Counterterrorism Blog's Bill Roggio in Kabul
Counterterrorism Blog's Bill Roggio in Kabul.
Received two e-mails from Bill (yesterday and early this morning)...
Quote:
Hello,
The good news is I've safely landed in Kabul. The somewhat bad news is the UN flight to Kandahar is booked, so I will head down there on Monday. But there is plenty to do in Kabul, and I've already dug around a little bit about the violence in the city yesterday after a US vehicle killed 1 to 3 Afghans during a traffic accident. The consensus among the folks I spoke to is the protests after the accident were staged by groups waiting for such an event to happen. I made the comparison to the reaction by some Islamist groups in Afghanistan (and elsewhere) after the Muhammad Cartoon riots, where the "spontaneous protests" were anything but. there was agreement on this point. I will likely post about this tonight or tomorrow.
I drove through the city twice today, and it is an interesting place. The city is scarred from decades of combat, however you can see people are working to rebuild. Shops are open, people and traffic are on the streets, and there are signs of new construction and rebuilding/repair projects. I saw several "land/title offices," as well as signs for rooms for rent. Security is tight, and it seemed as if police were on every corner, no doubt a reaction to yesterday's events. Unfortunately my camera was packed away, but I'll get some shots tomorrow.
Best,
Bill Roggio
Hello,
Attached are two photos I took from the rooftop of the building I am staying in. The first is a shot of Afghanis rebuilding a rooftop structure. The second is last night's sunset in Kabul. The city is situated in a valley surrounded by mountains on all sides which makes for a beautiful view.
I'll be out on the town today taking care of some administrative tasks as well as looking around and gathering more information on the Kabul unrest that occurred on Monday. I will post on this tonight.
I've had several questions about my personal security while here. This is a direct quote from a recent Wall Street Journal article on the security situation in Kabul: "Since the kidnapping of an Italian woman in May 2005, there have been no attacks on foreigners in Kabul--no robberies, kidnappings, assaults or murders." This doesn't mean I am not taking security seriously. The group I am staying with while in Kabul is an experienced security company with years in Afghanistan, and they are providing for my travel as well. Security is always on my mind.
Finally, I'll be on the radio tonight with Rob Breakenridge at 10:30 pm Mountain / 8:30 pm Eastern to provide a live update. I'll post a link to the online live audio feed when I post tonight.
And Happy Belated Birthday, Mom!
Best wishes,
Bill Roggio
Bill will be blogging about his embed in Afghanistan at the Counterterrorism Blog soon - be sure to check often for his updates.
Today's (5 June) E-mail From Bill
He made it to Kandahar...
Quote:
Hello,
I've safely arrived at Kandahar Airfield (KAF). I had to take a United Nations Humanitarian Assistance flight to the airfield, as the Canadian military does not provide for travel to & from the bases as the Marines/Army do in Iraq. Did you know the UN has its own airline? Predictably, they rake you over the coals on the cost of the ticket. But they do have flight attendants and served sodas! Frankly I would have preferred a free, no-frills flight on a C-130 with the guys...
I would compare Kandahar Airfield to Al Asad Air Base in Iraq: a large, well protected rear operating area (there are about 8,000 troops here. There are Dutch, Canadian, British, French, American, Bulgarian and a host of other countries based out of KAF. The Canadians maintain two other Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) and a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Kandahar province. I plan on pushing out to the FOBs & PRT as soon as I can, but it may take a day or two. I will get out on some patrols from the base in the mean time. The Canadian military was pleased to discover I actually wanted to go out to the field, as that is the exception, not the norm.
An interesting sidebar on the Canadian military view of the media: They feel the media hangs out at Kandahar Airfield to maintain the "death watch" - waiting for news of soldiers killed or wounded. I spoke to several members of the Canadian military and they freely admitted this, and complained they are prisoners of their media organizations. They have to stay at the airfield to cover news from there, lest they miss this "news". They can get out on daily patrols from the main base but this is a strain on resources (the death watch would be unmanned). I will say the Canadian members of the media have been very friendly and are interested in what I do. One gentleman gave me a great set of maps which will help with my reporting. They aren't pleased with being on the death watch.
Combined with the issue of the war not being covered in the proper context and the importance of education, it is for these reasons I believe it is important to be out here.
It's been relatively quiet around here, so there will be no update today, other than this email. Here is a link to a recorded radio broadcast on Pundit Review radio.My friend Matt from Blackfive is also on the program, and Haditha and Iran are also discussed, as well as Afghanistan.
http://www.punditreview.com/2006/06/...l-afghanistan/
Best Wishes,11pm
Bill Roggio
Observations from Southeastern Afghanistan
Bill's latest at the Counterterrorism blog - Observations from Southeastern Afghanistan.
Quote:
Here are some personal observations, from Kandahar, which are supported by numerous discussions with senior officers and the foot soldiers:
- Pakistan's lawless tribal belts are a major source of Taliban support...
- The Taliban is unable to stand up against the Western militaries when they attempt to mass in large formations (100 to 300 fighters, equivalent to company or battalion sized units). Their advantage is they know the local terrain far better than the Coalition forces...
- The levels of effectiveness of the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police varies from unit to unit. The Canadian soldiers trust the army units, but are very wary of police units. Corruption is a major problem with local police formations, as is drug usage...
- The Taliban's weapons are not as sophisticated as the media reports would lead you to believe...
- The strength of the Taliban lies in their ability to blend in with the local population, and intimidate or coerce the local population...
- The poppy fields provide a major source of income for the farmers in southeastern Afghanistan. The Coalition and Afghan government made a serous mistake in its implementation of a poppy crop eradication program without providing an alternate source of income...