20 posts tagged “us soldiers”

A War's Impossible Mission
Washington Post

KHOST PROVINCE, Afghanistan Capt. Roger Hill stood behind a long wooden desk, reading from a piece of paper that trembled lightly in his hand. "Please know that seeing your brothers whittled down one by one by a cowardly and ghost-like enemy is difficult," he said, glancing up only briefly at the team of military prosecutors assembled around him.

Hill is a U.S. Army officer in Afghanistan accused of detainee abuse, including a mock execution, war crimes, dereliction of duty and other serious charges stemming from an incident last August at a U.S. military base outside the capital city of Kabul. Members of his unit allegedly slapped Afghan detainees, and Hill himself is said to have fired his pistol into the ground near blindfolded Afghans to frighten them.

But after exploring the personalities and circumstances involved in this case, it's hard for me to condemn Hill or his first sergeant, Tommy Scott, who has been charged with assaulting the detainees. Stuck in the deadly middle ground between all-out war and nation- building, these men lashed out to protect themselves. To me, their story encapsulates the impossible role we've asked U.S. soldiers to play in the reconstruction of this devastated country. They are part warrior, part general contractor, yet they are surrounded on all sides by a populace that wants nothing more than to kill or be rid of them.

The soldiers who have served at Hill's side call him heroic. Others describe the career that the 30-year-old West Point graduate might have had if he and his men hadn't apparently crossed the line one day last summer. Instead, I watched Hill fight for that career -- and for his freedom -- earlier this month in a conference room at Forward Operating Base Salerno, a large U.S. military base near the Afghan town of Khost, about 17 miles from the Afghan-Pakistani border.

As Hill tried to defend his actions at a military hearing, his soft voice filled the small, bare room: "Know that sifting through the charred and crumbling remains of fellow service members in order to identify their bodies, or picking up the pieces of another after this ghost-like enemy has hacked off his arms and cut out his heart . . . only for you to later find out that his fingers are being distributed downtown amongst the locals, can somehow make a commander more protective. "

It was against this "ghost-like enemy" that Hill, Scott and the rest of their unit were fighting at Forward Operating Base Airborne in Wardak Province, west of Kabul, where Hill's company was the sole coalition force for miles around.

There are dozens of bases throughout the country like Airborne. They are full of soldiers who bear the dual and confounding burden of being both an army fighting the Taliban, with all the killing and dying that entails, and a corps of civil servants. They attend shuras (meetings with village leaders), construct roads and help train the Afghan police force. They are expected to work hand-in-glove with people who might have tea with them one moment and inform Taliban killers about U.S. troop movements the next. But talking with local leaders -- even leaders who might be playing both sides -- is the only way to begin progress toward building institutions in Afghanistan.

I traveled here to work as an embedded reporter with the soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division, based at Fort Campbell, Ky., about an hour from my home in Nashville. I'd planned on spending most of my time with the 101st as they engaged the Taliban on the Pakistan border.

But while waiting at FOB Salerno for a helicopter ride to a smaller base, I heard talk about Hill and the Article 32 inquiry he was about to face -- the military justice version of a grand jury hearing. I learned that Hill and Scott could face life in prison if the matter proceeded to a court martial. Another half-dozen members of Hill's company will soon have Article 32 hearings of their own. One soldier is already being held in a military jail in Kuwait for his role in the incident.

I decided to stay.

Hill's path to the hearing room in Khost began, according to witness testimony, when he received reliable intelligence late last August that Taliban agents were working on his unit's base, which is manned by no more than 200 coalition soldiers. One of these reported interlopers, a man identified only as "Noori," was Hill's personal interpreter. Two more purported Taliban informants were running the base's small, locally owned coffee shop. The intelligence said that all three, as well as some others, were relaying information about U.S. troop movements and artillery positions to Taliban agents in Wardak, an area the size of Connecticut where Hill's small company faced off against a large number of hostile locals.

The intelligence report detailing how these Afghan men were working with the Taliban is classified "top secret." But an Army spokesman who has seen it said that the evidence against them was incontrovertible. "There was a legitimate report saying that [Hill's translator] was a bad guy and was sharing information with the Taliban," said Marine Capt. Scott Miller, media liaison for the hearing. "He was providing information to recognized bad people."

Read the rest of this important article here. 

In 2006 a classified report declared that Iraq's Al Anbar province is lost.  In 2007 Al Anbar province is held up as a model of effective counter insurgency.

How did the situation change so drastically in one year?

Documentary filmmaker JD Johannes traveled the Euphrates river valley interviewing tribal leaders and military officers who turned Anbar from a defeat into what might be a victory over Al Qaida.

Hear first hand from the Iraqis who have suffered under Al Qaida and then rose up to the fight terrorist why they have joined with the coalition and get an indepth look at the techniques of modern counter insurgency.

With analysis by Col. G.I. Wilson, USMC (Ret.), a two-tour veteran of Al Anbar and leading theorist on modern insurgency, 'Anbar Awakens' will show you the war you never see on TV or in the movie theatres.

By LTC James Megellas

Insurgents are increasing the use of booby-trapped houses to attack U.S. troops, who are quickly adjusting their tactics to avoid getting caught in a deadly snare.

Six soldiers were killed and four injured Jan. 9 in Diyala province when the house they were searching exploded and came down upon them.

Al-Qaida “will come into a town and kick people out of their houses, use it as a headquarters and while they’re using it they’ll plant these devices,” Gen. Mark Hertling, commander of 1st Armored Division and Task Force Iron, told Army Times in a phone interview Jan. 11 from Tikrit.

Hertling is commander of Multi-National Division-North, which is headquartered in Tikrit, about 80 miles north of Baghdad.

In the case of the house in Diyala, he said, “these soldiers were led into the house by someone who didn’t go in with them. He was captured.”

Hertling said insurgents use different tactics to build what the Army calls house-borne improvised explosive devices, or HBIEDs.

In Diyala, Hertling said, they have found at least six HBIEDs.

Troops have found houses rigged with paint cans hung from the ceiling with wires attached to light switches leading to an initiator switch.

In other cases, Hertling explained, the makeshift bombs are embedded into baseboards, which are plastered over with mud and detonated remotely.

“Some literally will build holes into load-bearing walls and pack them with munitions so if the explosion doesn’t get you the collapse of the structure will,” he said.

The attack happened in the first two days of Operation Iron Harvest, which began Jan. 8 north of Baghdad in four provinces across an area the size of the state of Georgia.

Three soldiers were killed in Samarra during the first day of fighting.

They were identified as Sgt. David J. Hart, 22; Pfc. Ivan E. Merlo, 19; and Pfc. Phillip J. Pannier, 20. They were assigned to 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division.

The six soldiers killed Jan. 9 were with 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, based in Vilseck, Germany.

They were identified by the Army as Spc. Zachary W. McBride, 20; Staff Sgt. Jonathan K. Dozier, 30; Staff Sgt. Sean M. Gaul, 29; Sgt. Christopher A. Sanders, 22; Spc. Todd E. Davis, 22; and Sgt. 1st Class Matthew I. Pionk, 30.

The units conducting Iron Harvest include the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, in Diyala; 1st BCT, 10th Mountain Division, in Kirkuk province; 1st BCT, 101st Airborne Division, in Salahuddin province; and the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Ninewah province.

The northern Iraq operation is part of an Iraq-wide operation known as Phantom Phoenix, which was launched Jan. 8 against al-Qaida safe havens.

U.S. bombers and jet fighters unleashed 40,000 pounds of explosives during airstrikes Jan. 10, flattening what the military called al-Qaida in Iraq safe havens on the southern outskirts of the capital.

“Thirty-eight bombs were dropped within the first 10 minutes, with a total tonnage of 40,000 pounds,” according to a military statement.

Many militants have fled U.S. and Iraqi forces massing north of Baghdad in Diyala province.

The campaign’s scope is nationwide, but is mainly focused on gaining control of Diyala and its most important city, Baqubah, which al-Qaida has declared the capital of its self-styled Islamic caliphate.

The toll of nine American soldiers marked some of the deadliest days for U.S. forces in Iraq since last fall. In all of December, 23 U.S. soldiers died in Iraq.

The blows against U.S. troops came as extremists tried to stay ahead of the military advance. Al-Qaida fighters retreated north from Diyala, presumably to Salahuddin, Hertling told reporters in Baghdad.

“Operational security in Iraq is a problem,” he said, noting that the Iraqi army uses unsecured cell phones and radios. “I’m sure there is active leaking of communication.”

Hertling said his troops killed 20 to 30 insurgents in the first two days of the operation. It was unknown how many were killed in the airstrikes.

The reason for the surge of bloodshed is that insurgents who were pushed out of the western province of Anbar and out of Baghdad shifted their operations into Diyala, U.S. commanders said.

The tree-lined farm region is more difficult terrain for fighting insurgents than the desert of Anbar, suggesting Diyala may not have seen the last of al-Qaida in Iraq. Compounding the difficulty for the military is the checkerboard pattern of Shiite and Sunni communities adjacent to one another.

The military will need a period of peace and stability to meet its goal of speeding up work on basic services and other civic projects that commanders say will win more allies for the American effort.

Aid Station Makes a Difference Along Border
Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:09:00 -0600

Aid Station Makes a Difference Along Border By Spc. Gregory Argentieri, USA Special to American Forces Press Service KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan, Jan. 17, 2008 - Surrounded by snow-covered mountains, the medical personnel of Task Force Saber work side-by-side to provide a first-class, life-saving aid station on Forward Operating Base Naray located in northeastern Afghanistan along the Pakistan border. U.S. Army Spc. Melissa A. Hoffman, from Avondale, Ariz., assigned to Charlie Company, 173rd Brigade Support Battalion, prepares an Afghan mother to draw blood for testing Jan. 3, 2008, at FOB Naray Aid Station in northeastern Afghanistan. The aid station has seen more than 5,400 locals since Task Force Saber took over in May 2007. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Gregory Argentieri) (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The FOB Naray Aid Station team is composed of medical personnel from the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team and the 160th Forward Surgical Team. Their first responsibility is to the U.S. soldiers, whether they are wounded in action, sick, or need routine shots. "The soldiers know that we are here for them, and that has given me a lot of good feelings about being out here. It's a huge privilege to be able to take care of U.S. soldiers," said Maj. Warren Cusick, 41, from Mesa, Ariz., a certified registered nurse-anesthetist and the officer-in-charge of the 160th FST. "The main thing is for troops to have confidence and know when they go to fight that they're going to be cared for if anything bad happens to them. I used to be enlisted, and one thing that made me feel confident was knowing I would get medical care," Cusick said. Even though the aid station is only a series of tents, the Task Force Saber medical team delivers care day and night, as close to the fight as possible. "Our biggest challenge is ensuring that the U.S. personnel are taken care of when they get wounded in battle, and that is what we're always training for," said Capt. Scott M. Harrington, 31, from Daytona Beach, Fla., a family doctor assigned to Charlie Company, 173rd Brigade Support Battalion. "In a big battle, we could have 10 or 20 soldiers come at one time, and that's happened before. We handled it appropriately, we got everybody out, and we saved their lives," he said. "I am much more emotionally invested out here because I'm among friends. It's very scary when we know the guys are in harm's way," Harrington said. "Every time somebody goes out, one of our medics from the aid station go with the line units. Whenever they go on convoys, one of our medics goes out with them." The Naray aid station does much more than provide medical care for American soldiers. The doctors and nurses also provide medical treatment to many Afghans, Afghan National Security Forces, and when the need arises, the enemy. "We have the best relationship with the aid station, they help us all the time," said Afghan National Army Capt. Amanullah, 36, a general-internal doctor assigned to the 3rd Kandak, 3rd Brigade, 201st Corps. "When our soldiers are sick, first, we treat them. We try to cure them by ourselves. If we are unable to cure them, we take them to the aid station, and the good doctors help us. We have a very good relationship with the surgeons." "I was worried and nervous about being treated by U.S. doctors, not knowing what to expect, but after arriving at the aid station and seeing how nice and kind everyone there was, I was okay," said Afghan Soldier Sherin Beg, 22, a medic assigned to 3rd Kandak, 3rd Brigade, 201st Corps. "Within an hour after arriving, I was asleep on the operating table having my appendix removed. The next thing, I was awake and it was all over." The majority of people in need of medical care at the aid station have turned out to be Afghan. Mostly by word of mouth, the doctors and medics are gaining the trust of the local people and building a reputation for their compassionate and respectful medical treatment. "Since we've been deployed, from May of 2007, the [aid station] has seen 5,400 local nationals in our five clinics throughout the upper Kunar province," said Harrington. "We see many children, adults, and fewer women, but every day we're seeing more of the local nationals and more of their women because they're feeling more comfortable with us." An Afghan named Ramdad from the nearby village of Juba is one of the 5,400 people pleased with the services provided by the Soldiers at the Saber run aid stations. Ramdad first went to the coalition forces hospital three months ago after his daughter was burned. "I was not sure the doctors were going to take her, but they treated my daughter, and the doctors did a good job," Ramdad said. "I was very happy, and because of that I brought my 3-year-old son, who is sick with pneumonia, in for help. We are happy with the American doctors taking care of our people because we are poor people, we are not able to take our sick family members out of the country, and it's helpful for us." The doctors and medics working at the FOB Naray Aid Station are highly trained, dedicated professionals, who work to provide excellent medical care to all. "Being out here providing the care that I've been trained to do is why I joined the Army. I get to wake up every day and know that I am doing the right thing," Harrington said. (Editor's note: Spc. Gregory Argentieri is assigned to 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team public affairs.)

U.S. Army Capt. Scott M. Harrington, a family doctor from Daytona Beach, Fla., assigned to Charlie Company, 173rd Brigade Support Battalion, examines a baby girl, testing her reflexes with help from members of the 160th Forward Surgical Team Jan. 3, 2008, at FOB Naray Aid Station in northeastern Afghanistan. The infant's father said she has been weak since birth, and the doctors are concerned the child may have Cerebral Palsy. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Gregory Argentieri) Download screen-resolution Download high-resolution : U.S. Army Maj. Warren Cusick, from Mesa, Ariz., a certified registered nurse anesthetist and the officer-in-charge of the 160th Forward Surgical Team, takes a moment to play with an infant brought in for treatment Jan. 3, 2008, at the FOB Naray Aid Station in northeastern Afghanistan. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Gregory Argentieri) Download screen-resolution Download high-resolution U.S. Army Sgt. Cody J. Vernon, from Keystone Heights, Fla., with the 160th Forward Surgical Team, prepares an Afghan stone mason to be medically evacuated to the Craig Joint Hospital on Bagram Airfield for possible surgery Jan. 6, 2008, at FOB Naray Aid Station in northeastern Afghanistan. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Gregory Argentieri) Download screen-resolution Download high-resolution

Danger Zone

Guests this week are:

Dr. Neal Livingstone, Chairman and CEO of Executive Action, LLC, an international intelligence and security company headquartered in Washington, DC.  Neal is the author of nine books on terrorism, including the recent Spores: The Threat of a Catastrophic Anthrax Attack on America. He believes the threat of anthrax against our homeland is very real and discusses specifics with Dick and Bill.  Neal Livingstone has a PhD from the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy and holds three Master’s degrees.

Carlton Sherwood, Pulitzer Prize winning writer and documentary film maker.  He has been intimately involved in the successful, but poorly publicized, debunking of the “Winter Soldier” gathering in Detroit, Michigan in 1971, proving that most, if not all, of the charges by the Vietnam Veterans Against the War of heinous atrocities supposedly committed by US soldiers and marines in Vietnam, were false.  Carlton discusses the new “Winter Soldier” march and protest planned against the war in Iraq for March in Washington, DC and the phoniness of the connection with the Washington protests of 1971.

If you miss Sunday's broadcast, check back next week for the audio. For past episodes click here. 

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