and former roommate, Army Lt. Col. Robert Bateman, who recently completed a yearlong tour of duty in Iraq and is now back at the Pentagon.
Here's Lt. Col. Bateman's account of a little-known ceremony that fills the halls of the Army corridor of the Pentagon with cheers, applause and many tears every Friday morning. It first appeared on May 17 on the Weblog of media critic and pundit Eric Alterman at the Media Matters for America Website.
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We ask Afghans for help in defeating the enemies, yet the Afghans expect us to abandon them. Importantly, Mr. Filkins pointed out that Afghans don’t like to see Americans living in tents. Tents mean nomads. It would be foolish for Afghans in “Talibanastan” to cooperate with nomadic Americans only to be eviscerated by the Taliban when the nomads pack up. (How many times did we see this happen in Iraq?) The Afghans want to see us living in real buildings as a sign of permanency. The British at Sangin and associated bases live in temporary structures as is true with American bases in many places. Our signals are clear. “If you are coming to stay,” Afghans have told me in various ways, “build a real house.” “Build a real office.” “Don’t live in tents.” We saw nearly the opposite in Iraq where pressure evolved to look semi-permanent. The Dr. Jekyll–Mr. Hyde situation in Iraq seemed to seriously catch hold by 2006 or 2007, by which time Iraqis realized we were not going to steal oil and might decide to pull out while leaving them ablaze in civil war.
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From Michael YonI made this photo last night in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. This Landing Zone is very dangerous. A few weeks ago, another helicopter was coming into this LZ and was shot down at the last minute, killing all passengers and crew. Two children on the ground also were killed. The sparks coming off the rotors occur when the helicopters land in hot, dusty conditions. The landing itself occurs in a dangerous "brownout." Brownout danger is compounded by the sparks which light up the dust and can confuse pilots who are wearing extremely sensitive nightvision goggles.
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One of the blogs I follow regularly is by Michael Yon. For those that do not know who he is, here is an excerpt from his bio:
Michael Yon is a former Green Beret...who has been reporting from Iraq and Afghanistan since December 2004. No other reporter has spent as much time with combat troops in these two wars. Michael’s dispatches from the frontlines have earned him the reputation as the premier independent combat journalist of his generation. His work has been featured on “Good Morning America,” The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CNN, ABC, FOX, as well as hundreds of other major media outlets all around the world.
Yesterday Michael posted a dispatch from the Republic of the Philippines. He is there spending time with US Forces that are advising & training Filipino military and national police in their war on Islamic Terrorism. It is a great read (and Micheal Yon Online is a blog I recommend you follow since his dispatches are always great reads).
Many of you know that our church is involved in many different 'humanitarian' projects around the world (we call them Glocal Impact Projects). Although we know these projects are making a difference in the lives of those directly involved, sometimes it is easy to overlook part of the larger picture. I think the last paragraph of his dispatch does a good job of showing how something as 'minor' as collecting & sending textbooks can have an impact. The entire dispatch is worth reading, but I will include that final paragraph here:
There are other actors in this endeavor who also appeared in Iraq and Afghanistan. Private groups in America -- often just a couple of people with a will to make a difference -- are shipping much needed English textbooks, wheelchairs and other aid to war zones. It is difficult to convey just how helpful these tiny points of light were in Iraq and are in Afghanistan. The contributions to success are immeasurable, but they certainly are significant, and this was in fact pointed out to me today when soldiers talked respectfully about “Books for Barrios,” “Knights Bridge International” and others. Whether the donations are textbooks, wheelchairs, or in the form of doctors and nurses donating time and expertise to mend cleft lips and palates, their generous actions go far to improving lives, building international bridges, and, indeed, even fighting terrorism.
Read Michael Yon's Full Dispatch Here
