Korengal

[S-2]

This is a consolidated story. I'm posting four articles and four videos. Together, they draw a remarkable picture of the Korengal last fall. With them is one INCREDIBLE photo. Virtually all of these stories track 2nd Plt. B. Co. 2-503 Infantry (Airborne).

Into The Valley of Death- Vanity Fair

Battle Company Is Out There- NYT

Video-
ABC-TV Pt. I

ABC-TV Pt. II

ABC-TV Pt. III

ABC-TV Pt. IV

In addition, Ms. Rubin wrote two lengthy but excellent stories in the fall of 2006 for the NYT. One is in Zabul, the other in Pakistan and both are VERY relevant stories-

In the Land of the Taliban- NYT Oct. 22, 2006

Taking The Fight To The Taliban- NYT Oct. 28, 2006

Worthy reading and watching. Sorry, no photo. It's too big.

[Tom Odom]

In the Land of the Taliban- NYT Oct. 22, 2006

I used that one to highlight a new face of the Taliban, one more dangerous that the stereotypical wide-eyed mullah, in classes here.

Tom

[S-2]

Tom,

Of the two stories from October, 2006, that was the mind-blower. LTC Nagl is clearly impressed w/ Ms. Rubin's writing. "IN THE LAND OF THE TALIBAN" story displays her considerable investigative skills. She's a star.

The war in "dem dar hills" is stunning. I concur w/ LTC Nagl that we are short line-doggies to hump hills, pull triggers, and no area on earth needs light infantry more.

Those guys in the Korengal will have stories for their grand-sons like no other.

[jcustis]

Just curious, but which photo did you find incredible? Was it the one of the Soldiers carrying the body to the LZ? I found that one remarkably similar to so many Vitenam-era pictures I have seen over the years.

[Eden]

I agree Ms. Rubin ranks with Atkinson, Bowden, Kaplan, et al in capturing the essence of soldiering, particularly in the boonies. I look forward to her first book, regardless of the subject.

I'm also curious what others think about the utility of places like KOP. I witnessed some of the debate about the worth of spreading our limited resources into the area, both among 10th Mountain planners and 82nd division staff coming in to replace them. Personally it seemed (and nothing I've seen so far has changed my opinion) like a waste of scarce infantry - which makes their sacrifices especially poignant.

[Cavguy]

I agree Ms. Rubin ranks with Atkinson, Bowden, Kaplan, et al in capturing the essence of soldiering, particularly in the boonies. I look forward to her first book, regardless of the subject.

I'm also curious what others think about the utility of places like KOP. I witnessed some of the debate about the worth of spreading our limited resources into the area, both among 10th Mountain planners and 82nd division staff coming in to replace them. Personally it seemed (and nothing I've seen so far has changed my opinion) like a waste of scarce infantry - which makes their sacrifices especially poignant.

I can't believe I may be agreeing with LTC Gentile here ... but

Devoid of an operational goal and nested plan, just building outposts without a specific strategy to change the dynamics of the AO may be futile. Also if there aren't enough outposts to thoroughly control key areas (it appears from the article the enemy has freedom of movement) its utility is limited. Population security only works if you can protect/control the populace. It doesn't seem like they have enough forces to do that.

In the much, much different AO of Ramadi and Tal Afar, the outposts dominated the surrounding areas and interdicted AIF movements, in addition to attriting enemy combat power which allowed us to focus on non-lethal objectives elsewhere.

It's all in the nesting of your multiple lines of operations.

And as a disclaimer, they may be doing all of this, we simply don't have enough info from the article. The CPT's sacrifices may be enabling the other unit having chi down the valley and singing kumbuyah with the locals. One could have made that argument about South Ramadi and TF 1-37. It's a crummy draw of the straw, but perhaps his unit isn't supposed to transform his battlespace, but enable the transformation of someone else's by holding the enemy in check.

[Schmedlap]

Just curious, but which photo did you find incredible? Was it the one of the Soldiers carrying the body to the LZ? I found that one remarkably similar to so many Vitenam-era pictures I have seen over the years.

What struck me was the juxtaposition of these photos and the random ones that pop up as related content in the adjacent column. Young Americans risking life and limb for country and for one another... and then a photo of some random celebrity who made headlines because she wears a revealing outfit on the cover of some stupid magazine. The stuff that people find important amazes me sometimes.

[Ken White]

important. While I don't question there are some that don't want to know anymore about any war if they can help it and thus look for celebs in revealing outfits or other stupidity and fluff, the majority will I think look at the pictures from the war and realize some things -- even if just a bit.

The real problem is the media and advertising folks who push the celeb stuff to sell their entertainment industry and other products, a media and ad crowd that will verbally behind the scenes denigrate and trash the same celebrities they foist on the public. That's not only arrogant, it's hypocritical.

I think it's also, in the long term, self destructive. I hear a lot more people of all ages who reject that effort than I find that accept it even slightly. There's a reason that both TV and the print media are not doing all that well and are low in public confidence...