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U.S. Soldiers Wage Charm Offensive
AP via Newsday ^
| 12/24/01
| Ravi Nessman
Posted on 12/24/2001 5:26:25 PM PST by BunnySlippers
Edited on 09/03/2002 4:49:48 AM PDT by Jim Robinson.
[history]
MAZAR-E-SHARIF, Afghanistan -- The U.S. Army soldiers stopped their van suddenly in the middle of a busy intersection, beckoned to the Afghan officer directing traffic from atop a concrete podium and handed him a shiny, new whistle.
The officer, who had been using a black-and-white striped club to keep traffic flowing, smiled at the soldiers, jammed the gift into his mouth and whistled them along.
Mission accomplished for a small team of Americans waging a sort of charm offensive in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
TOPICS: News/Current Events
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To: BunnySlippers
To: BunnySlippers
To: BunnySlippers
Just like in the movies I used to watch when I was a kid, damn proud of these guys.
4
posted on
12/24/2001 5:37:37 PM PST
by
jwalsh07
To: BunnySlippers
These guys are incredible. OK gang, where are the generous corporations out there who can get things done for these folks. They need books, desks, blackboards, warm clothes for the kids. There's got to be a way to get this done.
To: BunnySlippers; aculeus; Orual
The charm is no act. Bump for these extraordinary men -- tough as they come, and with great generous hearts. The Afghanis will remember them decades from now with fondness and respect.
6
posted on
12/24/2001 5:45:44 PM PST
by
dighton
To: BunnySlippers
A classic scene . . . should be part of a movie.
To: BunnySlippers
What dispicable behavior! Imagine these "Baby Killers" going around and helping the Afgan People. What a joke! After all, the honest and sincere people at Berkely, Harvard and the University of Wisconsin have already told us the "truth" about this war of aggression against the peace-loving, intellectually free Taliban!
How dare these war criminals continue to distort the view of the world with these actions!
{/sarcasm}
To: BunnySlippers
"wishing the Muslim youngsters "Merry Christmas" as they mobbed him."God Bless them, and...
God Bless The U.S.A!!!!
9
posted on
12/24/2001 6:00:04 PM PST
by
No!
To: dighton
I've met Germans who grew up in post-war Germany in the 40's, and whose happiest childhood memories are of American GI's giving them chocolates and teaching them to play baseball.
These troops are doing more to promote peace than we can ever appreciate. Bubble gum and pencils for kids who have never known anything but war is a grand start. It may not be enough, but for these kids, it's better than anything they have known.
Our military should be praised for their hearts as much as for their courage.
To: BunnySlippers
he also got bubble gum for the street children, wishing the Muslim youngsters "Merry Christmas" as they mobbed him. He is not going to endear himself to the children’s parents by doing such things as wishing the children “Merry Christmas”. The people of this impoverished land take their faith very seriously. These men have to be very careful of what they say (especially when handing out gifts to children). Our enemies there will use such gaffes to re-enforce the idea that this is a war of religious conquest.
11
posted on
12/24/2001 6:01:34 PM PST
by
Pontiac
To: speekinout
I've met Germans who grew up in post-war Germany in the 40's, and whose happiest childhood
memories are of American GI's giving them chocolates and teaching them to play baseball.
Not to mention the organized plan of dropping chocolate bars to the children of Berlin
from the US planes involved in the Berlin Airlift.
12
posted on
12/24/2001 6:12:40 PM PST
by
VOA
To: Redleg Duke
Ain't it the truth....many of our "Universities" have become toilets filled with turds..and in need of a flush.
Semper Fi
To: BunnySlippers
The captain was an imposing figure when he walked into a classroom dressed in desert camouflage, an M-16 rifle hanging across his back and a pistol strapped to his leg. Looks more like an M-4 to me.
To: BunnySlippers
At age 46, I was diagnosed with cancer. My employer was generous enough to give me a leave of absence for treatment. I decided then to use that time, not only to get physically healty, but to go back to school and complete my degree. I have been extremely disappointed in the willingness of day-students (kids) to do anything more than complain about the situation in Afghanistan, but never DOING anything about it. When the new senmester starts in January, this will be my cause....American college students donating pens, pencils, notebook paper, etc. to these poor children. NO CHILD SHOULD BE LEFT BEHIND!!
15
posted on
12/24/2001 10:52:24 PM PST
by
larry h
To: No!
wishing the Muslim youngsters "Merry Christmas" as they mobbed him. What a dimwit. If this is our idea of a charm offensive, we will wear out our welcome very quickly.
16
posted on
12/24/2001 10:56:44 PM PST
by
nbenyo
To: BunnySlippers
Neato photo
This is the other 1/2 of what Col Aaron Banks set up with Special Forces - An "A" team to take the war to the bad guys and the "B" team to carry out logistics and civil actions.
Looks like the old man got it right!
I hope and pray the local relations remain at this point as time goes on... I guess time will tell.
May all of our troops away from home be blessed with the knowledge their loved ones are safe and have our prayers for thier good health and safety.
Hoo-ah
17
posted on
12/24/2001 10:59:05 PM PST
by
ASOC
To: BunnySlippers
American, Soldiers, Charm.....WHAT A COMBINATION
18
posted on
12/24/2001 10:59:39 PM PST
by
seams2me
To: nbenyo
They don't speak English anyway, dummy, so what difference does it make what they say??? The smile and the gesture are what's understood. Men are known by their actions, not by their words....go back to the "democratic underground" where you came from!! Survet post are too easily spotted here!
19
posted on
12/24/2001 11:00:57 PM PST
by
larry h
To: Pontiac
Hey stupid, do you really think these kids know what the hell "Merry Christmas" means? They don't speak or undrstand English!! They don't know anything more than the perverted form of Islam taught in Taliban madrasses. If they don't know what "Merry Christmas" means, how could they tell their parents? Osmosis?
20
posted on
12/24/2001 11:06:00 PM PST
by
larry h
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