Without the Americans in Afghanistan
The Washington Post‘s Kevin Sieff is embedded with the Afghanistan National Army in the Tangi Valley as they begin operations with out the Americans to advise them or conduct operations with them.
For the 1,027 Afghan soldiers who entered the Tangi in early April, the threats would be unrelenting. By the time they left after four long days, more than 40 makeshift bombs had detonated. The valley was peppered with Taliban madrassas, they would learn, and homes from which fighters emerged firing machine guns and rockets. Clinics once funded by Western aid agencies had been emblazoned with Taliban slogans. Former U.S. bases had been rigged with land mines.
“Terrorists own the Tangi,” said Col. Sami Badakshani, the executive officer of the Afghan army’s 4th Brigade. “The American military left. The Afghan government left. Because of that negligence, it is like this.”
Well, they know how to fight the Taliban, after ten years of training from the best soldiers in the world. Now it’s up to them to summon the testicular fortitude to save their nation from the scourge. But, from the video, I’m doubtful. A machine gunner providing covering fire with three rounds in his gun. Another guy standing up in the middle of a field to fire a rocket. I don’t know, it seems like they have a long way to go still.
Category: Terror War
During the Colonel’s speach I couldn’t stop staring at the ANA with the pink weapon.
Tangi Valley is one of the worst spots in the country, at least it was a couple years ago.
“On the ridgeline, there was no Afghan army presence to support the soldiers fighting in the village. “Where’s our cover? These soldiers are lazy and scared. Where is their commander!?” [Commander] Daowood screamed. The Afghan army’s medevac capacity is notoriously underdeveloped. Out of desperation, the platoon commander asked a Post reporter to call for an American helicopter. (He had no such ability.) […] U.S. forces agreed to loan the Afghans a helicopter for the medevac, but after 40 minutes of waiting, as Mustafa bled, the Afghan Defense Ministry denied the request. “It was baffling,” said one U.S. adviser.”
Well, that about covers it for me. There is other info in the story just as bad–or worse. If I were that reporter, I wouldn’t be that reporter—if you know what I mean. There’s a difference beween Big Balls and Big Stupid.
We built a company cop there in 09 and held it down, ANSF abandoned it after we left ad now it’s a big deal they want that road/valley open and secure again? screw them
Wow, who would have guessed a bunch of unmotivated, uneducated, stone age peasants would be unable to become a modern top of the line fighting force?
The great myth of Afghanistan is that they are a nation of great warriors….the truth is they are a nation constantly at war with itself, that doesn’t necessarily breed great warriors just a thousand years of strife without resolution leaving this region and its people in the dust bin of civilization. There are no great leaders there, and no great warriors…and apparently they are fine with that as they have been for centuries….anytime the Taliban gets out of line we should bomb the sh1t of the capital and every city with more than a thousand people and leave it at that. There’s nothing worth fixing there because the citizens, such as they are, aren’t interested in their own culture and advancing their nation beyond what it has always been, a backwards 5th world sh1thole….
Unless we intend to rule the country as a colony for the next 100 years they will never be more than what they are now because they lack the desire to do so. This is not rocket science, it’s simple math.
In the case of Afghanistan 1+1 equals they are still a sh1thole.
it’s their country, and their problem. Let that ingrate President of theirs lead ’em. I say bring the money home and fix our roads (and bridges, and dams,and everything else that’s broke)
I noticed the apricot trees in blossom in some of that video and wondered just how long those trees will stand upright before the Taliban destroy them and the garden plots next to them.
Outstanding pondering. I am interested to believe what type of effect this could have globally? Sometimes folks find slightly disappointed with world-wide development. Not well visit to determine exactly what you have got to say.