Part 47 (1/2)
42 C. J. Chivers, ”Karzai Cites Taliban s.h.i.+ft to Terror Attacks,” C. J. Chivers, ”Karzai Cites Taliban s.h.i.+ft to Terror Attacks,” New York Times, New York Times, June 20, 2007. June 20, 2007.
43 Named after the weapon called a mace, a kind of bludgeoning club. Two other observation posts in the area were named at the same time: OP Hatchet and OP Brick. Named after the weapon called a mace, a kind of bludgeoning club. Two other observation posts in the area were named at the same time: OP Hatchet and OP Brick.
44 First Lieutenant Matthew Ferrara, twenty-four, of Torrance, California; Sergeant Jeffrey Mersman, twenty-three, of Parker, Kansas; Specialist Sean Langevin, twenty-three, of Walnut Creek, California; Specialist Lester Roque, twenty-three, of Torrance, California; Private First Cla.s.s Joseph Lancour, twenty-one, of Swartz Creek, Michigan; and Marine Sergeant Phillip Bocks, twenty-eight, of Troy, Michigan. First Lieutenant Matthew Ferrara, twenty-four, of Torrance, California; Sergeant Jeffrey Mersman, twenty-three, of Parker, Kansas; Specialist Sean Langevin, twenty-three, of Walnut Creek, California; Specialist Lester Roque, twenty-three, of Torrance, California; Private First Cla.s.s Joseph Lancour, twenty-one, of Swartz Creek, Michigan; and Marine Sergeant Phillip Bocks, twenty-eight, of Troy, Michigan.
45 Actually ”Want,” but this book will use the more common version of the name. Actually ”Want,” but this book will use the more common version of the name.
46 Named after Sergeant Jay Blessing, an Army Ranger killed by an IED attack in 2003. Named after Sergeant Jay Blessing, an Army Ranger killed by an IED attack in 2003.
47 Afghan media reported the casualties as follows: Dr. Nematullah, a doctor at Bella Village's clinic; Kalam Ma.s.si, a guard at the clinic; Naeem Ma.s.si, a clinic nurse; Sonkra, a landowner near Bella; Rafiullah, Sonkra's son; Sonkra's wife; Noorullah, Rafiullah's son; one of Sonkra's grandchildren, who was eight months old; Sulaiman Klorik, a shopkeeper; Hazrat Ali, a driver; Shoaib Sondi, a shopkeeper; Kafayatullah, a driver; Tabgul, a driver; Dr. Najeebullah, a doctor at Bella's clinic; Sanaullah, a shopkeeper; and two other civilians. Wounded were Wiaullah Muraluddin, a landowner near Bella; Dr. Zainab, a female employee at Bella's clinic; Dr. Nematullah's daughter Asma, eight; Abdullah, a son of Mira Jan, a shopkeeper in Bella; Rohullah, a worker in Waygal; and Ansarullah, a shopkeeper. Afghan media reported the casualties as follows: Dr. Nematullah, a doctor at Bella Village's clinic; Kalam Ma.s.si, a guard at the clinic; Naeem Ma.s.si, a clinic nurse; Sonkra, a landowner near Bella; Rafiullah, Sonkra's son; Sonkra's wife; Noorullah, Rafiullah's son; one of Sonkra's grandchildren, who was eight months old; Sulaiman Klorik, a shopkeeper; Hazrat Ali, a driver; Shoaib Sondi, a shopkeeper; Kafayatullah, a driver; Tabgul, a driver; Dr. Najeebullah, a doctor at Bella's clinic; Sanaullah, a shopkeeper; and two other civilians. Wounded were Wiaullah Muraluddin, a landowner near Bella; Dr. Zainab, a female employee at Bella's clinic; Dr. Nematullah's daughter Asma, eight; Abdullah, a son of Mira Jan, a shopkeeper in Bella; Rohullah, a worker in Waygal; and Ansarullah, a shopkeeper.
48 As quoted in Greg Jaffe, ”The Battle of Wanat,” As quoted in Greg Jaffe, ”The Battle of Wanat,” Was.h.i.+ngton Post, Was.h.i.+ngton Post, October 4, 2009. For details about the battle of Wanat, the author is indebted to Jaffe's reporting, the work of the U.S. Army Combat Studies Inst.i.tute, and Mark Bowden's ”Echoes from a Distant Battlefield,” which appeared in the December 2011 issue of October 4, 2009. For details about the battle of Wanat, the author is indebted to Jaffe's reporting, the work of the U.S. Army Combat Studies Inst.i.tute, and Mark Bowden's ”Echoes from a Distant Battlefield,” which appeared in the December 2011 issue of Vanity Fair Vanity Fair.
49 The dead were First Lieutenant Jonathan Brostrom, twenty-four, of Honolulu, Hawaii; Sergeant Israel Garcia, twenty-four, of Long Beach, California; Corporal Jonathan R. Ayers, twenty-four, of Snellville, Georgia; Corporal Jason M. Bogar, twenty-five, of Seattle, Was.h.i.+ngton; Corporal Jason D. Hovater, twenty-four, of Clinton, Tennessee; Corporal Matthew B. Phillips, twenty-seven, of Jasper, Georgia; Corporal Pruitt A. Rainey, twenty-two, of Haw River, North Carolina; Corporal Gunnar W. Zwilling, twenty, of Florissant, Missouri; and Specialist Sergio S. Abad, twenty-one, of Morganfield, Kentucky. The dead were First Lieutenant Jonathan Brostrom, twenty-four, of Honolulu, Hawaii; Sergeant Israel Garcia, twenty-four, of Long Beach, California; Corporal Jonathan R. Ayers, twenty-four, of Snellville, Georgia; Corporal Jason M. Bogar, twenty-five, of Seattle, Was.h.i.+ngton; Corporal Jason D. Hovater, twenty-four, of Clinton, Tennessee; Corporal Matthew B. Phillips, twenty-seven, of Jasper, Georgia; Corporal Pruitt A. Rainey, twenty-two, of Haw River, North Carolina; Corporal Gunnar W. Zwilling, twenty, of Florissant, Missouri; and Specialist Sergio S. Abad, twenty-one, of Morganfield, Kentucky.
50 The first investigation into what happened at Wanat found no fault with the chain of command. A second investigation, conducted at the behest of First Lieutenant Brostrom's father, a retired Army colonel, concluded with letters of reprimand for Preysler, Ostlund, and Myer for failing to prepare adequate defenses for the outpost. A third investigation by the U.S. Army revoked those letters of reprimand, with General Charles Campbell insisting that the officers had not been negligent. ”To criminalize command decisions in a theater of complex combat operations is a grave step indeed,” he wrote. ”It is also unnecessary, particularly in this case. It is possible for officers to err in judgment-and to thereby incur censure-without violating a criminal statute. This is particularly true where the errors are those of omission, where the standards come from multiple nonpunitive doctrinal publications, where there is less than complete and certain knowledge of enemy capabilities and intent, and where commanders enjoy wide discretion in their exercise of their command prerogatives and responsibilities.” The first investigation into what happened at Wanat found no fault with the chain of command. A second investigation, conducted at the behest of First Lieutenant Brostrom's father, a retired Army colonel, concluded with letters of reprimand for Preysler, Ostlund, and Myer for failing to prepare adequate defenses for the outpost. A third investigation by the U.S. Army revoked those letters of reprimand, with General Charles Campbell insisting that the officers had not been negligent. ”To criminalize command decisions in a theater of complex combat operations is a grave step indeed,” he wrote. ”It is also unnecessary, particularly in this case. It is possible for officers to err in judgment-and to thereby incur censure-without violating a criminal statute. This is particularly true where the errors are those of omission, where the standards come from multiple nonpunitive doctrinal publications, where there is less than complete and certain knowledge of enemy capabilities and intent, and where commanders enjoy wide discretion in their exercise of their command prerogatives and responsibilities.”
51 p.r.o.nounced ”YES-kess.” p.r.o.nounced ”YES-kess.”
52 Not his real name. Not his real name.
53 Not his real name. Not his real name.
54 The lack of IEDs was likely due to the fact that the Kamdesh insurgency was ultimately led by local Nuristanis, who did not understand the technical side of IED construction and emplacement. They knew more about, and were more comfortable with, direct-fire ambushes-the same tactic that had been employed to oust the Soviets years earlier. Moreover, IEDs would have destroyed the only road there was, a supply route used more by insurgents-especially after Kolenda stopped ground resupply-than it was by U.S. and Afghan government forces. The lack of IEDs was likely due to the fact that the Kamdesh insurgency was ultimately led by local Nuristanis, who did not understand the technical side of IED construction and emplacement. They knew more about, and were more comfortable with, direct-fire ambushes-the same tactic that had been employed to oust the Soviets years earlier. Moreover, IEDs would have destroyed the only road there was, a supply route used more by insurgents-especially after Kolenda stopped ground resupply-than it was by U.S. and Afghan government forces.
55 ”Six” is how the commander is commonly referred to over the radio. ”Six” is how the commander is commonly referred to over the radio.
56 After a few days' recovery at Bagram, Briley would serve out the rest of his deployment at Forward Operating Base Bostick, replacing his commander, Lieutenant Colonel Ty Edwards. One week before Briley was wounded, Edwards himself had been shot in the head in an ambush-an injury that he, too, survived. After a few days' recovery at Bagram, Briley would serve out the rest of his deployment at Forward Operating Base Bostick, replacing his commander, Lieutenant Colonel Ty Edwards. One week before Briley was wounded, Edwards himself had been shot in the head in an ambush-an injury that he, too, survived.
57 Not his real name. Not his real name.
58 Not his real name. Not his real name.
59 s.h.i.+r would ultimately be remanded to Afghan custody. Three years after Yllescas was targeted, according to intelligence sources, Amin s.h.i.+r was still being held by the Afghan government and awaiting trial. s.h.i.+r would ultimately be remanded to Afghan custody. Three years after Yllescas was targeted, according to intelligence sources, Amin s.h.i.+r was still being held by the Afghan government and awaiting trial.
60 Following events from afar, Kolenda wondered how much of 6-4's skepticism about the Hundred-Man Shura became self-fulfilling. Many of the unit's leaders had never seemed willing to listen and learn, he thought, and being a new unit, they had a lot of basics to sort out. ”Sadly, the insurgents achieved their intended goal of driving a wedge between the people and the Americans and Afghan forces when they [targeted] Rob,” he later wrote. Following events from afar, Kolenda wondered how much of 6-4's skepticism about the Hundred-Man Shura became self-fulfilling. Many of the unit's leaders had never seemed willing to listen and learn, he thought, and being a new unit, they had a lot of basics to sort out. ”Sadly, the insurgents achieved their intended goal of driving a wedge between the people and the Americans and Afghan forces when they [targeted] Rob,” he later wrote.
61 As first recalled by National Security Adviser Tom Donilon to David Sanger, ”Charting Obama's Journey to a s.h.i.+ft on Afghanistan,” As first recalled by National Security Adviser Tom Donilon to David Sanger, ”Charting Obama's Journey to a s.h.i.+ft on Afghanistan,” New York Times, New York Times, May 19, 2012. May 19, 2012.
62 Although as a candidate, Obama had run against his predecessor's foreign policy, he not only embraced t Bush's military command structure, in Mullen and Petraeus, but also took the unusual step of asking Bush's secretary of defense, Robert Gates, and White House adviser General Lute to stay on board. Although as a candidate, Obama had run against his predecessor's foreign policy, he not only embraced t Bush's military command structure, in Mullen and Petraeus, but also took the unusual step of asking Bush's secretary of defense, Robert Gates, and White House adviser General Lute to stay on board.
63 Governor Nuristani's immediate replacement was Hazrat Din Noor, who died in a car crash in September 2008. Badr followed Noor in the post. Governor Nuristani's immediate replacement was Hazrat Din Noor, who died in a car crash in September 2008. Badr followed Noor in the post.
64 The name was taken from the Pashto word The name was taken from the Pashto word baryalay, baryalay, meaning ”successful.” meaning ”successful.”
65 Sergeant James Pirtle of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Specialist Ryan King of Dallas, Georgia, both of whom had spent some time at Observation Post Fritsche earlier in their deployment. William Vile was from Philadelphia; he had served in the Korangal with 1-32 Infantry a couple of years before. The Latvians killed were Sergeant Voldemrs Anevics and Private First Cla.s.s Andrejs Merkuevs. They were the second and third Latvian troops to die in Afghanistan during this war. Sergeant James Pirtle of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Specialist Ryan King of Dallas, Georgia, both of whom had spent some time at Observation Post Fritsche earlier in their deployment. William Vile was from Philadelphia; he had served in the Korangal with 1-32 Infantry a couple of years before. The Latvians killed were Sergeant Voldemrs Anevics and Private First Cla.s.s Andrejs Merkuevs. They were the second and third Latvian troops to die in Afghanistan during this war.
66 COIN was Army shorthand for ”counterinsurgency.” COIN was Army shorthand for ”counterinsurgency.”
67 The History of the Peloponnesian War, The History of the Peloponnesian War, by Thucydides, written in 431 B.C.E., translated by Richard Crawley. The quote is from book 2, chapter 40. by Thucydides, written in 431 B.C.E., translated by Richard Crawley. The quote is from book 2, chapter 40.