Moon of Alabama Brecht quote
June 4, 2011
A US Tourist’s Death In Panjsher?

A weird story about a tourist killed in Afghanistan: American beaten to death in Panjsher

The incident took place while the American was travelling along with a woman to the Mokni valley of Khanj district for sightseeing.

Provincial council head, Atta Mohammad Amiri, told Pajhwok Afghan News the woman fell after crashing into a donkey.

As a result, the official said, the woman was about to fall into a deep ravine. The donkey driver came to her rescue. The tourist shot him injured, he said.

Outraged by the shooting, residents thrashed the American to death, he added.

“Villagers could not tolerate the attack on the man and attacked the American,” witness Mohammad Musa said. The US national was beaten with sticks and stoned him to death, he added.

It reminds me on the last lines of the Kipling poem The Young British Soldier

When you’re wounded and left on Afghanistan’s plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains
An’ go to your Gawd like a soldier.

Other news from Afghanistan.

My fellow Germans are losing the north to the Taliban writes Anna Badkhen:

Four weeks after the Taliban announced the beginning of their annual spring offensive, the insurgents have quietly taken over most of Balkh.

And as Graeme Smith reports the most brutal war lord in the south, Razik, just got a promotion. This will make already difficult negotiations with the Taliban even more difficult.

But back to the first story. A U.S. tourist in Panjshir? Really?

Comments

it seems the “Us tourist” was really an Italian carabiniere, anti-drug expert, “off-duty” that day; the first reconstructions are totally unbelievable; it will be interesting to see how the story develops

Posted by: claudio | Jun 4 2011 12:46 utc | 1

So the north of Afghanistan, the redoubt of the Northern Alliance, is now, with no battles, in the hands of the Taliban? And, from what is written by Anna Badkhen, those thought to have cooperated with the government will be dealt with…killed? Imprisoned? What’s the Taliban approach these days?
Badken seems to think that NATO forces will be back and then there will be battles. Or more drone strikes.

Posted by: jawbone | Jun 4 2011 17:22 utc | 2

@jawbone –
I try to answer that with Clauswitz in the newer post, but anyway
So the north of Afghanistan, the redoubt of the Northern Alliance, is now, with no battles, in the hands of the Taliban?
Not all of it, but the rural parts and there is significant influence in the cities plus spectacular incidents like the recent killing of General Doud (major northern alliances war lord, drug smuggler and police chief of the north) plus the wounding of the German general commanding ISAF in the north.
And, from what is written by Anna Badkhen, those thought to have cooperated with the government will be dealt with…killed? Imprisoned? What’s the Taliban approach these days?
They seem to lenient to the small folks. They kill the big wigs, see Doud.
Badken seems to think that NATO forces will be back and then there will be battles. Or more drone strikes.
Battle with whom? When pressed the Talibs will retreat to reappear in the back. In the longer view the drones are just a nasty disturbance.
This is also why the U.S. campaign in Helmand is breaking down. There was $1.3 billion invested to get the Taqlib out of the rural Marjah with just 80,000 people living in the wider area. The Taliban left and reappeared in Kandahar where the U.S. can not really fight them. Taliban Move Into Kandahar City – Insurgents Stage Urban Strikes as the U.S. Fights for Territory Around Afghanistan’s No. 2 Metropolis

Posted by: b | Jun 4 2011 19:11 utc | 3

news on the italian “drug expert” death (at the bottom of the article)
btw, anyone knows what’s the job of a “drug expert” in Afghanistan these days?

Posted by: claudio | Jun 4 2011 19:20 utc | 4

anyone knows what’s the job of a “drug expert” in Afghanistan these days?
Check the quality of the exports. Make sure it reaches the intended receiver.

Posted by: b | Jun 4 2011 19:22 utc | 5

the most brutal war lord of the north resides in Washington…he has a gaggle of flabby demonic servants in Poodle land, esp a Mr Hague, whos trying to out-Orwell Orwell:
Britains shame, Brit Foreign Secretary Hague, (how ever did he get the job?!) the man who lied that Gadaffi had fled to venezuela when he hadnt, and who should have been fired but for the unfortunate fact that dictatorial UK govt has gone rogue with a vengence, has lately shown you can never be too orwellian
http://alexandravaliente.wordpress.com/2011/06/06/british-foreign-secretary-says-bombing-of-libya-to-last-beyone-christmas/

Posted by: brian | Jun 6 2011 22:48 utc | 6