Photo of a US Marine in Afghanistan

[Kazzzz]

Link to the article in Time online. http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,2040942,00.html

[Jayhawk]

Just a note, people in other parts of the world care about Afghanistan also.  Just because a photo appears in one part of the world first, doesn't mean it's the undertones of some huge cover-up or something... maybe your grandma just hasn't gotten around to forwarding it to you yet.

[Mickey1992]

(I am sure most of you have seen it, but.....)

Here is a pic taken by Michael Yon back in 2005 in Iraq.  He has been embedded with US and British forces off an on for six or seven years.  He has written 3 books on the subject.

http://www.michaelyon-online.com/little-girl.htm



"Major Mark Bieger found this little girl after the car bomb that attacked our guys while kids were crowding around. The soldiers here have been angry and sad for two days. They are angry because the terrorists could just as easily have waited a block or two and attacked the patrol away from the kids. Instead, the suicide bomber drove his car and hit the Stryker when about twenty children were jumping up and down and waving at the soldiers. Major Bieger, I had seen him help rescue some of our guys a week earlier during another big attack, took some of our soldiers and rushed this little girl to our hospital. He wanted her to have American surgeons and not to go to the Iraqi hospital. She didn’t make it. I snapped this picture when Major Bieger ran to take her away. He kept stopping to talk with her and hug her.
The soldiers went back to that neighborhood the next day to ask what they could do. The people were very warm and welcomed us into their homes, and many kids were actually running up to say hello and to ask soldiers to shake hands."

[Dadsguns]

What a total load of crap.  My sister's boy has been in combat in Afghanistan for the last six months.  His best friend and another guy in his squad were killed by an IED.  Six other guys in the unit were blown to pieces by a car bomb. He was 30 yards away and was picking up the pieces afterwards.  Most recently his platoon leader had his legs blown off five yards from my nephew.  Don't even get me started on how much combat they see. 

It's not covered cause we don't want to see it.  If it's such media hatred, where are the pictures of those dead US soldiers? Where is any coverage at all?  We don't want to know and it's an absolute disgrace.  If we don't see it we can ignore it and keep pretending those kids don't matter cause they are someone elses.   My sister hardly sleeps anymore for worry.  If the media were the bad guys here, they'd have coverage of it all over the place.  Instead it's swept to the side because we're too worried about the latest celeb gossip or who we can blame from the left or the right.

You nailed that one.
  

[SFRT - Frenchy]

Well, especially in USA, the culture is different. I'm not even talking about the politically correct "don't show negative stuff", but I'm pretty sure that if a news mag would show a gutted out dead American soldier on their cover, parents of said soldier will sue the heck out of the news mag.   

[zack1234]

  To all our boys in the UK and USA who protect our countries

[Guppy35]

Well, especially in USA, the culture is different. I'm not even talking about the politically correct "don't show negative stuff", but I'm pretty sure that if a news mag would show a gutted out dead American soldier on their cover, parents of said soldier will sue the heck out of the news mag.   

Just for the heckuvit, I checked CNN and FOX online.  Neither had a single line about Afghanistan on their front pages.   Trust me, our guys including my nephew were in combat. 

[Penguin]

It's not either of those reasons, it's that the story is old.  Over and over again, the same thing appears:

US soldier killed
Atrocities planned by terrorists
Mistakes made by US soldiers

These networks want ratings, not to put out the news.  If Tiger Woods' latest confession gets people's attention more than the boys in the sandbox, it would only make sense to put Tiger Woods on the news.  There's no conspiracy, just a truly disheartening product of the free-market news model (a model which I support, however).

-Penguin

[SFRT - Frenchy]

Just for the heckuvit, I checked CNN and FOX online.  Neither had a single line about Afghanistan on their front pages.   Trust me, our guys including my nephew were in combat. 

I know, I still watch European news from time to time to get a more 'complete picture'.

[Guppy35]

It's not either of those reasons, it's that the story is old.  Over and over again, the same thing appears:

US soldier killed
Atrocities planned by terrorists
Mistakes made by US soldiers

These networks want ratings, not to put out the news.  If Tiger Woods' latest confession gets people's attention more than the boys in the sandbox, it would only make sense to put Tiger Woods on the news.  There's no conspiracy, just a truly disheartening product of the free-market news model (a model which I support, however).

-Penguin

The story is old for who?  Didn't stop coverage during WW2, Korea or Vietnam

[Yeager]

I have hope.  

I hope that child recovered and can live life free.  I hope that particular Marine, and ALL allied servicemen fighting in Afghanistan are able to finish the mission of enabling that country to evolve into a self governed nation with decent values, and that they they come home safe to loving family and friends.

Some of that hope is very reasonable.  

[bj229r]

Precisely, forgive me, I'm not good at playing where's Waldo when I don't know what Waldo looks like.

-Penguin

babies in swaddling pretty much all look alike

[bj229r]

Quoted for absolute truth.

We have had 21 service personnel killed which is so far short of the 1,387 USA deaths that it's almost an insult to use the 2 numbers in the same sentance.

That notwithstanding each time we lose a life there it is large news and because it happens so rarely and has to be in the news the event prompts discussion and debate as to whether these citizens should still be in harms way after almost 10 years in a country that is meant to be a democracy now. After all the resources thrown at it, Afghanistan should be one of the safest places on earth.

Moreover media attention to a philandering golfer or a mid twenties actress who uses drugs and spends about 20 minutes in jail insults an entire country when the lives of it's citizens are being risked and lost. When did we become so shallow?

Great photo - thanks for sharing.

I doubt there are very many journalists covering Afghanistan any more, at least from close up, which is depressing. Of note, murders in Prince Georges County, MD outnumber our service deaths since Jan 1

[wojo71]

http://www.marines.mil/unit/29palms/Pages/3rdCEBmournslostbrothers.aspx   

My sons unit had a memorial service today for the 4 who didn't come home last month. 

The 3rd Battalion 5th Marines has lost 23 Marines in 3 months.   including the son of a 3 star general...But  I never see this anywhere in the news

 It does  seem they have pushed the issue out of the mainstream and to the back page as of late.
 

[Penguin]

babies in swaddling pretty much all look alike

Oh, ok, I was just wondering where the face was, or if the whole thing was covered.

-Penguin