On the Front Lines in Afghanistan ("Weaponized Versions of Borat!)

Pajamas Media ^ | December 13 | Michael Yon

[AJKauf]

U.S. and Afghan soldiers in Zabul Province give high marks to the Lithuanian Special Forces, who like to ride these captured Taliban motorbikes to sneak up on, and chase Taliban fighters. The “LithSof” are on their way to becoming living legends: Both Afghans and Americans report that the Taliban are afraid of the Lithuanians. Stories about them are filled with dangerous escapades and humor.

Americans say that the Lithuanians are sort of a weaponized version of Borat, who think nothing of sauntering around a base in nothing but flip-flops and underwear. “They look like mountain men. They never shave, sometimes don’t bathe, and often roll out the gate wearing nothing but body armor and weapons. Not even a t-shirt,” an American soldier told me....

[rgboomers]

Let’s be glad they are on our side!

[dfwgator]

Let’s be glad they are on our side!

Better that than guarding Nazi concentration camps.

[nitzy]

The links are to an article about schools being built not Lithuanian special forces.

[ovrtaxt]

clicky!

[Redbob]

"The links are to an article about schools being built not Lithuanian special forces."

Ya gotta read the whole article - or just skim down to the part about the Lithuanians, which is only a small but funny part of the whole.

[The_Media_never_lie]

They never shave, sometimes don’t bathe, and often roll out the gate wearing nothing but body armor and weapons.

Please, no pictures.

[WVNan]

Oh, but wouldn’t this make a great movie?

[AnAmericanMother]

The Lithuanians may be a little bit nuts, but the Americans love to have them around because Lithuanians love to fight, and when you need backup, you can count on them. That contrasts starkly with many of the NATO “partners.” Maybe when your country spends almost a half-century with the Soviet boot on its neck, its first generation of free soldiers know what freedom is worth — and that you sometimes have to fight for it.

Gotta love 'em!

[NorthernTraveler]

Earlier this year I met these guys (Lithuanian SpecOps) on base.

Got to hang out with them and talk for an hour or so.

I ride motorcycles for fun at home, and they were out with their bikes doing a demo for higher ups at a place we were at for other reasons. Seeing motorcycles, I just HAD to wander over....

I was interested in the bikes, they were interested in what we were doing - MRAPs.

Great guys, very personable... offered to let me ride one of their bikes... I declined because I was rusty...

They mostly didn’t speak English, but one spoke it well, so we got along just fine.... talked about what was working for them, and what issues they had. All in all, great guys.

[AnAmericanMother]

That’s really neat! Nothing like a first hand report.

[The_Media_never_lie]

Yes, it would!

[SunkenCiv]

They never shave, sometimes don't bathe, and often roll out the gate wearing nothing but body armor and weapons. Not even a t-shirt.

[AdmSmith]

An article by a LITHSOF commander:

http://intellibriefs.blogspot.com/2005/11/international-special-operations_25.html

[AdmSmith]

http://clipsonfire.de/video.php?video=mpXYAKe6_qc