Video: Helicopter gun camera video footage released today shows the deliberate steps International Security Assistance Force personnel took when countering the threat of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) placed by two insurgents Aug. 5 along a road in southern Zabul province, Afghanistan. Scenes include an Attack Weapons Team of helicopters assigned to the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade of Task Force Pegasus observing and engaging two insurgents emplacing an IED, destroying them and eliminating the threat. (ISAF - HQ)


This morning as I sipped my coffee and checked my e-mail, the news showed night-vision footage from Afghanistan of two to three men digging in the middle of the road. Apparently they were planting an IED. A few seconds later (the video was edited) the men were killed by US helicopters firing hell fire missiles and shooting 16mm machine guns. The attack was precise, there were apparently no civilians in the area. Nevertheless, it was disturbing footage, I wondered if others were disturbed to watch war on television.... I guess a whole generation has grown up embedded.

Later, as I waited in the doctor's office this afternoon, I listened to a conversation between a patient and one of the receptionists. The patient was telling the receptionist how her son signed up for the war in Afghanistan and was leaving for basic training tomorrow. She seemed to have a mix of emotions about the event, mainly fear mixed with pride. Her son had chosen to be an infantryman, he wanted to be on the front line she said. The receptionist tried to convince her that it would take a long time before he was actually deployed and a lot could happen to end the war before then. Somehow they both knew it was highly unlikely that this war would end soon or that the US would be at peace with the rest of the world anytime in the next decade. The mom said that she was at least happy that her son was finally passionate about something in his life. He had hated high school and community college. At least he was excited to go off to war, she said...

Labels: afghanistan, homefront, random, us