Inside the Battle at Qala-I-Jangi: How Our Special Forces crushed the Taliban prison revolt

Time.Com ^ | ALEX PERRY

[VA Advogado]

Amazing story. Our guys are the best.

[VA Advogado]

Spann asked the prisoners who they were and why they joined the Taliban. They massed around him. "Why are you here?" Spann asked one. "To kill you," came the reply as the man lunged at Spann's neck. Spann drew his pistol and shot the man dead. Dave shot another, then grabbed an AK-47 from an Alliance guard and opened fire. According to eyewitness accounts given to the German team, the Taliban launched themselves at Spann, scrabbling at his flesh with their hands, kicking and beating him. Spann killed two more with his pistol before he disappeared under the crush.

This is an amazing exchange. Spann died a hero.

[VA Advogado]

bump

[breakem]

excellent post

[VA Advogado]

Thanks. This was a wonderful 'front line' story. I only wished I had put it in Front Page. I forgot to click that box so its not going to get many eyeballs, especially with that title.

[tet68]

Closest thing to Hemingway I've seen yet.

[breakem]

I don't have any list to flag, maybe others will call their pals if we bump a couple of times.

[VA Advogado]

Closest thing to Hemingway I've seen yet.

Isn't it? Fortunately, we were not on the end where the lady comes to skin us. Even the article comments that soldiers can/are sometimes rational in battle, except these punks. I hope we find out more about that Taliban guy from Washington DC.

[VA Advogado]

I don't have any list to flag, maybe others will call their pals if we bump a couple of times.

I dont have a flag list either. Most of my time here is spent trapped in the prison of a libertarian thread calling in for air support. lol Don't know if my FR Special forces are interested in this type of article.

[Benrand]

So what the HELL was Seymour Hersh talking about 4 weeks ago??? He caused quite a dustup.

At least now we know he's a liar when he, and CNN in particular, said this mission was turning into, what was that word? Oh yeah...

QUAGMIRE

[Chesterbelloc]

Thanks for posting this... Great read!

[spectr17]

"You don't want to leave here tonight," an American soldier told Time, checking his night-vision goggles. "There's going to be quite a show." The soldier used a reporter's satellite phone to call his wife and tell her he might be on the TV news that night — "Tape it all day, will you? O.K. Love you, babe." At midnight an American AC-130 gunship began lazily circling Qala-i-Jangi. It flew five times over the same spot, spraying the southern end of the fort with a golden stream of fire. Later a massive ball of flame lifted up from the fort, kicking off a fireworks display as mortar rounds and ammunition belts fired off into the night sky. Explosions sounded through the night; the blast blew open doors 10 miles away.

Sounds like it was one heck of a show.

[CatoRenasci]

One of the 86 told Alliance fighters he was an American. The 20-year old, who had been wounded in the leg, said he was from Washington DC. He would not give his name, but said that he was a convert to Islam who had come to Afghanistan — after a spell at a madrassa in Pakistan — to help the Taliban build a perfect Islamic government.

Treason by levying war against the United States is the charge, death is the penalty. Him, we take back to the US and give a civilian trial in the Southern District of New York.

[Gritty]

BTTT

[COL. FLAGG]

American Commander: "If they can hit that, then that would kill a whole lot of these motherf___ers"

Good Line.

That is one of the more memorable comments of this conflict. Up there with "Let's roll!" However, it will probably not be used by W in any speech in the near future. Although I could see Rummy using it.

[Cicero]

They should put Mary Robinson in charge of the next batch of prisoners.

[MetalHeadConservative35]

A bearded American in a Harley-Davidson cap and mirrored sunglasses

haha i wonder if he rode in on a hog! anyways great read this just goes to show bin laden had no idea of what he was up against.

[jwfiv]

Action-heroes bump.

[blam]

Good post, thanks. Let's Roll!

[Arleigh]

great read! bump!