E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
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.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
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)
Leave a Comment:
Why do the Taliban hate us so much?? because we play big brother for the Jews... if we really want this to end we need to insist Israel give the Palestinian their own land and stop treating them like scum. Why don't the Taliban attack the Russians or Chinese even though they are 'infidels' also?? Because they don't play bodyguard for the Israelis. Let's face it Arabs hate Jews and vise versa it's the war of thousands of years over the same piece of dirt in Jerusalem, and since the 60's when we stuck our nose into the affairs of the Jews, well we got sucked into this too.
We can't win in Afghanistan, the russians tried it for years without 'rules of engagement' and still could not do it, you can't win against a culture who see's dying as a way to heaven and 40 virgins... unless were willing to nuke them from existence it's just not going to happen. They don't value life the way we do and therefore it's pointless.
The Arabs know that without our help the Palestinians would be running Israel and the Jews would be begging for land and their own country, so if we REALLY want to stop all this, we need to insists that they come to some agreement with the Palestinians or pat them on the back and say... "your on your own buddy"
Until that happens and we are perceived as fair to both sides we are going to have the Taliban up our butts trying to kill as many Americans as they can.
This IS NOT about being Big Brother to the Jew's etc they attacked us because we stick our noses into other peoples buisness when we shouldnt, In the past I/E Vietnam, Korea etc it was about Communism, ww1 & 2 are self explanitory. You are totaly right about the Russian deal they did not fight with any rules of engagement and they still lost to a bunch of illiterate goat herders although we did help them (they were Mujahadeen back then) we gave them stinger missle's to shoot down the Hind helicopters as well as SOG operators.
Britan was their earl 20 century as well as beiing invaded by (Ithink it was) Peter the great way way back and they allllll lost.
We are going to loose big time there nothing will change, even if we do stabilize them and get a govt set up it will be attacked and overthrown the minute we are out of their.
More troops are being killed every moth now then when bush was president.Obama has tied our guy's hands and the extra time our guys have to think (should/shouldnt) I open fire they are dead. It really sucks that the rules state once they throw their weapons down the are non-combatants etc. its just like that trooper in the 101 said,"it sucks because if this were treated like a real war like in the past they would be able to lay a place flat with "ARTY" if they were taking fire from a certain area.
The Taliban atack our troop then slip over into Pakistan and we cant do a damn thing about it.You can bet thats where Osama is hiding, (Osama Binladen, -- Barak Obama) hmmm makes you wonder lol. our troops should be able to chase them and the hell with what Pakistan says, they are supposedly chasing all leads and taking out Taliban camps (load of @!$%#) they are still Muslum and thay still hate us ("infidels")
We need to keep Israel as a close in our hip pocket as we can,,I refere to them as our pitbull on a leash, the are our only friend from over in that @!$%#ty area of the world, who took out Sadam's Nuclear facility??? if it werent for them our troops mighta faced a dirty bomb, also Iran has an up and running Nuclear production program and Israel has threatened to flatten it, Iran (muslum) hates out guts and would use a weapon if they had it , Syria, Egyt and Jordan have tried numerous times to take out Israel but have been unable to and thanks to us Israel held out from the shipments we sent them as well as captured military hardware they put into use.
We were the first nation to recognize the existance of Israel in 1948 and have been closely tied to them, you cant say that about Iran, Iraq, Egyt or any of them other piece of crap nation from the middle east whom all hate us,
Its not a (Jew) problem like everyone says its a Muslum problem 9 times out of 10 they are bad or hate anything christian. I dont have anything against anyone I was raised in an enviroment to give anyone a chance but once cross me your out whens the last time a ( catholic, protestant,jew) bombed someplace and named it for that religion,(Ireland dont count) thats a different issue that was a catholic/protestant issue
I dont know im kinda fishy about out President (his past, religious views) I mean he ties our troops hands, alienates Israel kinda seems funny to me. I and alot of people (military) thinks ha's a closet muslum. thats why he has done some of the things he has done. alotttttt of military dont like him because of the change in the ROE when he became PREZ
anyways just some of my view's on what you said. (freedom of speach right??)
I feel for the 101st. My son-in-law has been at cop Nolen since Feb 2010. They took this ground and have held it since that time. The 101st has relieved the combat team from the 82nd. The men of the 82nd that have held this ground know what these men are going through.Their families know and we all pray for all of these brave soldiers. Be safe and stay strong!!
I'm sick to my stomach over all of this crap! I never served in the army, navy, marine corp.because of severe medical condition. I can't imagine seeing a fellow soldier get shot to death or lose multiple limbs by having been blown up by IEDs. I don't know what the answer is but it seems only logical that if we need more weapons or equipment or, God forbid, troops, that OUR GOVERNMENT does all that is necessary to provide those things.I agree with one thing for certain: we need to get the hell out of this situation.I've read these comments thoroughly. I lost many personal friends in Viet Nam and i often cry because of it.
The bravery our troops have been showing is truly amazing. I read this book http://bit.ly/cxTiTg that's full of inspirational stories and I just can't get over some of the things American soldiers are going through. I hope everyone reads that book and feel the same as I do afterwords. God Bless Them
Given the troubles, the fact we can send a 17 man platoon into theater in Afghanistan, and nine come back (Wonder how many tangos were dropped?), only goes to show the steel our guys are made of.
Just me-1842713 The steel they are made of is the nickels in their wallet. The only reason they stay there is the economy is such crap right now they would be jobless and broke if they came home.
You are an enormously ignorant roach, mike, LoL. Any one of those so called "nickel" hardened soldiers is worth more than you'll ever amount to. I thought about giving you the benefit of the doubt, but you are either a troll or an unredeemable PoS. I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess it's the latter.
I apologize if I appear stupid but I don't understand.
Over the last 9 years since 9/11, so many men and women have volunteered to fight the people,(for lack of a better word) who were responsible for the terror inflicted and senseless loss of life, here at home.
Since then, our troops have been in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ordered to kill Bin Ladin. Can't find the monster so Bush says to go after Hussain for weapons of mass distruction. After hanging the guy, the american people find out that there weren't any weapons. Iran, Baghdad, Al Quita, Taliban.
I need to understand why so many are being killed.
I also feel that President Obama is being unjustly crucified regarding this war. It started long, long before he came into office. Everyone is aware that the Party of Obstruction that is claiming power right now will not, under any circumstances, go along with anything that the president says. I would be willing to bet that the President asked for additional funds to help our soldiers but was shot down.
As I said, I don't mean to appear to be stupid but I don't understand why or where we are exactly.
I do pray, with all my heart, the killing will be able to stop soon and everyone comes back home. To everyone who has served and able to return home, I have a deep respect for your beliefs and convictions. For the souls who didn't come home, you will always be missed.
You are being stupid. Obama needs to bring the troops home now as everything he does puts them more in harms way.
The problem was going to Iraq. Sadam was no threat to the us. It was a joke and the American people fell for it. Sadam could not @!$%# with out us knowning. You see Bush suckered Colin Powell into it you seen where he ended up. As far away from that adimstration as he could get after they used him. When I was in the Army all the NCO'S Came back from the first gulf was hopeing to retired before we went back. They all knew when the goverment would not let them finish it when the armored divisons were 60 miles outside of Bagdad and brought them home. Sure enough George had to try to go finish what his daddy could not.If we would not have invaded iraq and focus on agafinstan it would be over now. Let the men fight that are there and not the rich polictans sitting behind there desks setting our men up for failure. GOD BLESS OUT TROOPS
red355
Thank you for explaining how we ended up in Iraq and why Bush was hell bent on getting Hussain.
AS A SOLDIER IN THE 1/320TH FA I AM HIGHLY DISSAPPOINTED THAT THIS ARTICLE WAS POSTED BY MSNBC. I speak for more than myself by saying this because my family as well as friends have read it and it is upsetting. It is not the fact that we lost a soldier or that people have gotten wounded that upsets us it is the fact that the media is portraying the 1/320th FA as a weak unit when they are not. They spent months training for this but sometimes training is not enough for real the real life scenarios of war. The death of PFC King as well as several of the soldiers that have been wounded is part of war.
It irritates me to read peoples opinions on what happened to these soldiers in my unit and them saying that we need to get out of there now. We volunteered for this whether or not people like to think about it this way or not it is part of being a soldier. After September 11,2001 we knew that joining the military reguardless of what branch meant a possible deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan or possibly both. For the 1/320th FA to give up on this mission just because they have lost a soldier and have had casualities would be for them to fail this mission and would mean that those that have been injured as well as the one killed sacrificed themselves for nothing. Those guys believed in what they were doing then and they still have faith in their brothers over in Afghanistan on that mission. I believe that we as American's should have the same faith in them as well as give them the same support.
I have heard other people say artillery units are not equipped to handle situations like this. This unit is more than prepared for where they are. Part of the problem is that they are an artillery unit doing an infantry mission but the problem with the Army is that there is not enough infantry to do every infantry mission which is why artillery is learning how to do the infantrymen's job. If this unit was used as an artillery unit in Afghanistan they would be a highly effective combat force that no Afghan local national would want to recon with. A 1/320th FA is a highly skilled group of artillerymen that can safely, accurately, and effectively use artillery to destroy an enemy if they were give the task using their artillery pieces. They have not recieved an artillery mission probably because they are trying to win over the hearts and minds of the people not cause so much collateral damage, death, and destruction that people want to retaliate against them for it.
bfielding The reason an artillery unit is doing an infantry units job is: the infantry units have been decimated. The artillery units are undermanned for the same reason. There was no surge, they were replacing troops killed in combat. Do the math, the number of surge troops equals the number of troops killed in action or disabled in action. If the Afghans are taking out large numbers of troops, and the body count is being concealed, not allowing pictures of returning caskets, everything adds up.
Welcome to three years ago mike. Trust me we are not merely "replacing troops killed in combat". If the Afghans were taking out large numbers of troops you'd hear it about on the news, daily. Maybe try deploying over here and seeing for yourself instead of running your mouth. People like you are the reason why we got into this war in the first place.
the 1/320 are warriors in the best army in the world
What about the Article, was it well written? What about the video, was it well shot?
Yowza! The floodgates of opinion have opened, but perhaps missed the point. This is a Photo Blog. We discuss photos, videos and articles. Admire or abhor the skills of those who we are asked to blog upon. Remember journalism 101, who, what, where, when and why?
I watched The Video and found it reminiscent of some Vietnam Era stuff I've seen. Ribbit.
im sorry i just do not understand and why our fighter planes are not there helping those poor soldiers walking getting there legs blown off more than they are drop more bombs in those mountains before they get there on foot and maybe youll set off and destroy alot of those IED homeade bombs before our soldiers do !!!!
johnd0306 That is an admission the soldiers have been defeated.
"We are going to keep doing what our country has asked us to do"....
When will we get over the pervasive, manipulative mindset 911 placed upon us...by our own fear influenced "we must police the world" mentality.
For the sake of our soldiers this must change!
Bring the troops home and if indeed there is a pervasive problem (terrorism) ...it is time for the entire world to stand up to the plate. The immense mountain of cash "private" billion dollar contractors are raking in on this influences every decision...enough is enough.
End this endless war.
I am curious, why are these men patrolling anyway? It seems they are just out there getting hit by IED's. What do the patrols accomplish militarily?
Just passing through here with a thought....if I were in the mood to truly comquer my enemy, I would first take my enemy from inside with the poison of division. Then cause them to spread themselves to the breaking point and sit back and watch the follies. Clean up to booty later. Does anyone see this happening anywhere?
just a passing thought.......i would first poison my enemy with division, let them start to rot from within. Then get them to spread themselves so thin the fabric of the society begings to fail. Then I would sit back and watch the follies, collect the booty later. See this happening anywhere lately?
bfielding what you ,your families and friends and brothers have contributed is appreciated and respected.
I have a passing thought for all the egotisical posturing i read here....if I were to desire conquering my enemy, I think my first approach would be to poison them with division. I would then at my leisure let them spread themselves very thin so the fabric of their society would start to fail. They will destroy themselves from within leaving me the booty to collect. Question i ask....See this happening anywhere?
Obama is NOT any kind of president. He says USA is nothing.
If I hear 'Our hands are tied' or 'Remember 9/11' one more time, I'll hurl.
Here's all you need to know.
US Defense is the largest Corporation on the planet at $838 BILLION a year ... by far.
US Defense is the largest Corporation in all of humanity's history for 20,000 years ... by far.
US Defense budget appropriations are set to increase +14% next year, more than China, the hottest
economy on the planet. The $156 BILLION each and every year 'emergency (sic) funding' for UNAUDITED
and UNDISCLOSED 'national security (sic) purposes' exceeds the combined oil revenues of BP and Exxon!
In other words, just the walking around 'fcuk it' money for 'Defense' (sic), the largest Corporation on Earth,
exceeds the entire national GDP of all but the top 50 of the world's countries! And no audits on any of it!
All of those 'Defense' (sic) jobs go to Mercs and Usurists with US citizenship and TS/SCI clearances only.
It's an Elite Club of the world's most wealthy war profiteers ... and you ain't in it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acLW1vFO-2Q
Why are we there? These people don't like us, and they don't like what we're doing. I say pull out and let Karzai figure it out. There is no reason to lose one more American to these ungrateful bastards. Who are we to impose our beliefs on these people. I say f... it and pull out. We could spend that money rebuilding our country, where it would be appreciated. But like you say, it's the corporation's war. They sell the equipment, arms, vehicles, food, etc. and make a helluva profit at the cost of thousands of dead and wounded American boys. Obama should be able to figure this out, but he hasn't. I'm glad I didn't vote for this moron.
The terrorist killed 3000 americans on 9/11, so what do we do?, add another 5000 to that total. Talk about throwing good money after bad. These cave dwellers should be bombed back to the stone age.
Ask yourself the famous question, "Are we better off now than we were a year ago? Not a sermon, just a thought.
I agree with you. My son is over their now they are a bunch of ungratefull useless people, 80% are illiterate and ignorant they live like its in the 1800's no power, no runnung water, even when utilities are up and running some of them blow it up just like in Iraq. We still havent caught the @!$%# who planned 9/11 it been what 9 years. why havent we caught him??? its because the same people were their to help are helping him hide and avoid capture,
If our troop's get a good tip then they should be able to callin "Arty" and blow the living @!$%# out of the place then go looking for piece's but noooooooooooo Osama Obama changed the ROE after he took office.
Look at the casualy figures now and compare them before when Bush was in office it alot more per month now than beore, just look what happend to the 101'st platoon they are combat ineffective now because of the casualties the sustained ove a what 3 week course? that is total horse @!$%#!!
THANK YOU MR PREZ. I didnt vote for him I still cant believe the American public elected him and look at how bad the economy is now. If the public wanted a black president I woulda glady and readily voted for Colin Powell he woulda got my vote.
One troop is to much in my point of view to be wasting on those piece of @!$%# ignorant goa herders.
They dont like us nor do they want us their, the hell with trying to rebuilt that piece of @!$%# useless nation, we sent out troops their to take out the people responsible for 9/11. unfortunatly it to a back seat to Iraq which got most of the men money and supplies, Afghanistan was a bastard child for the longest time and nowwwww after 9 years they are ramping it up only to supposedly star pulling out next summer.
I dont see that happening, like I said most people from their are to ignorant to run anything competently (80% illiterate) hell if they couldnt figure out what tiolet paper was for nor how to wipe their asses with it????? i mean come on how rediculus is that????
just some of my views
i just ask every one to pray for my old unit gatson and ssg malin are in recovery now at walter reed and i hope the best for ROCKHARD ALPHA my brothers in arms always and forever
AMEN brother
99.9% of America is so out of touch with reality. Kids can name every actor in Hollywood, but don't know the last 10 Presidents.
yes War is bad, but without it we as a FREE people would be enslaved. (not that we are far from it now)
It is a true failure on our society when a comedian like Larry the Cable Guy has a better understanding of what needs to be done than our current President.
I have no idea how these young men do the impossible tasks they are asked, all I can say is if WE as a people don't stop this BS in Washington and GET 'er DONE you better learn chineese.
The people in charge hope WE keep fighting each other so as We don't take to much time to watch them instead. Put down the arguing,set aside your petty BS, get these people OUTA our Goverment and do what needs to be done.
The everyone gets a trophy, and gets a diploma feel good society is killing the American Spirit.
WE all agree War is Hell, but it needs to be done.
I can,t understand why the gov. is allowing this war to continue.Look back to 1945 and Japan. We still have H bombs or do we ? It soon ended that war and our boys came home. Those people over have never lived peaceably with their neighbors, what makes any one think they ever will. President Obama get out the H bomb, I think it only took a couple and our boys came home!!
I want to just say to all of you making it seem like its the soldiers and the units fault and the commanders on the ground, I would definitely have to @!$%#ing disagree with most of you. I deployed with this same unit from 07-08. We lost one out of the whole @!$%#ing battalion, but why because we trained, had the right amount of man power, the experience of the leaders and soldiers. Right now they are lacking the the experience first because after redeploying back we had at lease 95% of our battalion PCS, reclass, get out, or chaptered for different reasons. Why would you put a unit with damn near more brand new soldiers then anything in a area that no and I mean no one has ever been..... They are building from ground up and I feel like the head @!$%#ing leaders starting from the division on up failed these soldiers in this battalion. No offense, but I feel like Obama was so hurry to send out more troops in such a short time that they didn't get enough time to train for a war that to be honest with you can never be won especially with people who will take their own lives just to take yours and those around you. It hurts to see people that you deployed with and worked side by side with for almost three years die because of other peoples mistakes. The Battery in the video is my husband old battery, I was in the unit, but different battery of which they are all out there together. Secondly I am so @!$%#ing tired of the damn recruiting command making there numbers before the physical year and having all these useless soldiers who don't have the heart or discipline to actually care about another persons life, all these new soldiers care about is getting a @!$%#ing pay check because they can't find a job on the civilian sector. I mean how the @!$%# do you come in the army already hurt, like seriously get the @!$%# out of here with that @!$%#. I mean do you see the turn around rate of how many soldiers they are putting out of the army and I'm not talking about the old ones I'm talking about brand new soldiers who some don't even make it past 6 months and those who do make it are not focused. Before I left that unit my SFC helped chapter at lease 17 people that I knew of last year alone and 95 percent of them were brand new soldiers. So what does that say about the the Army as a whole? I honestly think the Army needs to STOP BEING SO @!$%#ING SOFT ON THESE SOLDIERS COMING IN NOW A DAYS, THEY RAISED THEIR RIGHT HAND AND SAID THEY WANTED TO BE, THEY ALL ACT AS THOUGH WE OWE THEM SOMETHING! I CAME IN JUST BEFORE THEY STARTED TRANSITION FROM LEADERS THAT ACTUALLY SMOKED THE @!$%# OUT OF SOLDIERS AND TRAINED THEIR ASSES UNTIL THE WHEELS FELL OFF! NOW YOU CAN'T EVEN DO SO MUCH AS YELL AT A @!$%#ING SOLDIER WITHOUT THEM CALLING I.G. OR PUTTING IN A DAMN EO COMPLAINT. I look at the all these new soldiers coming in and I shake my head because they will never probably get to experience some of the great leadership I got to have and that the we still have left, its sad. We don't have too many Noncommissioned Officers any more all we have are a bunch of @!$%#ing sergeants running around here who could give a @!$%# about their soldiers. I swear the Army as gone to @!$%# in a hand bag. STEP YOUR @!$%#ING GAME BACK UP AND START BRINGING MORE QUALITY SOLDIERS VERSES QUANTITY! WE NEED TO GO BACK OLD SCHOOL, I BET THAT @!$%# WILL START WEEDING OUT ALL THE WEAK LINKS REALLY FAST! OBAMA STEP YOU DAMN GAME UP!
PRIOR 1/320TH SOLDIER You cannot make chicken soup out of chicken sh!t.
Old military doctrine says, the actual number of troops, is the number of COMMITTED troops in either sides army.
Youre right the US troops are in it for a paycheck because there are no jobs in the civilian sector. Paycheck troops aka mercs arent in it for the fight, they are in it for the bennies.
On the US side maybe one-in-ten troops is a psycho nutter Christian who is gung-ho for the war. On the Afghan side maybe eight-in-ten are freedom fighters gung-ho to kick the foreigners out. Do the math now. Advantage Afghans in this war, facts on the ground support this math. Afghans control the ground, US does not.
this is a mess. we need to get out of afghanistan now. the people there nor our military needs any more of this. all of you who think we need to keep punishing the people of afghanistan are ignorant SOB's Thanks.