MORE WASTED LIVES IN AFGHANISTAN

More unnecessary death and destruction in Afghanistan.

One would think that the bloody province of Kunduz had seen enough death and destruction for a long time when two NATO tanker trucks were hijacked, and their drivers killed by the Taliban. The tankers were spirited off into the hinterlands along dusty dirt roads only to be bogged down as they tried to cross a sandy river-ford. Unable to move the heavily loaded vehicles, the Taliban called in local tribesmen to help unload the fuel and carry off as much as they wanted. While this was occurring, near-by a German NATO contingent made aware of the situation decided to call in an air strike on the stranded trucks. Why let all that fuel get away into the hands of the Taliban? We can't let the Taliban look like nice guys giving away valuable fuel. Hey let's light up the night sky with it. The American F15 pilots—in spite of and in contravention of General Stanley McChrystal’s recent orders not to fire in areas where an attack was likely to cause civilian casualties—were quick and eager to comply. The result was a huge fireball and the death of as many as 125 Afghanis (as reported by: http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/53383,news,rescuing-journalist-stephen-farrell-was-a-risk-worth-taking-afghanistan-kidnap).

The oil spill had not drained away into the damp sands of the riverbed before the still- smouldering trucks attracted a gung-ho, 46 year-old NY Times journalist, Steven Farrell, who rode into the area with his Afghan interpreter Sultan Munadi (a father of two, journalist and academic). They were there to confirm the facts of a "hot story" and of civilian massacre called in by Germans and executed by Americans--the dying by Afghans--as usual. The two journalists visited the local hospital where they interviewed civilian casualties and were photographed there on September 5th with a badly-burned young local boy. Then they rode out to the river to view the bomb site. Their stay at the river may have lasted too long, since as they were getting ready to leave, they were kidnapped by Taliban forces and taken into Kunduz. Here the story becomes more murky.


Hostage taking in Afghanistan is almost commonplace. The Taliban were apparently looking for a quick pay-off from the NY Times or others, such as Farrell’s family, his insurance company, or the US. But as these negotiations were going on, most say successfully, the British PM, Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street, had either a bad idea or some bad advice which encouraged him to give the green light to an unnecessary, dangerous and politically risky rescue mission by the British SAS in Afghanistan.

The result was a disaster. Though the journalist Steven Farrell did get out alive- at least five people died for his release. The story is of a poorly planned. poorly executed, and bloody, operation--and wasted lives.

First, the American helicopters landed at the wrong compound, eliminating the important element of surprise. The Taliban at that point knew they were being attacked. It is surprising that they did not immediately kill their hostages--but may also suggest their intentions were not lethal. They just left, escaping out the back of the compound.

Finally, the British troops and their American transporters realizing their mistake…(here one wonders just how many people they may have killed in the neighboring compound)…moved on to where the hostages actually were located. As Farrell and his interpreter, abandoned by their captors, slipped out of the building in the rear, the British advance troops came through the front door with a massive blast. The massive explosion killed the wife and child of the house's owner.

By this time, Farrell and his interpreter had come around to the front of the compound where they huddled on the ground. Sultan Munadi, seeing the approaching British troops and wearing his headscarf and robes and still acting as the loyal native protector, ran out toward the British troops yelling “Journalists, Journalists!” One does not know whether it was his Afghan accent, his dark complexion or his head scarf, but he was instantly mowed down in a hail of SAS bullets.

Farrell, the real, "white-looking" guy who might have pulled off the warning, acted as more of a survivor type, and jumped into a ditch. When the shooting died down, he yelled out in his best British accent “Hostage--British hostage!”. He wisely refrained from referring to himself as an “Irish-British” hostage. In these situations clarity, simplicity and some close relation with the attackers pays off. Farrell had to step over poor, dead, loyal Sultan to get to his rescuers, but he did.

Just as sadly, in this unnecessary battle, a young British trooper, handsome twenty-nine year- old Corporal John Harrison also died of gunshot wounds.


A Taliban "leader", a woman and child, Sultan the loyal and heroic interpreter, and John Harrison the British corporal all met their deaths. Farrel went home. The deaths were all unnecessary---all of them. What are we fighting for? None of these men know.

It appears Farrell and his interpreter would probably have been released safely, as we learn now, if the higher ups in London had not interfered.


What made PM Gordon Brown go for it? Mr Gordon Brown, a guy I kind of feel sorry for, is a loner, blind-in-one eye, depressive, humorless, Prime Minister who is previously suspected of Asperger’s syndrome--a form of autism which affects social behavior—and one who is recently rumored to be taking powerful psychoactive drugs to control OCD and deepening mental depression. See: http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/53143,news,the-mole-gordon-brown-on-drugs-to-control-depression-poor-health-rumours). Perhaps on this occasion he missed his last medication, or just had a bad “hair” day. Poor Gordie everything he touches seems to turn to lead. Is this some kind of a Scottish curse?

But one must ask why was he considering this mission at all? Farrell, though he holds a British passport…is of Irish stock and carries an Irish passport as well. Who knows on what side of the Irish Sea ( or Muir Meann) his real heart lies. He has not been home in a long time, being more of an internationalist, who sees “God in the News”.

But perhaps the real reason was that Brown thought a successful rescue mission would add some luster to his presently tarnished reputation. Recent UK polls (MORI ratings) indicate that the Tories are up 43% to Labor’s (under Brown) 26%. (See: http://www.ipsos-mori.com/) Was this action taken just to pull his poll numbers up? It might have been. Robert Fox at thefirstpost.co.uk asks that question. He states “….the SAS (special services military forces) have provided the likes of Thatcher, Portillo, Blair and Hoon with quite a few grandstanding opportunities over the years. I hope Brown didn't do it just to boost the MORI ratings. That really would be worthy of blame, and more.” See: http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/53383,news,rescuing-journalist-stephen-farrell-was-a-risk-worth-taking-afghanistan-kidnap.

Afghanistan—oh what a waste of life..


Get the picture?

rjk