ianstone
05-31-2010, 08:46 AM
May 23, 2010
drive to the village
Richard Pohle
Preparing for a drive in Afghanistan is unlike preparing for a drive anywhere else. “You guys know how to use a tourniquet?” the medic from the US 82nd airborne asked as we prepared to accompany the men from “Nightmare” Platoon, based at FOB Lane, to a nearby village. Tom Coghlan and I shook our heads “well you loosen it up so it's large enough to fit over the stump of your leg” Stump? “then you turn it until it stops bleeding....same thing with your arm” I began to feel uneasy “If you have a double amputation i'll help with the other one but you got to do the first one yourself.'” The medic handed each of us a tourniquet and wondered off. I felt ill. The serious faces of the members of the platoon during the mission briefing proved that even a local short trip such as this was taken extremely seriously.
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef01348156dce5970c-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef01348156dce5970c-popup)
The journey would have us leave FOB Lane and go to the surrounding villages with the local ANP to show the face of the government and to enquire to the needs of the villagers. People around here are being seriously intimidated by the Taliban, in fact several village elders had been kidnapped. Upon arrival the paratroopers patrolled cautiously through the village jumping down from searching rooftops and past the local children who knowing the Americans to be generous with sweets follow them around endlessly repeating the word “Hey! Hey! Hey!”
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ee26f532970b-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ee26f532970b-popup)
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ee26f589970b-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ee26f589970b-popup)
Lt Sean Snook talked to the village elder and delicately asked what was needed, despairing at the long list of issues the villagers produced.
All through the talk the elder kept a protective hand on his son’s head.
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ee26f6c8970b-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ee26f6c8970b-popup)
This was the village of Bagh. Once it was a thriving village with a bustling bazaar. Now it is empty, the shop fronts crumbling and filled with rubbish. The Taliban had forced the closure of the town’s livelihood threatening those who returned to the village bazaar with instant death.
The ANP, a jovial bunch, chatted to the villagers and searched those who looked unfamiliar or came too close.
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ee26f882970b-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ee26f882970b-popup)
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef01348156e20b970c-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef01348156e20b970c-popup)
Another day another village. This time the Americans knew there were lots of children so they loaded their vehicles with sweets and ration boxes. The village was in the mountains along precarious roads but they were warmly welcomed by the children. Once the area was secured the American paratroopers relaxed and removed their helmets. They threw the sweets to the children from the back of their vehicles causing mini riots in the dust.
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ee26fa74970b-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ee26fa74970b-popup)
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef01348156e40a970c-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef01348156e40a970c-popup)
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef01348156e63b970c-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef01348156e63b970c-popup)
The scene was great to photograph the children took a great interest in my cameras and delighted in eating the sweets cramming them into their mouths. The ration packs proved less popular and soon the children were throwing away processed packets of “beans and franks”
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef01348156e722970c-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef01348156e722970c-popup)
The Americans and ANP sat chatting as the Lieutenant again talked to elders “today is a good day” one of the Paratroopers said as he sat with the children “nobody got hurt.”
"Thee" genuine US forces not often seen sadly.
They deserve better and honest publicity
drive to the village
Richard Pohle
Preparing for a drive in Afghanistan is unlike preparing for a drive anywhere else. “You guys know how to use a tourniquet?” the medic from the US 82nd airborne asked as we prepared to accompany the men from “Nightmare” Platoon, based at FOB Lane, to a nearby village. Tom Coghlan and I shook our heads “well you loosen it up so it's large enough to fit over the stump of your leg” Stump? “then you turn it until it stops bleeding....same thing with your arm” I began to feel uneasy “If you have a double amputation i'll help with the other one but you got to do the first one yourself.'” The medic handed each of us a tourniquet and wondered off. I felt ill. The serious faces of the members of the platoon during the mission briefing proved that even a local short trip such as this was taken extremely seriously.
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef01348156dce5970c-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef01348156dce5970c-popup)
The journey would have us leave FOB Lane and go to the surrounding villages with the local ANP to show the face of the government and to enquire to the needs of the villagers. People around here are being seriously intimidated by the Taliban, in fact several village elders had been kidnapped. Upon arrival the paratroopers patrolled cautiously through the village jumping down from searching rooftops and past the local children who knowing the Americans to be generous with sweets follow them around endlessly repeating the word “Hey! Hey! Hey!”
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ee26f532970b-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ee26f532970b-popup)
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ee26f589970b-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ee26f589970b-popup)
Lt Sean Snook talked to the village elder and delicately asked what was needed, despairing at the long list of issues the villagers produced.
All through the talk the elder kept a protective hand on his son’s head.
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ee26f6c8970b-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ee26f6c8970b-popup)
This was the village of Bagh. Once it was a thriving village with a bustling bazaar. Now it is empty, the shop fronts crumbling and filled with rubbish. The Taliban had forced the closure of the town’s livelihood threatening those who returned to the village bazaar with instant death.
The ANP, a jovial bunch, chatted to the villagers and searched those who looked unfamiliar or came too close.
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ee26f882970b-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ee26f882970b-popup)
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef01348156e20b970c-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef01348156e20b970c-popup)
Another day another village. This time the Americans knew there were lots of children so they loaded their vehicles with sweets and ration boxes. The village was in the mountains along precarious roads but they were warmly welcomed by the children. Once the area was secured the American paratroopers relaxed and removed their helmets. They threw the sweets to the children from the back of their vehicles causing mini riots in the dust.
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ee26fa74970b-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef0133ee26fa74970b-popup)
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef01348156e40a970c-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef01348156e40a970c-popup)
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef01348156e63b970c-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef01348156e63b970c-popup)
The scene was great to photograph the children took a great interest in my cameras and delighted in eating the sweets cramming them into their mouths. The ration packs proved less popular and soon the children were throwing away processed packets of “beans and franks”
http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef01348156e722970c-800wi (http://timesnews.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d811753ef01348156e722970c-popup)
The Americans and ANP sat chatting as the Lieutenant again talked to elders “today is a good day” one of the Paratroopers said as he sat with the children “nobody got hurt.”
"Thee" genuine US forces not often seen sadly.
They deserve better and honest publicity