Posted on 07/11/2005 11:52:58 AM PDT by Lorianne
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Afghan villagers sheltered a U.S. Navy SEAL wounded in a battle last month with the Taliban until they could get word to American forces to rescue him, a military official said Monday.
The SEAL was part of a four-man reconnaissance team that went missing June 28 after calling for help during a firefight in the mountains near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
The other three members of the team died in the fighting, and a MH-47 helicopter crashed as it brought reinforcements, killing all 16 people on board.
The military said it believes insurgents shot down the chopper.
Military officials said a rocket exploded near the surviving SEAL, knocking him off his feet and down a mountainside in steep terrain. He then managed to stay out of sight of the insurgents, officials said.
The commando suffered multiple leg wounds but was able to walk about two miles (three or four kilometers) through the mountains to get away, according to a U.S. military official, who insisted on anonymity.
An Afghan villager found the SEAL and hid him in his village, the official said.
According to military accounts, Taliban fighters came to the village and demanded the American be turned over, but villagers refused.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Great to hear there are friends in Afghanistan.
There were quite a few FReepers that suggested nuking the entire area. I hope they read this story and reconsider.
There has to be a better way to fight this WOT than sacrificng SEALS and other Special Forces types.
I am "not against" the war, but our tactics suck. We should not be putting our best at risk where there is so little to gain. Special Forces should be trained for high priority work, not fighting common foot soldiers.
15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi. If we had nuked Mecca, and then if we told Syria, Yemen, Iran et al. that if they harbor terrorists, they are at risk of getting nuked also, this war would have been over long ago. You would have seen a mad scramble by all the terror states to see who could root out their own terrorists the fastest.
We need to do more than just "take off the gloves". We need to dust off ALL the weapons at our disposal and stop trying to win the "Miss Popularity" contest.
Save our Rangers. Save our SEALS. Save ALL our troops from this BS, and STOP giving terror nations billions of $$$$ in "aid".
Best thing to do for their kindness would be to give villagers some artillery pieces, rifles, ammo, medical supplies etc. Those villagers are not what we would call "civilians". They wouldnt shelter the seal if they thought they couldnt protect themselves, they deserve a reward.
This sortof thing can start very positive developments. If US special operators could rely on locals for guides, shelter, food etc (like SAS did in many of its opertaions in Borneo or Malaya) it would be huge. Many of the local recruited in Malaya went on to fight with SAS in Borneo. Bond forged in a situation like that doesnt break easily.
US SF tactical skill and support + locals knowldge of the area is the nightmare come true for Taliban.
If true then 99% of muslims are BAD muslims only 1% are Good muslims.. The Quran supports the 1%... NOT the 99%..
Neither have you, unless you're posting to FR from a recreation tent in Afghanistan or Iraq.
And for the record, clearly, you support slavery as you're not out there screaming at the top of your lungs about how much you condemn it...
AMEN! I agree with you in that prayer!~
this village and their leader needs to be rewarded.
I hope that US takes good care of them in return for sheltering our wounded hero.
My son has been in Afghanistan for two tours and vast majority want Taliban dead and gone. He doesn't believe we have enough resources in A. and are giving enough aid.
The International Aid Orgs are useless..US Armed forces is doing most of the real development.
What slavery? The Muslim governments are the ones that promote slavery.
Prove it. Post your documented citations.
http://www.icarusindie.com/Literature/Labyrinth/index.php?book=thebot/ff02.html
The first step is to figure out who is the enemy of Islam that they would fight against. The answer is given throughout the Koran with the most clear verse stating plainly "...surely the unbelievers are your open enemy" (Koran 4:101). But unbelievers are not just the enemy of the believers but "...surely Allah is the enemy of the unbelievers." (Koran 2:98) It goes so far to say "...Allah does not love the unbelievers" (Koran 3:32). The Koran further states in 60:13 "O you who believe! Do not make friends with a people with whom Allah is wroth." Whom Allah is wroth with is explained earlier in the Koran stating that he is wroth with the hypocrites, the polytheistic and those who think evil thoughts of Allah (48:6). However, it is not just those who Allah is wroth with that are not to be taken as friends. "Let not the believers take the unbelievers for friends rather than believers; and whoever does this, he shall have nothing of (the guardianship of) Allah, but you should guard yourselves against them, guarding carefully;" (Koran 3:28).
The next step is to figure when the enemy should be fought against. According to 2:191, "...do not fight with them at the Sacred Mosque until they fight with you in it, but if they do fight you, then slay them;" (Koran). When it comes to the Sacred Mosque the believers are not to fight unless provoked and "...whoever then acts aggressively against you, inflict injury on him according to the injury he has inflicted on you and be careful (of your duty) to Allah and know that Allah is with those who guard (against evil)" (Koran 2:194). Muslims are to "...kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from whence they drove you out, and persecution is severer than slaughter..." (Koran 2:191). Whether or not this is cause and effect is not clear. The Muslims are able to kill the enemy wherever they are found however it may be because the enemy did something to them first or it may be simply because the enemy was found. If all it takes to be an enemy is to not believe then there may be no need to any provocation to allow a Muslim to kill them other than simply being the enemy of Allah. Disbelief may simply be provocation enough
Troll alert. Take a look at posting history.
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These villagers could of been Kurds. The more secular Afghani's tend to be more supportive of the US.
God protect those villagers because the Taliban will go after them.
Kretek
Since Feb 25, 2005
Boy he hung around under the radar for a while huh?
I understand. However it's hard to reconcile that with the idea that they can kill 'unbelievers' wherever they find them. I have seen too many Imams say "no we don't worship the same God" (I have to agree with them there...) for those statements you made to give me much assurance. :-\
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