Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) - One American service member who was abducted in Afghanistan on Friday has been killed, provincial government officials said Sunday.
Den Mohammad Darwish, the spokesman for the governor of Logar province, said he learned from locals that the service member was killed.
A second service member who was also abducted at the same time is still missing; Afghan intelligence reports that the second soldier is wounded.
Three U.S. military officials told CNN the two service members are from the Navy.
Tom - a friend of this blog - has commented at length on the performance limitations of the V-22 Osprey, and it's failure to meet contractual design specifications. His comments are correct, concise, and they are worthy. I was aware of the controversy surrounding this unusual aircraft, but not to the extent that Tom has reported. The comments he posted will be incorporated into a detailed update on the V-22.
At the time of posting, I was aware the controversy surrounding PFC Bowe Bergdahl's situation. I felt then (and still do) that the bottom line is this: an American soldier is being held by a ruthless enemy.
There has been speculation in the media regarding the circumstances leading to his capture, from persons who should know better. Lt. Col. Ralph Peters - I'm talking to you: your comments are dangerously irresponsible at this early stage of the situation.
Heads up, Peters: you are a military man, you should know better. When being held by a ruthless enemy known for using terrorist tactics, what you say in front of a camera is not valid and will not be held against you. Under these circumstances, the United States government does not ask you to give up body parts, or your life.
Until the full facts emerge, we must do everything and anything we can to assist PFC Bergdahl's survival under the most extreme conditions. To this end, we keep must keep faith in PFC Bergdahl and the United States of America, and provide nothing his captors can use against him, or to strengthen their own cause.
Godspeed, PFC Bergdahl. We hope & pray for your safety, and that you return soon.
UPDATE 21 JUL 09: The captured American soldier depicted in this Taliban video has since been identified - Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl of Hailey, Idaho, member of 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment. He is going through Hell, of course. While Bowe's family and friends go through their personal sort of living Hell, the following stories of Americans held captive overseas have faded from the front pages:
By now most of you have seen this Taliban propaganda video of an unamed American soldier, missing from his base in eastern Afghanistan June 30 and later confirmed captured. The soldier's identity has not yet been confirmed by Dept of Defense, pending notification of the soldier's family. U.S. defense officials confirmed that the man in the video is the captured soldier.
Rest assured the United States is on a full-court press to recover our soldier. Think of him as you enjoy your Sunday morning round of golf, or fishing. Remember him in your prayers at church, or temple.
Our prayers are with him.
MEANWHILE . . .
Two American journalists are still being held by North Korea.
Laura Ling and Euna Lee work for Al Gore’s California-based Current TV media group.
The two Americans were detained near the North Korean border with China and were sentenced last month to 12 years of hard labor for entering the country illegally and for “hostile acts.” North Korean officials may have been angered at the journalists for trying to produce a program critical of North Korea.
Laura Ling and Euna Lee, you are not forgotten.
North Korea may spare the US journalists from hard labor, but the two women still face awful conditions. Even if they have not yet been sent to a labor camp, they are no doubt being subjected to early morning wake up calls, daily interrogation / "re-education" sessions (that go on for unbelievable lengths of time, well into the night), minimal food of poor nutritional value, and every facet of their daily lives controlled. The worst could possibly be the stress and anxiety accompanying the fear of the unknown.
North Korean labor camps are notorious: the horrific conditions rival that of the Third Reich, or the torture factories of Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq. Possibly hundreds of thousands of North Koreans face starvation, filth, disease, hard labor, exposure to the elements, daily "re-education" torture sessions, summary executions and anonymous graves.
Sean Linnane is the pseudonym of a retired Special Forces career NCO (1st SFG, 3d SFG, 10th SFG). I served with honor on five continents; I continue to serve in other capacities.
