Winning Over Hearts and Minds: U.S. Turns Afghan Town to Dust with 49,200 Pounds of Ordnance
January 21st, 2011The before and after pictures sum it up.
Via: Foreign Policy:
On October 6, Flynn’s unit approved use of HIMARS, B-1, and A-10s to drop 49,200 lbs. of ordnance on the Taliban tactical base of Tarok Kalache, resulting in NO CIVCAS. Their clearance of Babur, Khosrow Sofla, Charqolba Sofla, and other villages commenced October 7, aided by USSF, ABP, and an additional infantry company from B/1-22 IN. Not long after, Flynn shared one insight into the burden of command: “I literally cringed when we dropped bombs on these places — not because I cared about the enemy we were killing or the HME destroyed, but I knew the reconstruction would consume the remainder of my deployed life.”
Flashback: “‘It became necessary to destroy the town to save it.'”
