U.S. troops call Afghan region 'Vietnam without napalm'

[Better Believe It]

U.S. troops call Afghan region 'Vietnam without napalm'
By Hal Bernton | McClatchy Newspapers
September 30, 2009

JELAWUR, Afghanistan — The men of Bravo Company have a bitter description for the irrigated swath of land along the Arghandab River where 10 members of their battalion have been killed and 30 have been wounded since the beginning of August.

"Like Vietnam without the napalm," said Spc. Nicholas Gojekian, 21, of Katy, Texas.

A prime agricultural area of vineyards and pomegranate orchards, the 18-miles of valley that the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment patrols includes Taliban insurgents, booby traps and buried explosives. The troops call the area the "green zone," but unlike Iraq, where it's a fortified area in the heart of Baghdad, this green zone can be a hellish place.

Read on:

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/226/story/76330.html

[gateley]

1. I hope Obama hears this. It's sobering. nt

[Echo In Light]

2. I seriously doubt such Big Plans re the MIC are actually up to him to decide on

[Better Believe It]

3. Besides the Motorcycle Industry Council what does MIC stand for?

Military Industrial Complex?

That's my best guess!

:)

[Echo In Light]

6. Yes, that, or however one cares to define the confluence of interests driving the 'need' for war

[librechik]

4. VietNam without napalm--yet!

[lib2DaBone]

5. No Butter ... more Guns... Look at the date on this article

The Pentagon is spending nearly $5 billion per month in Iraq and Afghanistan, a pace that would bring yearly costs to almost $60 billion. Those expenses do not include money being spent on rebuilding Iraq's electric grid, water supply and other infrastructure, costs which had no parallel in Vietnam.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-09-07-cover-costs_x.htm

SEPTEMBER 2003

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

In case no one has looked... this is 2009.. almost 2010..

We are now spending nearly $20 Billion a month.. with no end in sight... with money we borrow from China... what could possibly go wrong with this picture?

[FiveGoodMen]

7. And it sounds like Lt. Col. Jon Neumann wants Vietnam WITH napalm instead

The stupid of the US is beyond belief

[slipslidingaway]

8. knr nt

[Orwellian_Ghost]

9. K&R