Afghanistan - Heading Back to Fenty

Tonight is my last night in my bed, with a bedside lamp and drinking a beer. Tomorrow I head back to Fenty and the 3BCT 25th Division. I am very excited to see old friends and how they fare.

My emotions vacillate from excitement to apprehensiveness. I find myself doing superstitious things, like packing the same exact things I packed the last two times I embedded and trying to follow the same ritual of a last beer or staying up late or making sure I have a copy of my passport and of course writing a note to each daughter about how proud I am of them and how much I love them.

I am a lucky one...I have lived an amazing life, done what I've wanted to do and no one can take any of my memories or accomplishments away from me.

I have just one more mission to achieve...to be a voice for the warrior that takes their time to talk to me and tells me about what's on their mind. And to let them know their appreciated by civilians like me.

I can't help but think about the soldier who went crazy and murdered innocent children and wonder what happened.

There has been a lot of blood spilled in Afghanistan...I'm surprised the dirt is not red.

Afghanistan - Helmand

Panetta Is Safe After Breach Near His Plane at Afghan Base

Pool photo by Scott Olson

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta arrived at Forward Operating Base Shukvani, Afghanistan, on Wednesday.

By ELISABETH BUMILLER

Published: March 14, 2012

KABUL, Afghanistan — A tense visit to Afghanistan by Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta got off to an unscripted start when a stolen truck sped onto a runway ramp at the British military airfield as his plane was landing. Mr. Panetta was unhurt, but Pentagon officials said the Afghan driver emerged from the vehicle in flames.


Glad I'm not going to Helman!

Afghanistan - massacre

What is going on?
This is tragic and ironically the solider is from the same part of Washington as the other Marines who committed the horrific murders for war trophies before.

click here

Taliban threat

The Taliban's website describes the massacre as a "continuation of the past acts of terror by the American monsters" and vows revenge.

"The Islamic Emirate assures survivors of the incident that it will, with God Almighty's assistance, avenge the martyrdom of each of the victims on the invading and beast-like murderers and punish them for their barbaric action," it says.

The Pajhwok Afghani News has a very professional and insightful piece. The video is graphic.

SECURITY AND CRIME

US soldier shoots 17 civilians dead in Kandahar (Video)

by Siddiqullah onMar 12, 2012 - 16:44

KANDAHAR CITY (PAN): A US soldier of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was detained on Sunday in connection with shooting dead at least 17 Afghan civilians in the southern province of Kandahar, officials said.

The incident took place on Sunday morning when a US soldier opened fire at four houses in Zangabad area of Panjwae district, killing the civilians and injuring five others, said Hajji Agha Lalai, a member of provincial council in the district.

He told Pajhwok Afghan News that local residents told him over telephone that the injured were rushed to the ISAF health facility in Kandahar.

However, Governor Toryalay Weesa said a US soldier opened fire on civilians this morning outside the ISAF base in Panjwae district.

The exact number of civilian casualties is yet to be confirmed but a delegation was sent to the area for further investigation.

PAJHWOK/Siddiqullah