Greg Laffitte
April 15, 2008 12:07 pm
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A dust storm engulfed the mountainous province here in southern Afghanistan. Where once there had been clear spring day, the mountains were now obscured by multiple swirls of sand and grit.
Sitting from my perch in the guard tower with binoculars, I curiously scanned the distant valley dotted with green poppy fields. The inhabitants of this province are among the poorest in the country. They scratch a living out of rock-hard soil and somehow manage to irrigate their fields with water drawn from the nearby river.
On a good day when dust is not an issue, I have seen as far away as six miles. The view is almost spectacular. If it werenít for the insurgency in the adjacent town and adjoining countryside, I could easily imagine tourists from all over the world traveling here to take in the sights.
There is a bazaar downtown, but tourism now is simply too dangerous. Coalition forces have been shot at by insurgent snipers at the bazaar. The word ìon the streetî is that there are numerous insurgents who travel here with the intended purpose of conducting suicide bomber attacks. Coalition forces have hit IEDs while transiting through the local area.
During one attack one of the troops suffered severe injuries from the powerful explosion resulting in the traumatic amputation of both of his legs. His unit medics were able to save him through the use of tourniquets and quick emergent field medical care. A helicopter medical evacuation crew quickly delivered him to his nationís medical facility where heroic measures saved his life.
Within 48 hours, he was on a coalition transport aircraft being cared for by a critical care air transport team of nurses. I happened to be on that flight and witnessed first hand what angels look like. This war-ravaged country spares no one.
Some time ago I was told that a worker, who provided water to our camp, was captured by the insurgency and tortured to death because of his affiliation with the west. The conversations I have had with local workers through interpreters regarding the insurgency have been rather sobering to say the least.
The tactics employed by the Taliban are absolutely barbaric and horrific. I will deliberately refrain from any description of their methods but will tell you that their actions are reprehensible. The irony of their brutality is obvious when seen through the eyes of coalition medical personnel who treat captured Taliban patients in their clinics.
We make no distinction between ally and enemy when it comes to providing lifesaving medical interventions. I know this, as I have personally been involved in providing emergency medical care on Taliban patients. I have seen pure hatred staring back at me from the eyes of a man who would have died if it had not been for the courageous team of American medics working to save his life.
Local citizens attempting to stabilize their community and their country take significant risks and are diligent in protecting themselves and their families. It is not uncommon to discover workers here who have escaped certain death at the hands of the insurgents by fleeing their home provinces.
I have befriended a man who prepares our meals who walks one hour to work everyday. I would guess that he is approximately 55 to 65 years old, though there is no real way to know his age as most Afghanís donít even know themselves. It would be an understatement to suggest that these people live a very hard life, which inevitably causes them to appear much older than their actual chronological age.
This elderly gentleman earns $7.00 dollars a day working about 10 hours daily to earn those wages not including the two hours per day spent walking to and from work. Every morning, except Fridays, he greets me with an infectious smile and a genuinely warm ìsalama malekuî (good morning). I am certain that he is somebodyís father and most likely a grandfather attempting to provide a living for his family and a way of life which is void of the constant struggles which war imposes on a society.
Like the older Afghan gentleman, as a father and a husband I feel compelled to work toward a life not filled with the constant struggle of violence and terrorism. I am compelled to offer my regards to all servicemen and women be they active-duty, reserves or national guardÖSoldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine or Coast Guard. Finally those servicemen and women at home performing critical support missions in support of the global war on terrorism--we are all in this fight together. I salute each and every one of you. God bless the United States of America!
Aim High, Semper Fi
Drop me a line at: greg.laffitte@gmail.com
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