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Munir Uz Zaman / AFP - Getty Images
US Army soldiers attached to 2nd platoon, C troop, 1st Squadron (Airborne), 91st U.S Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team protect a wounded comrade, Private Ryan Thomas, from dust and smoke flares after an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast during a patrol near Baraki Barak base in Logar Province, Afghanistan on October 13, 2012.
Munir Uz Zaman / AFP - Getty Images
Private Ryan Thomas receives medical assistance after he was injured.
Munir Uz Zaman / AFP - Getty Images
US Army soldiers carry Private Ryan Thomas to a waiting helicopter.
Photographer Munir uz Zaman captured these photos on Saturday, October 13 after a U.S. soldier was injured by the blast from an Improvised Explosive Device during a patrol in eastern Afghanistan. The photos were made available to NBC News today.
21-year-old Private Ryan Thomas, an Oklahoman with the 173rd Airborne, suffered soft tissue damage and was scheduled to be evacuated to Germany after surgery in Afghanistan. Watch a video of the operation to extract him after he was injured.
Slideshow — Afghanistan: Nation at a crossroads
After 11 years of war, 2,135 U.S. soldiers dead, their Afghan colleagues turning on them, and widespread predictions the conflict will end in failure, coalition forces could be forgiven for suffering a dip in morale, Agence France Presse reports. But commanders and soldiers on the ground insist the challenges are bringing them closer together, even if the outcome of the war is uncertain and the perception of what constitutes success has changed.
Top Talkers: With the war in Afghanistan continuing and the U.S. Military abandoning hope of a peace deal in the region with the Taliban, what is expected for the region next? The Morning Joe panel – including fmr. Gov. Howard Dean, D-Vt., Morning Joe economic analyst Steve Rattner and Mike Barnicle – discusses and NBC News' Richard Engel reports from the region.
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Leave a Comment:
If we are not to forget about our soldiers who serve, or the devastation of 911, then we must design an appropriate or more severe response. Otherwise, the message is that those people who serve are fodder for political use.
There will be a point where even the most liberal restrain cannot endure. The sickness of the Taliban and the doctrine they adhere to must be extinguished. There will be no end and they will only submit to their one doctrine and assasinate those who do not. Self defense may necessitate a more severe response. Even the Syrian army knows that no target is to be spared, not even a mosque or madrassa where they teach their terrorism.
Ryan the whole Edmond crew is pullin for ya...we love you and miss you bud hope you make it through okay.
While arguing over partisan politics, or being distracted by fantasy football, or the MLB championship series, we sometimes forget that we have tens of thousands of military personnel in "harms way" in Afghanistan. They all live everyday with the possibility of being seriously wounded or killed. They deserve our unwavering support regardless of what goes on in Washington or our daily lives. Thoughts and prayers to Pvt. Thomas. May you fully recover. To all the soldiers in the 173rd, AIRBORNE! (Sky Soldiers).