A friend at work has a son who is an SF team leader operating in Afghanistan. Yesterday, two of his men were killed by an RPG. The son and another soldier were wounded. They killed many of the “insurgents.” The efforts of Pakistan to attack remaining al Queda and Taliban are driving them back across the border into Afghanistan where our forces are waiting.
The son is coming home, but not because he wants to leave after being wounded. He really wants to stay and finish the job at hand. But he feels it is far more important for him to accompany his comrades and be there for their families.
God bless them.
Please give our Thanks and our Love & Prayers to this young man when he gets home.
Comment by DagneyT — September 21, 2004 @ 11:17 am
Your post brings other thoughts to the forefront.
Ya know, I have to wonder where these “rebels” are getting their weaponry. They don’t sell RPGs at the local 7-11, and not just everyone has a stockpile of machine guns and RPGs for sale.
A foreign power, a government perhaps?
As much as I sympathize with Russia over the murder of 350 odd schoolchildren at Beslan, I suspect Russia will come to regret the ever so loose controls they imposed back in the bad ol’ days when they either gave away, or sold ever so cheaply all sorts of weapons to Iran and Iraq.
And do we have a clue where our new most favored trading partner, China, stands on this issue? They make a version of the AK as well.
I’m of the opinion we should trace every captured weapon to it’s source. We know the AK-47 was invented in Russia, copied in China, and a whole lot of other countries capable of reverse engineering this most favored of all terrorist weapon. Do you really think the average Palistinian, living on about $2.00 USD per day can afford to run out and buy such a piece? Nope, it was suppied to him by someone with a lot of money…. Anyone want to speculate on the OTHER Arabs?
We need to know who is suppling these so called rebels with the means to raise such havoc. Those are the folks we also need to put on the list for extermination.
I know this isn’t an election year issue, but we realy should start thinking in terms of figuring out who our real friends are. Tracing the origins of their guns/RPGs/explosives, etc., might be a good starting point.
Big hint, France, are you listening?
Comment by John — September 21, 2004 @ 2:00 pm
The Foreign Technology Division at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base always did work on determining the provenence of such items. I am sure we know where they originated, but locating the “Ho Chi Minh Trail” is as elusive as ever. If, as I suspect, they are originally from China, it is tough to shut down the flow without some kind of confrontation. Nor can we simply seal ports of exit or entry. It will take much back-room arm-twisting and deal-making to shut them down. The best way is to seal borders in Iraq and Afghanistan, but that is also nearly impossible.
It comes down to getting other governments to recognize the danger they also face. Perhaps Russia can provide some assistance in this as they have now become a target.
Comment by Bunker — September 21, 2004 @ 2:38 pm
Bunker, you know I love ya, but…….
Russia has never historically been our friend, why should we expect relief from that quarter?
Frankly, I don’t think that will happen. Putin is busily putting together a power base that makes him Stalin-lite. Russia has always needed a strong leader, it’s their nature.
I think that puts the Russian national interests squarely outside the norm of expectations. Can Putin do it? I don’t know, but he doesn’t seem to place much credibility on the “war on terror”. He has his own methods and that doesn’t seem to go along with what’s being waged here the USA. I think he has his own agenda. Maybe a “kill em all” idea, I dunno. That would not go against the grain of prior Soviet methods.
Be very careful when dealing with the Russians.
Comment by John — September 21, 2004 @ 3:42 pm
I read a post by American Solider earlier today who has now decided to re-enlist after watching the beheading of Eugene Armstrong. Words cannot describe how extraordinary I think such individuals are like your friends son.
Bless all who are in harms way. Keep them safe so that they can return to their families & enjoy the freedoms that they fought so hard for to bring to others.
Comment by Lorie — September 21, 2004 @ 3:46 pm
John, Actually they do by the weapons from the markets (black markets). The trouble that I had when I was over there was trying to find these markets. Most of the time they are operated out of someones home (at least the ones we found were). Most of the time they just go across the border to get thier weapons, then they return. That is where most of the fire fights I was in happened, right on the border.
Comment by Birdie — September 21, 2004 @ 4:00 pm
John, countries really don’t have friends, just allies of convenience. With the exception of Australia and the UK. Putin might now be ready to assist, if only temporarily.
Comment by Bunker — September 21, 2004 @ 5:24 pm