Not sure if anyone has been following this little series on NBC Nightly News, but I have been over the last couple of days.
A little information first, Richard Engel was covering Bravo Company 126th Infantry located in the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan's version of "Death Valley". They prefer to call themselves Viper Company.
I first caught it last night, and there was a follow up this evening, with a tragic event. Here are the links before I make the leap over that insidious thing called the fold:
Viper Company Intro
Taliban Trap
There's alot of things I want to say here, and I may get them a bit jumbled up, so bear with me, because these two 4:00+ clips really tore at me a bit.
First I have to say kudos to Richard Engel for showing us, here at home, what our soldiers are going through there. The MSM being what it is today, it's good to see there are still real journalists out there willing to tell the story of what is really going on and to put themselves in harm's way as well.
Secondly, at about 3:00 in the first link, Specialist Jeremy Shepler speaks about the lack of troops we have there to go directly after the Taliban and Al Qaeda. My other though as I watched this piece especially, was McCain's stupid comment about using a surge-like tactic in Afghanistan. Well, not sure about anyone else, and I certainly am NOT of a war strategy mindset, but just seeing this video clearly showed me that a "surge" is NOT going to work there.
Thirdly, their conditions are deplorable, flea bites, no showering, one outhouse, rations, relegated to a game of cards to pass the time. I wonder if there's anything we here at DKos can do to get these soldiers something a bit more, umm I don't know, but books or a checkers set, and maybe a LOT of flea collars for their belts, maybe even some flea spray for their bedding? I haven't a clue how to get any of those things to them, so if anyone has any ideas (of if we even could do so), I know I'd personally go to PETCO and get some wicked good flea spray to send over there for those guys!
And last, but not least, my thoughts go out to John Pennech's (I have NO idea if I spelled his name correctly, so if someone does know, it please let me know) family. And a speedy recovery to those injured in the "friendly fire" (that is just such an oxymoron to me in this case, but accident didn't do it justice either).