US Soldier captured in Afghanistan

[George L. Singleton]

Too many knowns. The media needs to shut up and shut down as the did with their yellow journalist NYT captive until he escaped.

We, too, need to be quiet about unknowns.

Let it work it's way out.

[Brandon Friedman]

Too many knowns. The media needs to shut up and shut down as the did with their yellow journalist NYT captive until he escaped.

We, too, need to be quiet about unknowns.

Let it work it's way out.

This is not one of those situations. In context or out of context, this is clearly stupid and dangerous. It's something COL Steele would've done. And I'm glad I know about it.

[Greyhawk]

You have knowledge others lack, and thus higher confidence. No argument - I think that's a fine point with which to close the discussion.

[Brandon Friedman]

You have knowledge others lack, and thus higher confidence. No argument - I think that's a fine point with which to close the discussion.

Not quite sure what you're saying. You eager to close the discussion?

[Greyhawk]

...and hope it is "positive". I wouldn't presume to declare a discussion closed. But the leaflets represent the tip of an iceberg of effort that I personally haven't seen.

I'm confident enough that I don't know enough to discuss because I have been peripherally involved in similar efforts. Sometimes things don't make sense in isolation - even (or especially) when compared to other knowns. I concur with George re: unknowns.

[Greyhawk]

"It's something COL Steele would've done."

Extremely presumptive on many levels and unnecessary to this discussion.

[Brandon Friedman]

I think that's a fine point with which to close the discussion.

I'm confident enough that I don't know enough to discuss

A path best left untraveled

Extremely presumptive on many levels and unnecessary to this discussion.

I don't recall anyone forcing you to jump into this thread, Greyhawk. If you don't like the discussion--or the idea that I brought this topic up--you're certainly free to not participate. But I think it would be better if, rather than you telling me what I've said is "unnecessary" and that I'm on "a path best left untraveled," you simply rebutted my argument about the leaflets with either facts or your own opinions based on personal experience.

I made a comment that compared today's seemingly heavy-handed tactics in two Afghan villages with the known heavy-handed tactics of a man whose "leadership" not only tarnished the reputation of the unit with which I served in both Afghanistan and Iraq, but also set back efforts in working with the Iraqi populace. If you think that's presumptive of me, that's fine. Just explain why. . .instead of making three comments to suggest what I should or shouldn't be talking about.

[George L. Singleton]

We now need VOA TV and radio broadcasts "advertsing" to return for a reward the kidnapped PFC currently being held hostage.

All broadcasts need to be in the native dialects common on both sides of the Durland Line. Ads offering rewards and quoting the Qu'ran about peace and about helping other "People of the Book", ie, as we are all literally descendants of Abraham [as described both in our Holy Bible and in the Qu'ran] I believe this would work better than leaflets which many native illiterates cannot read, even though they can look at a cheap picture on a leaflet.

We are dealing here with terrorist "rug merchants" treating a soldier as a trading property of value.

Kidnapped, he apparently has been sold by a lower level Taliban outfit to a higher level Taliban outfit who want to now use him as a bargaining chip to gain release of other Taliban prisoners and on the side also want money, ie, to be "paid off."

Taliban alleged remarks for the whole war to stop over one PFC's kidnapping are off the wall and most likely not the result these rug merchants realistically hope for...which is the release of many Taliban prisoners and being literally paid off in money, too.

The less said about this whole fiasco by the media the better as I have said before. Right now the Talaiban are getting millions of dollars worth of free public relations, albeit negative public relations...the old political addage here in the South regarding politicians, which the Taliban are a sort of, is "spell my name in your newspaper correctly no matter what you say about me!"

A "hostage" is not a prisoner of war.

[davidbfpo]

The last time an American service member went missing in Afghanistan was in June, when Pfc. Bowe R. Bergdahl was captured after straying from a US base near the eastern border with Pakistan. On July 18, Taliban insurgents released a video of the 23-year-old soldier from Idaho. Bergdahl has not been found.

From:http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...,1106216.story

Let's hope he has not been forgotten and this is an appropriate update as Rememberance Sunday is tomorrow (US equivalent: Veterans Day?).

davidbfpo

[carl]

Here is a link to NYT reporter David Rohde's account of his 7 month captivity in the hands of the Taliban. I don't know if it has been posted on SWJ before but it might be relevant to this discussion.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/18/wo...18hostage.html