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Ambush: Video Shows U.S. Troops Being Hunted, Killed
November 12, 2007 8:21 AM
Dramatic new video shows how American soldiers in Afghanistan are being set up for deadly ambushes after trying to make peace with village elders in Taliban-controlled areas.
The effort to win the "hearts and minds" of village elders in the Korengal Valley of Kunar Province in Afghanistan has proved to be a dangerous one for U.S. troops, with elders often suspected of tipping Taliban fighters to the soldiers' schedule and whereabouts.
The video to be broadcast tonight on ABC News' "World News With Charles Gibson" and "Nightline" was shot by "Vanity Fair" contributing editor Sebastian Junger and photographer Tim Hetherington embedded with the 2nd Platoon, Battle (B) company of the 173rd Airborne on a joint assignment for ABC News and "Vanity Fair" magazine.
Photos: The Forgotten War in Afghanistan
Six soldiers from another 173rd Airborne company, C Company, 1st Platoon, were killed in an ambush over the weekend in Afghanistan as they returned from a Shura, a meeting, with village elders.
The new video shows the men of the 2nd Platoon of Battle Company twice walking into traps after leaving meetings with village elders, one called to discuss details of a U.S.-financed water pipe project.
"We went from being the hunters to the hunted," said photographer Tim Hetherington who was with the troops when they were attacked last month.
Good Morning America Video: The Forgotten War
Three U.S. soldiers were killed and six others wounded in the October ambush. A medic was killed in July as the platoon left a similar meeting with village elders.
The video also shows a contentious showdown between U.S. commanders and village elders, who deny hiding Taliban fighters.
"Are you calling me a liar that I got shot at last night?" Lt. Matt Piosa, the 2nd Platoon leader, shouts at the elders.
In the five and a half months the 173rd Airborne has been in Afghanistan, it has been involved in an estimated 450 enemy engagements, commanders say.
Look for more in "Vanity Fair's" January issue on the newsstands in December.
To Send Letters to the Soldiers:
Many of our readers tell us they want to send their wishes to the soldiers of the 2nd Platoon, Battle Company, 173rd Airborne. As the forward unit in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley, they are being profiled for a special project appearing in "Vanity Fair" and on ABC News.
Letters can be addressed to:
2nd Platoon, Battle Company, 2-503rd PIR
c/o SFC Patterson
Korengal Outpost
APO, AE 09354
Watch the Nightline Broadcast: Afghanistan: The Other War - Part 1
Watch the Nightline Broadcast: Afghanistan: The Other War - Part 2
Watch the Nightline Broadcast: Afghanistan: The Other War - Part 3
Watch the Nightline Broadcast: Afghanistan: The Other War - Part 4
This post has been updated.
Do you have a tip for Brian Ross and the Investigative Team?
November 12, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (322)
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
How do you go about getting a copy of this video, "The Forgotten War)? Please, e-mail me back as sonn as possible. Thank-you.
Posted by: Debb Webb | Nov 12, 2007 8:42:07 AM
I can not believe that while I was watching this the young soldier who received the mail from a debt collector, what is wrong with our country when we have nothing better to do than send bills to our troups. I am truley sorry for the company that holds such little regard for the soldier fighting for our country, but holds the dollar in such high regard. SHAME ON YOU!!!
Posted by: Nadine | Nov 12, 2007 8:46:14 AM
To think that Afghanistan was alrady secured. thanks to Bush's incompetence, the Taliban is gaining ground again.
Afghanistan was hiding Bin Laden who was responsible for 9/11. Saddam Hussein hated Bin Laden, and yet he is the one that we kill! We have more troops in Irak than Afghanistan, I dont suppose the oil have something to do with it?;)
Posted by: EJ | Nov 12, 2007 9:07:52 AM
Congratulations on this exclusive. It's great that you could air this video on national television, but should you? You are showing what I assume is graphic footage of young Americans getting killed. I do not see how airing the video achieves anything. I will be one person who will not be watching ABCNews tonight.
Posted by: Justin | Nov 12, 2007 9:24:58 AM
My son is now in his second tour in Afghanistan with the 173rd Airborne. I would also like info on getting a copy of "The Forgotten War".
Posted by: Patti | Nov 12, 2007 9:26:20 AM
If you can't think like your enemy in Afghanistan then your going to be the hunted. We are not the only ones who can make alliances.
Keep your friends close and your your enemy's even closer.
Posted by: kilroy was here | Nov 12, 2007 9:27:43 AM
I am not a bit surprised to hear things like that, we have been there way too long. We are no longer welcome there, the only time that they will need us there is when we leave. This is another war that we had to right being there at all but we are now we need to get out NOW.
GOD BLESS ALL OF OUT INNOCENT MEN THAT ARE THERE AND I AM IN HOPES EVERYDAY THEY WILL RETURN VERY SHORTLY AS I AM SURE HE IS EVERYDAY!!!
Posted by: Carol | Nov 12, 2007 9:34:32 AM
This horrified me. My son is going into to Afganistan next year. Thanks to Bush not ending the war. It will be his 3rd tour the first 2 were in Iraq. How much longer is this going to go on. This is like playing russian roulette with our childrens lives.
Posted by: jan | Nov 12, 2007 9:34:53 AM
Its Clinton's fault.....
.
Posted by: havoc40154 | Nov 12, 2007 9:43:04 AM
What is ABC calling this the forgotten war? I haven't forgotten about it. It is ABC's choice whether or not to cover it. It was they who haven't been covering it, and with this lack of coverage THEY are the ones who have forgotten it. Now they are telling us that WE forgot it.
Posted by: Thor Zeneus | Nov 12, 2007 10:12:12 AM
no way to fight a war!!!!!!!!!!! Get people from the UN to go in there. our troops are not social workers as you see. they go to make peace and get killed by this people. they do not care about us. set up a 10 mile free fire zone along the border with Pak. and shoot anything that moves. if we do not fight a war like a war we will lose by attrition alone. time will prove me right. look at the russians. we will never stop this as long as these countries have no or poorly defined and enforced borders to the terrorists
Posted by: SC | Nov 12, 2007 10:18:54 AM
We should send some of these braniacs posting messages here to Afghanistan. Obviously they know better than the Cmdr in Chief, the generals and every soldier in the battlefield.I think the war will over in no time, what say you?
Posted by: FRANK S. | Nov 12, 2007 10:36:01 AM
The oil? The energy industry is doing quite well these days. No one ever said we invaded Iraq to make things better fo you and I. They said we invaded iraq for the oil companies. So I will ask the question. Have things gotten better for the oil companies? Absolutely yes! They also have set up contracts to sell Iraq's oil when the oppertunity presents itself.
Posted by: B Denver | Nov 12, 2007 10:41:40 AM
Yet ANOTHER ABC LIE that gives aid & comfort to our enemies...ABC is a nest of traitors
Posted by: rex-baghdad | Nov 12, 2007 10:49:25 AM
yuo people are incompetent and truly ignorant to the world in which you live if you think this is 'Bush's fault'. Grow up and realize the world in which you are living.
Posted by: Bill | Nov 12, 2007 10:55:52 AM
Bush's fault? You people make me sick. You hear a story about the enemy being the enemy and you go political. We should all come home and play nice with the Taliban? They would never come here to hurt us if we had a Dem in the White House?
I agree about PRESIDENT Bush being a poor leader in this war. I do not agree that you are better for your slurs and appeasment mindset. Highminded ignorance!
So you can understand I will vote democratic in this election. Be an American first!
Posted by: merican | Nov 12, 2007 10:56:50 AM
Yes Afghanistan is the forgotten war, all the attention is on Iraq, everything is on getting troops out of there. What about our brave men and women who are loosing their lives in Afghanistan. The 173rd ABCT has lost 24 heroes since being in Afghanistan. Just remember all of you out there that it is by the blood of these young people and all who bravely serve that we have the freedoms we have.
Posted by: . | Nov 12, 2007 10:57:17 AM
To those who think we are "losing" in Afghanistan. If we pull our troops out, we win. The Afghani's will once again be mired in dishonesty, brutality and filth. They can accept help from the West to advance themselves, or they can settle for a brutal form of Islamic government. The Afghani's who set traps for our troops are defeating themselves.
Posted by: Bill | Nov 12, 2007 11:00:51 AM
Am I supposed to feel sorry for you because it costs you too much to fill up your gas guzzling suburban?? Seriously? Also, the notion that we would go there for oil is not disprooven bythehigh price of gas. The oil companies and the administration in Wash. that does their bidding do not care about the american people. they just want to control the oil so they can squeeze every ounce of profit out of us.
Posted by: James | Nov 12, 2007 11:01:05 AM
WE DO NOT PLAY BY THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT,THEY DO NOT PLAY BY THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT...THIS IS WAR IN THIS DAY THERE ARE NO RULES!!!!!PULL OUR BOYS OUT,THERE IS NO OTHER ANSWER EXCEPT FOR PEACE
Posted by: stacie | Nov 12, 2007 11:10:02 AM
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