Out-of-control, jaw-droppingly witless dhimmitude: “Wheat Seed Arrives for Distribution in Nawa District,” by Lance Cpl. Jeremy Harris for Dvids, September 17 (thanks to Diana West):
About 1,050 metric tons of fertilizer will also be distributed in conjunction with the seed, giving the farmers a better opportunity for success, said Purves, who works closely with the Marines of 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment. The Marines established security in the area and will continue to have a presence while the local government solidifies, but this distribution effort is spear-headed by the Afghan government.
What could go wrong? Let’s see. “U.S., Afghan Lives Increasingly Lost To Roadside Bombs,” by Tom Bowman for NPR, August 2, 2009:
U.S. soldiers serving in Afghanistan and local civilians now share a grim common enemy: death by roadside bomb.
July was the deadliest month for American troops since the war began in the fall of 2001. At least 43 U.S. servicemen lost their lives, with about two-thirds being killed by roadside bombs….
Most of the bombs are crudely made, sometimes including fertilizer and diesel fuel packed into plastic jugs. They have little metal, so they’re difficult to find with metal detectors and other sophisticated equipment. So U.S. Marines are bringing in dogs to help sniff out the components….
Those roadside bombs are becoming the favorite tool of the Taliban, according to a U.N. report released this week.
The report says Taliban forces are now changing their tactics, shifting away from ambushes or frontal assaults. U.S. officers report finding more and more caches of fertilizer and bomb-making materials.
But fertilizer given to the Afghan government won’t make its way to the Taliban, right? Wrong: “In the villages of Afghanistan, many young men are working for the government during the week, but fighting for the Taliban at weekends.”