Josh Habib (far left), a 53-year-old translator, along with two Marines, spoke to Afghan villagers. He has hiked in extreme heat, and said this is not the job he signed up for. (David Guttenfelder/Associated Press)
"Some translators not fit for duty; Officers say they endanger troops" by Jason Straziuso, Associated Press | July 26, 2009
NAWA, Afghanistan - Josh Habib lay in a dirt field, gasping for air. Two days of hiking with Marines through southern Afghanistan’s 115-degree heat had exhausted him. This was not what he signed up for.
Habib is not a Marine. He is a 53-year-old engineer from California hired by a contracting company as a military translator. When he applied for the lucrative linguist job, Habib said, his recruiter gave no hint he would join a ground assault in Taliban land. He carried 40 pounds of food, water, and gear on his back, and kept pace - barely - with Marines half his age.
What, the recruiter not speak English?
US troops say companies that recruit military translators are sending linguists to southern Afghanistan who are unprepared to serve in combat, even as hundreds more are needed to support the growing number of troops.
I just felt a draft, kiddo.
Some translators are in their 60s and 70s and in poor physical condition - and some don’t even speak the right language.
Americans, how much longer are you gonna put up with this s***?
And that’s not the worst of it. Troops say low-skilled and disgruntled translators are putting US forces at risk.
The company that recruits the most US citizen translators, Columbus, Ohio-based Mission Essential Personnel, says it’s difficult to meet the increased demand for linguists to aid the 15,000 US forces being sent to southern Pashto-speaking provinces this year as part of President Obama’s increased focus on Afghanistan. Only 7,700 Pashto speakers live in the United States, according to the 2000 Census.
Mission Essential’s senior vice president, Marc Peltier, said the linguists the company deploys to Afghanistan, Iraq, and other countries meet government standards. The military sets no age or weight requirements, he said. How translators come to believe they won’t face danger could originate with recruiters.
Corporal William Woodall, 26, of Dallas, who works closely with translators: “The companies are just pushing bodies out here.’’
Gunnery Sergeant James Spangler, who is in charge of linguists at Camp Leatherneck, the largest US base in Helmand Province: “They’re going to tell you whatever it is to get you hired.’’
Khalid Nazary, an Afghan-American citizen living in Kabul, called Mission Essential about a job and let an AP reporter listen. He asked whether he would go to “dangerous places.’’
“Oh, no, no, no. You’re not a soldier. You’re not a soldier. Not at all,’’ the recruiter, Tekelia Barnett, said. “You’re not on the battlefield.’’
The Afghan-American asked repeatedly whether he would be sent on battlefield missions. Barnett said he would translate for soldiers at schools, mosques, or hospitals. After being pressed on the point, Barnett said the linguist would be subject to “any’’ assignment, and if he didn’t want the task, he could quit.
--more--"
No actual war report there. Try this one:
"British support of Afghanistan fight not flagging, ambassador says; Vows commitment will be long-term" by James F. Smith, Globe Staff | July 31, 2009
Britain’s ambassador to the United States, Sir Nigel Sheinwald, acknowledges that the battle against Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters in Afghanistan is facing “very difficult and traumatic moments,’’ with American and British forces both suffering a surge of casualties.
But Sheinwald says public support for British involvement in Afghanistan is not flagging the way support crumbled for Britain’s participation in the invasion and occupation of Iraq.
Then he is a LIAR!!!!
Related: Poll: Brits Say Afghan War "Unwinnable"
A majority of the British public believes the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan cannot be won and British troops should be withdrawn immediately.
What more is there to say?
With about 9,000 troops in Afghanistan, Britain is by far the biggest contributor of forces in the NATO operation there after the United States.... Sheinwald spent the past two days in Washington with visiting Foreign Secretary David Miliband, who discussed Afghan policy with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and others.
During a visit to Boston yesterday, Sheinwald said public opinion in Britain remains evenly divided on the Afghanistan operation. “People will rightly mourn every single loss of life,’’ he said. “But the public will be prepared to understand the high level of casualties if they see that our forces are being deployed in a strategy that is credible and which is starting to achieve success.’’
Unreal.
You have BEEN THERE EIGHT YEARS now and it is ONLY GETTING WORSE!!!!
And THE PEOPLE KNOW IT!!!!
The ambassador said Britons understand that turning the tide will not be accomplished in a matter of weeks, “but over the next year or so.’’ He warned that Afghanistan would need global support for decades to develop the capacity to govern and protect itself.
Meaning YOU are NEVER LEAVING, LIMEY!
“We’re going to have a very long-term commitment to Afghanistan’s future,’’ he said. “This is not just one year; this is going to be for decades. We’re going to help them get to a state which they can ward off the return of the Taliban and Al Qaeda. That’s our strategic objective. We need to avoid the vacuum returning. And that’s what this huge effort is about.’’
No it's not; it is about PROTECTING the OPIUM TRADE and GUARDING OIL PIPELINES!!!!
Please see my Afghanistan labels for more on the atrocious lack of coverage of the actual war, readers.
