U.S. officers killed in Afghan Interior Ministry

[Kris762]

I understand your point, it's a sickening act to murder innocent women and children regardless of who it is that commits the offence, but to hand him over is to set a precedence. Troops cannot go into a war zone to engage the enemy with fear that their government may sell them out of if for examples they innocently shoot a civilian, if you can understand the point I'm trying to make.

We take care of our own and punish our own and thats how it should be in times of war.

[mattfivefour]

For the reason you stated, Kris, as long as the process is fair and totally transparent​, that is the right way to go.

[Sean Osborne]

The process is off to a very bad start. The identity of the soldier has been released pre-maturely by an anonymous "senior US official." This should not have occurred until he was formally charged with a crime; the staff sergeant had not been charged when his name was released by the numbskull "senior US official."

As a direct result of this abject stupidity his family have been taken into protective custody by Army officials at Joint Base Ft. Lewis-McChord in Tacoma, WA. His wife and two children, aged 3 and 4, are under a death threat from islamic terrorists.

God bless the family of the Army Staff Sergeant.

[Elijah's Mantle]

a numbskull indeed

loose lips sink ships

Its hard to believe "senior" trained personnel can be so non-intelligent sometimes

he might want to retire early

[Duncanmc]

This soldier has so far escaped nothing except an Afghan lynching. He may well yet be executed for his crime. At best he will spend the rest of his life in a cage if he is found guilty as it seems from the news statements he will...
Already the bloggers are trying to say that he did not act alone, that there was a group of soldiers so this story hasn't been completely told yet. I pray that our Lord will protect his servants in this awful place.

[Sean Osborne]

This soldier has so far escaped nothing except an Afghan lynching. He may well yet be executed for his crime. At best he will spend the rest of his life in a cage if he is found guilty as it seems from the news statements he will...
Already the bloggers are trying to say that he did not act alone, that there was a group of soldiers so this story hasn't been completely told yet. I pray that our Lord will protect his servants in this awful place.

We, and especially the media, know nothing of what occurred on the night in question.

At best it is all speculation and in-admissable hear-say.

What I do know at this point is that the media gave the Al Qaeda terrorists who executed the Mumbai, India massacre of civilians more leniency than they've thus far shown to this American soldier. This soldier is an American patriot whose 11-year long Army career has been an exemplary of all American patriots who joined our armed forces immediately after 9/11 occurred. None of us have spent so much as a microsecond in his boots. He is at the top of my current prayer list along with his family and loved ones.

[Kris762]

He shot dead nine children in their sleep and several women, not really what I call a "warrior".

In my book it makes him as bad as those Afghan vermin who turn their guns on their US counterparts.

[SonSeeker]

He shot dead nine children in their sleep and several women, not really what I call a "warrior".

In my book it makes him as bad as those Afghan vermin who turn their guns on their US counterparts.

With all due respect Kris762, please read Sean's statement again,

We, and especially the media, know nothing of what occurred on the night in question.

Do you have inside information that none of us have? If not, then you believe he is guilty until proven innocent. And that is not how we mete out justice.

[mattfivefour]

With all due respect Kris762, please read Sean's statement again,


Do you have inside information that none of us have? If not, then you believe he is guilty until proven innocent. And that is not how we mete out justice.

Obviously *I* know nothing ... but Kris is currently based IN Afghanistan ... in Kabul. He may have some knowledge we are not party to.

[Kris762]

Hey Matt, they pulled me out of Afghan and sent me to Hatay in Southern Turkey (Antakya) for a week, spent a couple days in Syria. Back in Istanbul airport right now and arrive Kabul tomorrow afternoon so will get the latest regarding this story and let you know.

Your quite right, I shouldn't jump to conclusions until proven guilty sonseeker...just basing my opinion off what seems to be common reporting on the story no offence intended toward anyone.

Let you know tomorrow what I hear and read.

[mattfivefour]

Got a sitrep on Syria? I mean one you are allowed to share, of course.

[Kris762]

Chaos, fear and alot of loud bangs. Was fortunate enough to spend two nights with a Syrian family, met some Free Syrian Army FSA and gathered some info on various things for a client.

Hard to give an update without giving too much away, they want me to go back in another 10 days so villages or locations etc of where I went is understandably sensitive.

I can confirm though that the Syrian civilians in area's where I visited were "petrified", Assad's troops had cut off my path South so tried to head North but had to turn back again, moved from safe house to safe house, various modes of transport including foot. The Syrian smugglers/pro-opposition were efficient in getting me in and back out (at a cost), the families in the houses where I stayed were awesome, very genuine caring people, did what they could to feed and conceal me at extreme risk to their own lives.

It is as bad as you see on the foreign news channels, I was only in there for two days but the artillery, heavy weapon and small arms fire never stopped...they are indeed shooting anything that moves, anything.

As for the FSA, didn't have alot to do with them as I couldn't reach my intended destination due to Assad's troops and militia being in the way. Spoke to a couple of FSA who happened to be in the area though, one was a defector and both came across as lower level fighters positioned in villages to protect civilians when the Regime comes knocking at the door.

I think the most stressful moment for me was being stuck in a room for 2 hours with 6Syrian kids crawling all over me!

Will give you a better sitrep once I'm done Matt.

PS - I recommend if you are ever in Turkey going to see Peter's cave Church, it truly is awesome to stand in what's widely thought to be the first Christian Church (outside Jerusalem), where one of Jesus Apostle's began to spread the word to the Gentiles...where the term "Christians" was first thought to be given to followers of Christ..truly inspiring!

My flight has just been delayed 4 hours, how typical that anything associated with Afghan just doesn't seem to run smoothly.

[mattfivefour]

Thanks, bro. Very informative. Stay safe, y'hear???

[Sean Osborne]

Kris,

I have friends in the right places, and to a man for a few months now they have been saying that the Free Syrian Army (FSA) are a bunch of newl- minted Sunni jihadists led by two newly-merged cadres of Al Qaeda - one from the Libyan campaign, the other from Iraq. Hobnobbing with them is naive at best, deadly at the worst. You should be avoiding them at all costs lest you become the next Daniel Pearl.

[Kris762]

Thanks for the advice, but at the present time all they want is to get media in to see the atrocities being committed. There are alot of news crews jumping the border at the moment, FSA or pro-opposition organise near to all cross border trips for foreigners.

Naive yes, risky yes, dangerous yes, I agree. It's what I do for work. I can see the radical element amongst them, gives me that uneasy feeling if you know what I mean, but at the end of the day it's what I do for a living...I know, I really need to find a new line of work.

I havent had alot to do with the FSA just yet, others in my field have and have nothing but good things to say. I'm slightly more dubious, the days of working in Baghdad still fresh in my mind. I'd say it's not in their best interests to begin cutting off foreigners heads just yet, they need all the support they can get, it would only isolate them further...but afterwards, if Assad falls, we'll have to wait and see.

One things for sure, Assad or the FSA...its a lose lose situation for Israel.

[Kris762]

For the record, I dont hobnob with any foreign element. As for the Syrian people like I've stated before during my visit, they were fine with me, but live in perpetual fear of Assad's thugs. Saw no evidence of foreign Jihadi's, but thats not to say they arent there, my stay was brief...and for those who have been around, it's a safe bet to assume they are embedded amongst the FSA to some degree. I've heard unconfirmed reports that approx 3% of the free syrian army are foreign e.g. Libyan, Saudi etc...all the usual suspects.

If a client (western media) wishes to go in to do a story, they use people like me to do the ground work. I advise them of the associated risks and so on and so forth, and in this case I've strongly advised they do their story from the safe side of the border.

But, you know what media are like...anything to get a story, lift their ratings and their face on tv.

Anyway, will let you know how it all goes, one positive to come out of it is my time in prayer increases dramatically before and during jobs like these. I trust in the Lord to see me through, He's watched over me the last 20 years during my time in risky places and gives me strength...but...if its my time to leave, then I look forward to meeting my Savior, just hope it's quick ;-)

[JAyres]

It's what I do for work.

What is it exactly that you do? Whatever it is, you're probably not getting paid enough, heh.

[mattfivefour]

Deleted. Unnecessary.

[Kris762]

I'm what you would call a Security Consultant or adviser. I advise and escort clients (usually media or Government Agencies) into volatile regions and situations.

I spend most of my time in Afghan but occasionally am tasked to do a security survey or risk assessment on a particular place for a client.

I minimise risk as much as possible, but the client will make the final decision as they are paying for the service.

It's an interesting job but alot of time away from home and family. I've often in my prayers asked to be involved (in some capacity) in these end times days and events....and my prayer requests are always answered, I consider it a blessing as strange as that may sound. I've often asked the Lord to lead me to do that which he desires, I believe he has a task for me of his own, one that I'm very eager to fulfill.

I was intially requested to travel to Damascus by a client, which I very quickly turned down knowing that that city will soon be turned to rubble. As of today from what I'm seeing, Assad is turning his tanks and artillery onto certain suburbs of Damascus, it is indeed beginning to turn to rubble as prophesized....interesting times my brothers, very interesting indeed.

I get to see all sides of a conflict situation, and reflect on whats being reported, it allows me to form an educated opinion of the reality on the ground from a grass roots perspective. As for my spending a couple days inside Syria, I can earnestly inform you they were very good people, trying to survive and take care of family much like we do back in the West, however they have that dark cloud of an uncertain future hovering above their heads, knowing that at any moment a knock on the door could mean their last breath of life.
I was taken care of to no end, in fact I was treated better than I'm treated back home on occasion. Experience has taught me not to generalise of which I've been guilty of in the past, or paint everyone with the same brush...there is still good in people that are often reported as being evil because of their religion and I thank the Lord for the priviledge of being able to see it. It's like acid in my stomach knowing the Lord has an outstretched hand waiting for them if only they would reach out and take it...

I have a very deep seeded detest of Islam, and only desire that Muslims could see the error of their ways. The extremist elements amongst them are very much doomed, their hearts are hardened and there is not much chance of them ever coming to see the light. I would not waste 1 second attempting to inform them of their wrong doing, thats what guns are for. However in saying that, the people or families I met of late were very caring loving families looking out for one another, and I know the Lord loves them as much as He loves each and every one of us, if they would only turn to Christ.

[mattfivefour]

Thank you for this response, bro. I not only pray for your safety, but that the Light you carry within may find expression wherever the Lord wills it and that other lights be lit from it.