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Subscribe to RSSThree weeks into the fight in the volatile Arghandab Valley, an American platoon of the Army's 101st Airborne Division is heading to the rear, weakened by horrific war injuries and unable to continue its mission. The platoon -- 1st platoon, Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 320 Field Artillery Regiment, of the 101st Airborne Division -- started the mission with 17 men, and now is down to nine. Combat Outpost Nolen has seen some of the most intense fighting in Kandahar Province.
This area is critical to U.S. control of the region because it's a main supply route into the city of Kandahar for the Taliban. It's also treacherous for the platoon trying to carry out its mission.
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Shrapnel ripped into Sgt. Matthew Kendall's face and left arm on July 4, when a soldier from another unit stepped on a homemade bomb, which the military calls an IED, as Kendall walked next to him.
Spc. Kevin Gatson fell victim to another IED July 12. It was one of many that have been seeded in farming land surrounding the former school the platoon is using as a base. Gatson lost his leg and three fingers. The platoon leader, 1st Lt. Norman Black, had his eardrum blown out by the blast.
A quick reaction team was immediately sent from COP Nolen and came to Gatson's aid. On the way, an IED exploded and Staff Sgt. Kyle Malin lost both of his legs. Less than 45 minutes later, an IED took off both of Pfc. Corey Kent's legs and part of his left hand. Sgt. Michael Hagan was hit in the face and arm by shrapnel, and also suffered a ruptured eardrum.
Just two days later on July 14, Pfc. Brandon King, a soldier from a different platoon, was shot by a marksman while standing guard duty. He was the first soldier killed at COP Nolen since it was taken over by the 101st Airborne Division.
On July 19, Staff Sgt. Avionne Reese walked into an IED for the third time in the three-week deployment -- it shot pieces of the bomb into the right side of his body. Luckily no one was seriously injured in the first incident on July 5, when an IED went off near a patrol. But on July 12, in the second incident, he was struck by shrapnel from the IED that hit Gatson. After three IEDs the Army will take a soldier out of the fight for evaluation.
Spc. Pedro Torres injured his arm and was hit in the face by the same blast that hit Reese.
The group has already been recommended for 10 Purple Hearts.
Sgt. Leon Richards, from a different platoon, was recommended for a Bronze Star for Valor for calling a medivac helicopter, providing aid and assistance to the wounded, and helping Spc. Jacob Walker out of a field peppered with IEDs.
The numbers alone tell you Afghanistan is getting more dangerous by the month, but those tragically killed in action only tell part of the story.
The numbers can't describe the feeling these men have of leaving the razor wire around their tiny mud-walled compound each day. Every day they try desperately to walk in the footprints of the man in front of them, in 120 degree heat, while weighed down by 85 pounds of gear through humid pomegranate groves and grape fields. The fields swamp visibility in every direction, with green foliage carpeting otherwise dusty terrain areas.
They can't walk on roads or paths because the IED threat is too great. They must climb over 10-foot mud walls on a route so difficult that 600 meters of walking could take an hour and a half. All the while they're on the lookout for a command wire, milk jug, or a rock pile that wasn't there the day before.
The minute they leave the wire the enemy has been alerted they're on the move. The element of surprise is not in their favor. Firefights are a daily occurrence. In fact, COP Nolen is attacked so often that the men refer to a "witching hour," usually between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. That's when the energy-sapping heat has faded down enough that the Taliban is ready for fighting.
The buzzwords here are about counterinsurgency doctrine, fighting corruption in the government, setting up local governance, and standing up the Afghan Army and police. But at the very basic level it's about survival for the men leaving the wire to walk through the fields, and for the average farmer working those same fields, too.
Numbers can't explain the constant tension, fear, lack of sleep, or horrific scenes that unfold before platoon members' eyes each day.
Soldiers often say that courage isn't just willing to go into the fight. True courage is knowing what's waiting for you, and going anyway.
Editor's note: Associated Press photojournalists Evan Vucci and Rodrigo Abd are Photoblogging for msnbc.com while embedded with U.S. troops stationed at Combat Outpost Nolen, in the volatile Arghandab Valley in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
U.S. Army soldiers from Alpha Battery walk among grape orchards during a patrol towards COP Nolen, in the Arghandab Valley, Kandahar, Afghanistan, Tuesday, July 20, 2010. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
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For over six years I have been trying to support and underscore what many of you are commenting on, the lack of resources provided to those doing the heavy lifting in Iraq and Afghanistan. When I speak of what too few combat troops has done to America's Army the listener(s) agree and then explain why nothing can be done. Please understand that I have devoted thousands of hours mailing, e-mailing, and calling. I've interviewed those returning from combat. I have been to Washington to speak directly to our elected officials. I have traveled to meet with those veteran's groups that would listen. I have been on scores of websites asking who is willing to help with this effort. Sadly, excuses are the end result.
The bottom line here is the destruction of our combat forces has not been done by those we fight against, it comes from here at home by failing to provide for the numbers of troops and other resources necessary "to prevail on the field of battle". We should be both ashamed and worried.
There ought to be a will to win and firm belief that histories can be made. First all the loads of “counterinsurgency doctrine” are going to fail if key rulers and commanders don’t understand a place like Afghanistan. Despite nine years of war, if the US and allies don’t understand who their allies and enemies are, there are major problems.
For Nato forces, Pakistan is the mother of all problems. Straight simple: either Pakistan eliminates Islamic insurgents or the Nato forces eliminate them with missile attacks, drone attacks and carpet bombings of Pakistan and Afghanistan areas. In guerilla warfare we have to be better than the enemies in ruthlessness and strategies.
Jonathan-1982062 The Israeli, the SOURCE of the problem. If Israel didnt exist all this crap in the Middle East would be gone.
We feel the same about California.
I keep thinking that I should volunteer. However I would not volunteer for the military. My adoptive dad spent his life in service as a pastor caring for the sick, old and infirm and lonely. So if I volunteer it would be at a soup kitchen serving up food to those who are without. I do not understand how going off to kill people in a foreign land helps people. I am sure those peasants over there feel they are defending their homeland and way of life. And our soldiers feel they are defending theirs.
Its all a puzzle for me. I do feel for our soldiers as their suffering is real. I cannot say I do not respect our soldiers. I do feel respect for them. I however do not understand what killing people in Iraq has to do with 911. Sorry just an idiot I guess. Each of us has to live our own lives.
Those Americans who believe that the United States will win this war against the out-gunned Taliban only need to look at a few examples in the history of modern human warfare to learn the realities of what it takes to defeat an insurgency. At this point in history, United States has had only limited success in this area, but this lies neither with the military, nor their level of readiness, but with policy, created based on strategic goals. In the case of Afghanistan, it is apparent that US government policy and the original strategy for involvement in Afghanistan have diverged, which makes itself apparent in battlefield losses, dissension within the ranks and sudden changes in command, resistance at home, etc.
If the United States truly intends on winning this war, the first thing Americans need to do is ask themselves, "How important is the expected gain?" and "What am I willing to sacrifice for this?" If it is indeed important enough for most Americans to willingly accept whatever sacrifices are demanded, then it would make sense to employ ALL your resources to winning as soon as possible while preparing for the long-haul. In this sense, it appears that government policy has strayed from strategy.
Paul-2049544
For a moment, let us assume that those directing our involvement in Afghanistan agreed with those of us that this effort is under resourced. The reality is, America has an army that has been laid to waste. When this Mid-East experiment began our ground combat forces were in jeopardy.
You idiots that defend our military are the reason we are always at war. The rich are making vast fortunes from this and all of the other wars we started since WWII ended. Those who profit from your patriotism laugh their way to the bank while American men and women volunteer for a war that was set up by Bush and company. If you don't think Bush was in on 9/11 you are not to bright and part of the greater problem.
SacramentoMike: If Israel is wiped out then these Islamic radicals, militants and their Trojan horses in our places will invent a new enemy!
Jonathan-1982062 If Israel wipes out the PLO Israelis will find a new enemy the PFLP, if Israel wipes out the PFLP Israelis will find a new enemy Fatah, if Israel wipes out Fatah Israel will find a new enemy Hizbollah, if Israel wipes out Hizbollah Israel will find a new enemy Hamas... and so on and so on ad nauseam.
History shows Israel invents new enemies all that time. Project much?
I just want to say, my husband is in alpha battery that is in the worst area right now in afgan. I think they should pull them out until they can get help over there. when you just keep getting men knocked out everyday and its what you say msnbc.com they dont have enough power, I wish msnbc would come to my home town of the 101st air bourne division and give the spouses here interviews, as a 1sgt wife am sick of what i see everyday on the internet of my husbands battery and the one that is sitting behind the desk in the white house is safe and has it made , while mine is fighting daily for his life because he won't get off his ass and send help for them. There condition in cop Nolen are just horriable. I live day to day just praying to god that nothing happens my husband and the rest of our men and women that are among this war that has went on for the past nine freaking years. They were fighting among themselfes before , let them continue to fight it out among them.
If they wont pull them out then , Let them get there power out and blow them away, they have to sit and watch there men get knocked out everyday, and there vehicle blown up but we can't engage with something other than a sniper rifle or gernade this is bull @!$%#.
Please if you media people can shoot videos and pic of our men in what they are doing then , atleast give the spouse an chance to speak out to the united states President and let him see what the hell he has done, I have had enough of this @!$%# ,,,,,,,,,, GET OUR MEN OUT OF COP NOLEN NOW .... GET THEM MEN SOME HELP OR LET THEM USE THE BIG GUNS TO DEFEND THEM SELFS.
Dear Lady, please continue to advocate for your husband and all the others.
you are ssssooooo right im voting for you as president i think the one we got now was gotten to by jackson..yup he cut his ----- off alright
1SGT WIFE He VOLUNTEERED to get in there. Now he is whining about getting out. Didnt we say before invading Afghanistan and Iraq is a c!usterf*ck
Big words from you on all these posts mike. Must be nice to be able to sit around on the internet and talk sh!t to family members when you most likely haven't done anything since brith other than take up oxygen and be obnoxious. The soldiers of the United States Army commend you for all you have done in service to our great country and would like to take this time to thank your parents for not raising such a fine and ignoble child as you are. May karma return you a thousand times over for all you have sown upon the world.
very ironic - we don't have enough power to fight - that is the exact thing the mighty soviet union said when they invaded afghanistan and left after 10 bloody years where they lost miserably
we brag constantly how great and powerful we are but bragging does not do anything except make us look like fools
I just cannot understand why the Army is not pre-bombing every path where the soldiers need to wak, to blow up whatever IED's there are. I have wirtten about this for years, but no one seems to care. The bombing can be cheaply accomplished with stones. The stones cost nothing, but they can save lives! Another possiblity is sending out unmanned vehicles with mine-exploding rollers. In the XXI-st century, the soldiers should never be permitted to walk on mines!
kick all there azzes you men over there know one thing ...i love you guys ...and i dont mean that in a gay way either
desert voice, unfortunatley your idea about the rocks is so simplistic it is "under the radar" in this hi-tec age. Consider staging one of our A-10s to clear the way for our troops. One pass would eliminate not just the danger of IED's?
The person occupying the position of Commander-in-Chief should be ashamed. Unfortunately, he's held hostage by liberal guilt and his affection for those who would do us harm.
i couldn't said it better myself.
our troops did not lose this war....obama did......
Obama was not president during the Vietnam war, The troops lose these wars on their own.
"Only the dead have seen the end of war" Sadly
I went to basic training with PFC Brandon King. RIP Brother..
Perhaps if the soldiers went into the local towns and took out the anti-American/Nato taliban cleric and made them walk in front of the soldiers on the roads and paths and when an IED blows him up go get another one.
It may seem cruel and inhuman but sometimes you have to cut off the head of the snake....so that others can live in peace........................MadMonks & Mullahs
former kingsmill employee "It may seem cruel and inhuman but sometimes you have to cut off the head of the snake....so that others can live in peace"
Sounds like reasoning to wipe out the preachers who get America into these wars.
Listen don't just give us what we need, but also give us the ability to use it! As long as there are liberals and human rights groups complaining about civilian casualties in a "COMBAT ZONE" we are just armed targets and their "Freedom Fighters" know this. I dont see these people (liberals) prostesting in the villages where our enemy lives because their "Martyr" or IED blew up civilians or blogging on the radical islamists web pages about how they should reconsider their radical ideals. God forbid I have an opinion about my beliefs without being called a warmonger. In the real world Radical Islamists care not of you, your opinion or your belief structure, but only in theirs. They will cut your throat just because you're and "Infidel" American) present company included.
Dear Alan and others,
Yes, we were appalled by the 911 videos. Yes, many Americans agreed with GWB about the importance of getting even with those b*st**ds. GWB and Cheney assumed "bomb 'em back to the Stone Age" would work. The massive amounts of firepower did not do the job - in Vietnam or Afghanistan. Staging small groups of soldiers, as in this case, to be cannon fodder is criminal. That's not a civilian control issue - that's a military chain of command problem.
"Victory" only matters if you care about win or lose. The US has been in Afghanistan about the same amount of time as the Russians. In reality the only thing that matters is that somebody (and I expect the US) keep Pakistan's nuclear technology (plants, bombs, etc.) out of the hands of the wackos - whatever you want to call them. The Taliban are definitely horrific people based on their treatment of women, people in their society, destruction of historic Buddhist statues, etc. While annihilation may be desireable, it isn't going to happen. We'll have to depend on the afterlife to deal with them properly.
I grew up as a military brat, have been a taxpayer for over 50 years and a former Marine. From my viewpoint, the United States cannot afford from a financial or human standpoint to keep fighting senseless wars. Some people think war is great. However, nobody wants to deal with proper treatment of those who fought in the wars. The VA always takes a hit after the wars. As we have seen during the current round of wars, the VA has been underfunded during the war and we are getting higher injury rates than in previous wars.
The time has come for the United States to realize as the Russians and a number of powers before us that Afghanistan is not worth the lives and injuries of our military personnel. While we may sincerely want to help the Afghans, a sizeable proportion appears to not want our help or are afraid to seek it. Regardless of the amount of lithium found in Afghanistan, the war is a loser economically.
Most American presidents who have gotten the US involved in war have realized the American public has no stomach for long-term wars. Ten years is long enough. One thing to remember about war is that the US is not always going to the the top dog in future centuries. Peoples that the US have waged war with have long memories - just look at the Balkans and Ireland for examples of long term hatred. If you're going to wage war, make it count.
As Teddy Roosevelt said - it is better to speak softly and carry a big stick. MAD is still a good philosophy.
Vietnam, Libya, Iran, Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq, all prove a point the fools in Washington dont comprehend. You cannot occupy another country against the will of their people. This lesson they seem not to be able to learn. Failure to learn this lesson results in DEFEAT.
Afghans do NOT WANT foreigners or foreign ideas in their country. The sooner Americans wise up to this fact the better.
RECRUITERS...SHOULD NOT BE PAID or given incentives...if they really believe in the cause ..DON'T pay them...let them volunteer....AND STOP PLEASE I BEG OF YOU STOP PROMISING these young adults paid college,,,jobs, security etc..THEN you take their arms , legs, emotional stability..YOU TAKE IT ALL AND GIVE NOTHING...STOP! THESE ARE HUMAN BEINGS...I AM SO ANGRY WITH OUR COUNTRY RIGHT NOW..I AM ANGRY THAT RECRUITERS ARE LYING SALESPEOPLE...be a volunteer recruiter and tell our young man and woman THE TRUTH..if they still want to join...they go in with truth behind them...we owe them that much.
Joan 2062629- For your information recruiting is on a volunteer basis, and why shouldn't someone willing to serve their country not receive benefits? All of us who volunteered after 9/11 knew what was in store for us. My recruiters were no bones about the fact that we would be deployed and the consequences. No promises are given, all military personel receive school benefits, only in demand MOS' (believe it or not infantry is not one) receive enlistment bonuses. The only perk recruiters receive is a quick promotion a ribbon or badge and long hours. I've been on recruiters assistance and what you think is going is not the reality.
then if that is true...someone is lying to either me or you
@##$$$the Politicians lets organize demonstrate in Washington now so we the people can get some fire power for the soldiers that are risking their lives in the battle field without support from the commanding officers....politics and war tactics dont mix..
"War is the result of the FAILURE of the political system"
During Taliban rule in Afghanistan there was no war. During American rule of Afghanistan there has been non stop war.
Obviously the American political system is an abject failure in Afghanistan.
Get out of Afghanistan and let the Afghans run their own country.
all i want is my son to come home in one piece,i know he gave his best to fight for his country without questions.a good marine don't cry, never cry or complain or apologized.we are not winning cause we elected a commander in chief that don't know anything about winning,all he did was apologized to the world.
we are weaken but not broken!!!!!!!! america will win someday when we elect a commander in CHIEF.
sometime we have to bite the bullet.......WE THE PEOPLE MISSED UP BY ELECTING THIS APOLOGIZING WEAK president obama.it's not his fault for being weak i think he was born that way.AMERICA NEVER BOW TO ANY LEADER
next time vote STRONG, NO APOLOGY TYPE OF A PRESIDENT!!!!!!!!!
Right on yashmak. We sacrificed over 100,000 men in Korea and Vietnam. We fought both wars with ours hands tied behind our backs. Thanks to our feeble minded politicians. The results are are obvious. The original goal was never achieved in either war. Will we ever learn?We must do away with this ridiculous ROE and fight to win or get the hell out!!