Across the River, III

--AP/Getty file photo, 10.6.12

I think we should remove ourselves
from Afghanistan as quickly as we can.
I just think we're killing the kids that don't need to die
--Congressman Bill Young (R - FL) 

The United States will always do the right thing --
when all other possibilities have been exhausted 
--Winston Churchill
 ________________

[Note, per Rep. Young's quotation: Some rare times a Floridian will get things right. Staff Sergeant Matt Sitton wrote his Rep. Bill Young June 2012 about the dire trajectory of military operations as he saw it in Afghanistan (The Soldiers Who Don't Need to Die); he concluded, "Thank you again for allowing soldiers to voice their opinion. If anything, please pray for us."  SSG Sitton was later killed in action, and Rep. Young decided to speak up.]

The above AP photo heading the news item on the most recent two Special Forces troops killed by insurgents in Afghanistan shows another danger area which is a trail or a dirt road.

The troops are bunched up and are a prime target; following normal lines of drift can get you killed.  There is not all around security and the troops are on their knees rather than dispersing and forming a hasty perimeter.  This is a potentially deadly mistake in patrolling technique, reflecting criminally poor training training and execution at squad level.

A shooter with a Dragon Soviet semi auto sniper rifle or (X)M21 system could render this team toast; ditto if the trail is rigged for explosion -- a Claymore or light machine gun would do the same.

This is strange behavior for Special Operations Soldiers; it is exactly the same as that exhibited by a recent group of young, drunk AIT Infantry soldiers on a balcony of a Columbus, Georgia motel.

Except, despite the bars on the businesses behind the motel, the AIT Soldiers were not in a war zone.