Down, But Not Out

Yesterday, 38 American and Afghani forces were killed when their chopper was shot down by the Taliban insurgents in the Kapisa province in the remote Maidan Wardak Valley, 50 miles south of the capital, Kabul.  The helicopter was gunned down by insurgents with rocket-propelled grenades on a nearby hillside as it was trying to take off after a rescue mission.  Some of the 30 U.S. soldiers were from the Navy’s SEAL

Team 6.

Just two weeks ago, the U.S. handed over control of the military command to the Afghans.  The shooting was reminiscent of many scenes in Vietnam, in which the Viet Cong would stand at the edge of the airfields, hidden by the jungle, and shoot down aircraft as they took off with the same weapon – rocket-propelled grenades.

Years ago, a short time after we had entered Afghanistan, when asked, a military friend said we returned the Taliban’s weapons because we “had to.”  Something about the Geneva Convention.  Yesterday was an example of why you don’t return the enemy’s weapons to them.

Clearly, this was revenge for the killing of Osama Bin Laden.  We must not falter in our conviction that taking Bin Laden out was the right thing to do.  The Islamists are famous for their thirst for revenge.  They believe they must have the last act, the last victory, and the last word.  It’s their way or the highway.  They present themselves as fearless and determined, hoping we’ll quail in the shadow of their omnipotence.

Nuts to that.

We grieve for the families of the men/women who died in the chopper crash.  We pray that they’ll find solace in the presence of God, in whom lies eternal life.  We pray that the remaining members of SEAL Team 6 will not despair of whatever mission they’re assigned to accomplish. 

Meanwhile, we here on Earth struggle on against a relentless enemy.  We need to be just as relentless, determined and stalwart in our belief in freedom and God.  We don’t need the Muslims to tell us how to worship.  Nor do the Jews, the Hindus, the Buddhists or any other religion.

Say a prayer of thanks to those on SEAL Team 6 who made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.  God be with their brothers and sisters.