Afghanistan is still there

It sometimes amazes me that we find it so easy to forget about a war on another plot of ground called, Afghanistan. On a personal note, I do not, I read the services, intelligence reports, special operations after reports and anything I can get my coffee soaked, ex-nicotine stained fingers on. (Side note: Nicoderm CQ works my friends, it is still a tough road and takes persistence and pure resolution, but they do work better than most.)

Still, we do not find anything related to Afghanistan as the lead in story on the early or late news, often we find an article buried back on page 33 or something of the paper. The only conclusions I have been able to come up with is the media does not wish to take their fire and lightning reporting, (tongue and cheek) away from the main theater, Iraq. Now, that I have said that and we all fully understand that the media totally destroys and turns around to their side of reporting every morsel of news from Iraq we can go forward.

I have arrived with one train of through regarding Afghanistan, it is comprised of Special Operations teams fighting the Taliban and it is the rule of thumb within the media not to publish their names or show their faces. Perhaps this and this alone is the main reason behind little news, the media does not wish to place someone’s picture on their paper with the face covered in cloth and sunglasses and refer to them as John Doe.

Whatever the case, it still is a fact that they have been fighting the Taliban day after day and it is seldom reported. This article in the DallasNews.com, By David S. Cloud the New York Times reports, “The number of air strikes in Afghanistan have climbed sharply.” It states, “The Air Force has conducted more than 2,000 airstrikes in Afghanistan over the past six months, a sharp increase in bombing that reflects the growing demand for U.S. air cover since NATO has assumed a larger ground combat role, Air Force officials said”

“The intensifying air campaign has focused on southern Afghanistan, where NATO units, primarily from Britain, Canada and the Netherlands, and U.S. Special Forces have been engaging in the heaviest and most frequent ground combat with Taliban rebels since the invasion.”

The article is well written is does not take sides, the writer points out the danger close bomb droppings having to take place and the depth of the battle. It states further, “One B-1 pilot, Lt. Col. Tim Schepper, said that when troops called for airstrikes, "There are times when you can hear the gunfire and RPGs over the radio in the background, and that's when you know you have helped keep them alive."

We must all remember these individuals are still there, still fighting the Taliban who appear ever resolute to retake their place in the sun and we must remember them in our prayers.