400 inmates, some Taliban, escape Afghan prison

Yahoo ^ | 4/24/11 | Mirwais Khan - Associated Press

[NormsRevenge]

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan – More than 400 inmates — many of them Taliban insurgents — escaped from the main prison in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar overnight through an underground tunnel, an official said Monday.

The massive jailbreak in Kandahar, the focus of much of the international military effort to defeat the insurgency, is a reminder that the Afghan government is still weak and easily thwarted in the south, despite an influx of international troops, funding and advisers.

The escape comes after years of security upgrades and tightened procedures at the 1,200-inmate Sarposa Prison following a brazen 2008 Taliban attack that freed 900 prisoners.

[anniegetyourgun]

Not good for our guys. Pray for them.

[bushpilot1]

Obama smiled.

[stevie_d_64]

Who was running that joint???

Colonel Klink??? Sargent Shultz??? General Burkhalter???

Smells like the French Underground was busy right under their noses...

[demshateGod]

Not one more American life for the Afghans’. I think it’s time to get out.

[panthermom]

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Plus, it helps when the country you are trying to help supports your efforts........not he case with Afghanistan.

I’ve been following the wars since my brother deployed back in 2002, my own support has waned considerably. I don’t know why we are there, it is policy to release captured Taliban, so what is the point? What is the point when our own JAG officers meet with the line units to remind them that they will be watched very closely and to remember they will be prosecuted if they don’t follow the ROE, which is basically sit back and take fire. In the meantime, civil affairs will build parks and plant trees.

[Little Ray]

This should be considered an opportunity. Let them run. Chase them down. Kill anyone who gives them aid and comfort. Finally catch up with them and kill them, too.

But, most of all, TAKE NO PRISONERS.

[gandalftb]

This escape drives home perfectly the point many of us have been making for the last year, of the utter futility of fighting the local Afghans.

541 escaped of which 106 were considered "commanders".

The prison was divided into criminal and "political" sections, with the captured Taliban were considered to be "political prisoners" by the Karzai government.

5 months ago they started digging a 1200 foot tunnel from a residential compound just outside the fence. Last night, for four and a half hours, 2300 pm until 0330. They made their escape and were ferried away by truck.

No alarm was raised until the 0700 call to prayer when no one showed up.

You can hear the sounds of laughter all over Afghanistan and Pakistan.

[AU72]

No alarm was raised until the 0700 call to prayer when no one showed up.

"Up and vanished like a fart in the wind"

[jmcenanly]

Hogan’s Heros ...... Taliban Style
If they were to use one of our detention facilities as a base of operations, or at least as a rest and relaxation center, that would be like Hogan's Heroes. al-Hogani would probably use lawyers and aid workers to carry messages, rather than the shortwave radio

[TheOldLady]

Don't Triple Dog Dare This Cat!

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Save our poor Lazamataz!

[fantom]

Lets chemically destroy the poppy fields ,and get the hell out of that stink hole and let them kill each other .

[Little Ray]

Good idea. Don’t forget, though, there are an awful lot of people we should kill before we leave.

[Liberty Valance]

Thats not a prison. It’s a place for the Taliban to stay warm, fed and protected for the winter. They’re now rested and ready to intimidate the locals, plant IED’s and watch over poppy production to finance jihad.

[stevie_d_64]

Colonel Klink!!! You’re and Idiot!!!

I see nothing...I hear nothing!!!

[dfwgator]

Colonel Klink!!

There was never a successful escape from Stalag 13.