10,000 American troops pulled out of Afghanistan

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. military officials say that President Barack Obama's order to withdraw 10,000 American troops from Afghanistan this year has been accomplished, a little more than a week before the year-end deadline.

The pullout is the first step in the U.S. military's plan to wind down the war, hand over security to Afghan forces and end the combat role for international troops by the end of 2014.

It also gives the Obama administration a second war-related accomplishment to tout this month — coming just a week after U.S. officials marked the end of the war in Iraq and the last convoy of American soldiers rumbled out of that country into Kuwait.

The Taliban has agreed to open a “political office” in Qatar to hold talks with the United States, the first time the militant group has confirmed it has an interest in negotiating with Washington. The Taliban, which has been fighting the Afghan government and the United States in Afghanistan for years, did not say what role it wanted the Afghan government to play in any negotiations.

Mike, I couldn't imagine going through that

Of the 1,912 U.S. military personnel who have died in the now nearly 11-year-long war in Afghanistan, 1,343 have died since President Barack Obama was inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2009.
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The war in Afghanistan started on Oct. 7, 2001, when the United States invaded that country to track down al Qaeda terrorists and overthrow the Taliban regime that had provided sanctuary to al Qaeda in the years before the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
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The three years of the Obama have been the three deadliest for U.S. forces in Afghanistan. In 2009, 303 U.S. service members perished there. In 2010, 497 did. In 2011, 399 U.S. military personnel died in Afghanistan.

Obama has also presided over the top five deadliest months of the war, which include: August 2011, when there were 71 deaths; July 2010, when there were 65 deaths; June 2010, when there were 60 deaths; October 2009, when there were 58 deaths; and August 2010, when there were 55 deaths.

They're dying at a rate of 1 per day from suicide (Timothy Williams, NYT).

The ROE isn't causing problems. Having troops there in the first place and blowing up children with drone rounds with sickening regularity is causing the most problems. Every child that dies has relatives that survive. They know who killed the child and they're turned against us.

Our real enemies are not those living in a distant land whose names or policies we don't understand; The real enemy is a system that wages war when it's profitable, the CEOs who lay us off our jobs when it's profitable, the Insurance Companies who deny us Health care when it's profitable, the Banks who take away our homes when it's profitable. Our enemies are not several hundred thousands away. They are right here in front of us
- Mike Prysner

`This, then, is our answer. We have no words to waste on you. When you reach out your vaunted strong hands for our palaces and purpled ease, we will show you what strength is. In roar of shell and shrapnel and in whine of machine-guns will our answer be couched. We will grind you revolutionists down under our heel, and we shall walk upon your faces. The world is ours, we are its lords, and ours it shall remain. As for the host of labor, it has been in the dirt since history began, and I read history aright. And in the dirt it shall remain so long as I and mine and those that come after us have the power. There is the word. It is the king of words--Power. Not God, not Mammon, but Power. Pour it over your tongue till it tingles with it. Power.'

And so ended the night with the Philomaths.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Coming home

This deployment is coming to an end, in a few days we will be on a plane back to the United States to rejoin our family and friends and to try to readjust to a certain semblance of what we think life should be. The truth is everything has changed, we collectively have changed. We have changed as people, as an army, as citizens of the United States. We face uncertainty in nearly every aspect of our lives. Our families have been without us for a year and we have only two weeks to try to enjoy the extremely limited time we have with them before its back to the daily grind. Two weeks to try to reconnect, although this process can take weeks, months or even years. There is no promise that any of us will return unchanged. But we collectively have been granted access to something few ever see, or choose to see for that matter. We have bared witness to the atrocities of war. We have thrust ourselves into the midst of chaos in order to do something so important, so visceral, that few will ever understand what it means. We collectively have risked it all and put everything on the line to save our fellow man, regardless of nationality, race, religion or sex. I for one will reflect on these experiences for decades to come. And I know my comrades will as well. I cannot begin to describe the things we’ve seen, felt, or heard. We have lost brothers and colleagues. We have felt the sting of losing someone we tried our hardest to save. We have cleaned up the blood and reset our equipment in order to go back out and do it again. These people I work with are some of the most dedicated men and women I have ever met. They come from all walks of life and although different in so many aspects, all come together collectively to accomplish this mission. I’m proud to say that I work with some of the most professional people there are. But now we are going home. Were out of this god forsaken country, but we take with us the weight of a thousand missions. To try to dissect them as best we know how.

Now I am preparing to jump on a plane and return to a world that I don’t really understand anymore. When I was younger I used to think I had it figured out. The older I get and the more aware I become the more lost I feel. There is a widening gap between service member and civilian, our economy is still struggling, jobs are scarce and I can only sit back and watch as our home slips into a more prevalent ideology of entitlement. Where we are inundated with political pressures, told how to think and feel, who to vote for because of a political party, and try to voice our intolerance by “liking” a status on Facebook. It’s sickening to me now. Our youth are hamstringed by a failing education system, the poor are being cast out and pushed aside. Veterans of these wars are living at an all-time high of homelessness and joblessness. You can’t throw a rock in this country without hitting dozens of heavily medicated veterans. But the general public cares less and less about them and us. For the general public, unless you have something personally invested in these wars they just want to get along with their day. Without having to be reminded of what these men and women endure on a daily basis. Its unfathomable to them. Thus the widening gap grows. In times of random occurrence we hear “thank you for your service” in an airport, a restaurant, in passing at the realization that you served, although I’m sure most appreciate it. I know when I hear it, it almost sounds forced. Like it’s some sort of requirement to say. It’s become trite and cliché and it just feels fake. I’m sorry if this just hit a little too close to home for some of you reading this but I’m just tired of trying to appease everyone I come across. The truth is that the general American public couldn’t give a shit about us. They want their Starbucks and celebrity gossip and their “16 and pregnant” We are breeding a generation of young people who have no idea what this country is founded on or what its citizens had to go through in order to make this country great and more about what time jersey shore is on. We are losing…we are struggling. Not in some great sense of the word as though every generation has its great struggle. We are just losing. Losing ground on what we thought was right, what we thought life was supposed to be, and we are becoming very pissed off. It seems that the more time passes by and the longer im away from the US the angrier I become. We cannot live in a world where we hold onto the ideals that bitching solves anything, where we believe that things will be taken care of for us. If you want something done, go out and get it done…period.

So in closing, while reading this you might think I’ve become some angry disillusioned man, someone who sees things so much different than the average citizen, well maybe your right. But I can only hope that things someday will change. As for our accomplishments here in Afghanistan, I’d do it again in a heartbeat. I will forever hold these experiences close.

Williams earned several awards and citations, including the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with Valor and oak leaf cluster, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one campaign star, the Iraq Campaign Medal with two campaign stars, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, and the Combat Medical Badge.

Andrew Wade Nunn was Williams’ Senior Line Medic during his first deployment, according to Wade Nunn’s site, Thoughts in Andrew’s brain.

“My fellow Americans, yesterday, we lost a hero.” Wadenunn wrote in a post, which was reblogged by many. “SGT Williams was inside a tent when a mortar round landed inside the tent, it failed to detonate on impact. Without hesitation and with no regard for his personal safety he threw himself upon the projectile as it detonated, shielding his brothers from the blast, and ultimately sacrificing himself. His actions saved the lives of 7 men around him.”

This is an excerpt from a diary written by a 82nd Airborne paramedic from Fort Bragg who was serving in Afghanistan. Eric Williams was killed when his unit came under enemy fire on Monday, July 23. The last section of his diary was written July 17. It consists of very long paragraphs.

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy today ordered U.S. and Connecticut flags to fly at half-staff to honor Army Captain Andrew M. Pedersen-Keel who was killed in action while serving in Afghanistan.

“Captain Pedersen-Keel made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our state and our nation," said Governor Malloy. "Our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and his unit during this very difficult time. We pray for a safe homecoming for our troops who are stationed around the world, and thank them for their bravery and service.”

“This is a tragic and sad reminder that even as the conflict in Afghanistan is winding down there are still hundreds of Connecticut soldiers in harm’s way,” said Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman. “Captain Pedersen-Keel and every one of the other 63 brave men and women from our state lost in Afghanistan and Iraq died defending us and our freedom, and that sacrifice must never be forgotten.”

Capt. Pedersen-Keel, 28, was a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He was killed by a member of the Afghan National Police while conducting a patrol brief in the Jalrez District.