2 U.S. soldiers slain by Taliban troops in Afghanistan

Knight-Ridder News Services | March 29, 2003

[DSH]

There is nothing in Aghanistan that is worth even one Westerner's life.

Amen. At least one person here gets it.

[DoughtyOne]

Good question.

[fiftymegaton]

Your right it's all in what they export.

[fiftymegaton]

Your=You're

[Stultis]

Well, nothing really changed since the Soviets were there...same barbaric Afghans, different enemy. These people were never civilized and never will be. There is nothing in Aghanistan that is worth even one Westerner's life.

One Mohammad Sultan begs to differ:

[U.S. trained] Afghan Army Liberates Bamiyan [rule of law slowly being secured in Afghanistan]

Mohammad Sultan stood straight and tall at the Madar village checkpoint, watching for smugglers and weapons as residents came and went. Snow fell on his new national army uniform, but he didn’t mind.

For many soldiers it would be tedious, boring work, but for this 28-year-old, it was an extraordinary and happy moment.

At last he was doing what he had been trained to do: serve his country by trying to bring about stability. “I will go to any place when ordered,” he told IWPR proudly, “and will bring peace to the residents of our regions.”

On February 24, the second battalion of 600 soldiers graduated from training by American forces and took control of Koh-e-Mard district in northern Bamiyan – chasing out the local warlords.

The people of Bamiyan province, one of the central provinces of Afghanistan and famous for its historic monuments, have been suffering at the hands of cruel local strongmen. Koh-e-Mard district is one of the very first unstable areas to come under the control of the central government, and represents one small step in the long battle to unite the country under the rule of law.

[Stavka2]

An exception only upholds the rule. This is the exception. The very fact that the Afghan leadership has US body guards shows how little they can trust their own people.

[Stavka2]

I don't buy into this social engineering crap. Its amazing the selective memory of "conservatives". They bitched when the democrats did it but are all ready to do it themselves. Social engineering never worked, not even in Germany or Japan, the two "successes" that they always hold up. These were not really successes if one looks closes...but the failures are staggering: Somalia, Egypt, Palistine, Iran, Bosnia, Kosovo/Yugoslavia, Haiti, Panama, Vietnam...and I'm probably missing a few.

[pickemuphere]

During his debate with Gore, Bush2 promised he would not use the military for nation building; so far, that's all he has done with it.

[condi2008]

Have we a report of names/units here yet?

[Stavka2]

The elites are all in love with this dead end concept...both parties...especially since the American elites don't have to sacrifice blood and treasure to do it. They're like an eddicted gambler.