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June 11, 2007
Valley of Death
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil...
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever.
Three weeks ago, while in New York, Luttrell visited Ground Zero. On an overcast afternoon, he looked down into the pit. The World Trade Center is his touchstone as a warrior. He had linked Sept. 11 to the people of Afghanistan: "I didn't go over there with any respect for these people."But the villagers of Sabray taught him something, he said.
"In the middle of everything evil, in an evil place, you can find goodness. Goodness. I'd even call it godliness," he said.
As Luttrell talked, he walked the perimeter fence. His gait was hulking, if not menacing, his voice angry, engorged with pain. "They protected me like a child. They treated me like I was their eldest son."
Below Luttrell in the pit, earthmovers were digging; construction workers in orange vests directed a beeping truck. Luttrell kept talking. "They brought their cousins brandishing firearms . . . ." The cranes clanked. "And they brought their uncles, to make sure no Taliban would kill me . . . "
Luttrell kept talking over the banging and the hammering of a place that would rise again.
Lt. Michael Murphy and three other petty officers -- Matthew Axelson, Danny Dietz and Marcus Luttrell -- formed a four-man unit in June 2005 tasked with capturing or killing Ahmad Shah, a Taliban leader, whom U.S. intelligence believed was close to Osama Bin Laden in a mission called "Operation Redwing."
Luttrell is the sole survivor.
Posted by Cassandra at June 11, 2007 06:50 AM
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Comments
I believe he is referred to over at Blackfive as
"The One".
This came from the Washington Post?
Will wonders never cease.
Posted by: Carrie at June 11, 2007 09:46 AM
I was wondering where the "foot" was going to drop as I read the story. I am as surprised as you, Carrie, that it never did. However, in the interest of *fair* reporting, I'm sure Mr. Arkin has written something extremely rude and insulting to make up for this momentary lapse.
Posted by: Sly2017 at June 11, 2007 10:27 AM
Blackfive has a post up, too that contains background links (previous posts).
Posted by: Miss Ladybug at June 11, 2007 11:26 AM
Thanks Miss Ladybug.
Yeah, well according to Arkin's Law Luttrell really ought to be barred from opining on the war anyway. Who does he think he is, a civilian? :p
Posted by: Cassandra at June 11, 2007 11:39 AM
I was wondering where the "foot" was going to drop...
This is a clearing operation.
The MSM is trying to morph Afghanistan into the 'good' war. So that when them Dems win, and the Iraq pullout begins, they can keep some air of national security credibility by pointing out that they are staying in Afghanistan.
Posted by: ThomasD at June 12, 2007 03:40 PM