World Watch
July 16, 2009 6:15 AM

U.S. Threatens Afghans Over Kidnapped GI

By
Tucker Reals
Topics
Afghanistan
This story was written by CBSNews.com's Tucker Reals in London.

(CBS)
At least two Afghan villages have been blanketed with leaflets warning that if an American soldier kidnapped by the Taliban two weeks ago isn't freed, "you will be targeted."

Villagers near the border of two volatile provinces, Ghazni and Paktika, tell CBS News' Sami Yousafzai that aircraft dropped the leaflets during the past several days.

Military spokeswoman Capt. Elizabeth Mathias confirmed that the leaflets were produced at Bagram Air Base, the primary U.S. installation in Afghanistan, and distributed in the region. She told CBS News correspondent Mandy Clark, however, that they were distributed by hand, not aircraft.

The papers show on one side an image of a soldier with his head bowed so that his face is not visible (above). A message in the local Pashtun language over the image says, "If you do not free the American soldier, then…"

(CBS)
On the other side, an image shows Western troops breaking into a house. The rest of the message is printed across the photo: "…you will be targeted".

According to the military, the translation of the last word in the sentence is "hunted," not targeted, but CBS News' independent translators say the word also means "targeted".

Mathias told Clark that another leaflet was dropped from aircraft in Ghazni and Paktika which notifies locals that a U.S. soldier is missing and requests any information on his whereabouts.

Mathias' colleague, Lt. Com. Christine Sidenstricker, said no threats are made in the leaflet which was air-dropped. The image shows an unidentified U.S. soldier (not the one who was kidnapped) sitting on the ground and talking to Afghan children. On the front it reads: "One of our American guests is missing." On the back: "Return the guest to his home. Call us at…," according to the military's translation. This leaflet is seen below.

(CBS)

Taliban militants and U.S. military officials confirmed the abduction of one soldier to CBS News on July 2, with a Taliban commander telling Yousafzai the American was cornered by militants and abducted along with three Afghan nationals in Paktika province, which borders Pakistan.

The missing soldier has not been identified by the military.

A Taliban source in Paktika claimed on Wednesday that U.S. forces had already launched three attempts to find the missing soldier in different locations near Afghanistan's border with Pakistan, "but all three raids were ineffective and the solder is in a safe and secure protected area controlled by the Taliban."

A militant commander in southern Afghanistan said a decision to keep the American hostage "in good shape of health" had come from the Taliban's military council, or Shura.

The commander, and the other Taliban source in Paktika, indicated that a ransom may be sought for the soldier's safe return, but the commander warned there was also an order to kill the man if there was any kind of operation to rescue him or an escape attempt.

Taliban commander Mawlavi Sangin told the Reuters news agency on Thursday that U.S. forces were harassing Afghans in Paktika and Ghazni provinces over the kidnapping.

"They have put pressure on the people in these two provinces and if that does not stop we will kill him," Sangin told Reuters by telephone.

While American military and intelligence services have dropped leaflets on Afghanistan for years, most of them have clearly targeted militants — frequently carrying photos or caricatures of Taliban leaders.

The new leaflet represents a broader, direct warning to local people in the region where the U.S. soldier was seized. Villagers from near the Paktika-Ghazni border told CBS News the papers were found stuck in trees and littering roofs in the area.

The question is, will its stern message help win the missing soldier's freedom, or just antagonize the local people who could help, or hurt, that effort.


  • Tucker Reals

    Tucker Reals is a senior news editor and overnight site editor for CBSNews.com, based at CBS News' London bureau.

Add a Comment See all 212 Comments
by collcon August 2, 2009 2:35 PM EDT
Im proud to say my son is a American Soilder. And because of him and the bravery of our military forces. We are able to sit and type in these comments. Because of them we have freedom!! There is a saying and history has proven. Freedom does not come free. You should be proud of your Military and your country. When you see a Vet or a soilder. You should thank them. Shake their hand. They care enough to risk their life. So you can have yours. Proud U.S Army Mom.
Reply to this comment
by romielittrell July 22, 2009 7:33 PM EDT
Very poor fact-checking by CBS; an acquaintance, a Pashtu/Farsi/Dari speaking anthropologists comments:
The top image shows a soldier without headgear and jacket standing in a giant and ghoulish primate-looking palm. The soldier's head is bowed as though he is paying respect. The Pashtu script over the head reads: "If you do not release the American sartayrai..." (one who sacrifices, risks, or offers his head [sarbaz is its Farsi or Dari equivalent]) --a kind of suicide committer?"then..."
The next picture shows a fully armoured American soldier kicking a door. The Pashtu scrip in red reads: ?You will be hunted" [Pashtu, xkar]. (If "targetted" was intended, it would read neshani or hadaf in Pashtu or Dari).
The third picture shows five smiling local young boys interacting convivially with a fully armored expressionless soldier with dark goggles. The incomplete Pashtu phrase at the top of this picture reads: ?One of our American guests (is) lost...?
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by susano9 July 20, 2009 3:07 PM EDT
ALSO, I believe threatening civilians is a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and therefore a war crime.
Reply to this comment
by susano9 July 20, 2009 3:06 PM EDT
The soldier was not kidnapped, since only civilians can be kidnapped.

THE SOLDIER WAS CAPTURED.
Reply to this comment
by papers_please July 19, 2009 11:41 AM EDT
Let's grow up and use words correctly.

Civilians are "kidnapped."

In war, enemy soldiers are "captured."

We capture theirs, they capture ours.

I doubt if anybody is fooled by playing with words. Those who support this kind of thing will continue to; those who don't are not going to change their minds due to childish wordplay. Let's maintain at least a semblance of dignity by acting like grownups.

This kind of behavior is cute in little kids. In adults it's just silly and pathetic.


As Confucius said long ago, the beginning of wisdom is calling things by their proper names.
Reply to this comment
by 123asdk July 18, 2009 10:42 PM EDT
The Pashto on the poster is very bad. Not only that dialect is not spoken in the target area. Even the grammar is poor.If this is the quality of the cultural interpreters and advisors the US has, no doubt they make more enemies than friends. It is clear why the insurgency is gaining the upper hand. It is becoming a national resistance to a "guest" that is using the language of an arrogant occupier. May be the interpreters and advisors should be tested 1st if Pashto is the mother tongue and 2nd if they know the local customs and the code of pashtoonwali. That way, there is a greater chance of better results.
Reply to this comment
by emj1962 July 18, 2009 11:09 AM EDT
If the Muslim terrorists saw off his head, will the video be shown by our news media?
Reply to this comment
by jackobyte July 18, 2009 8:52 AM EDT
Collective punishment (which is implied) is a war crime (ask the nazis) aah but what the heck that never stopped the righteous!

Just dribbling water down a nose. Not only is that a war crime (executed **** for that) but if you think thats the only thing done you must believe in the tooth fairy too.
Reply to this comment
by Strike End July 18, 2009 2:24 AM EDT
This is simply an attempt to scare the Afghan public into giving up the whereabouts of the captured soldier, pure and simple. The threat on the first leaflet's simply too general to be directed at the Taleban, and if it was aimed at the Taleban, they wouldn't have simply handed them out to civilians in areas where NATO troops could walk about freely without threat or combat. This kind of thing's been done before, over the years, and it hasn't worked, even if this is the first time for it being about a captured soldier. This isn't going to work this time, and chances are the captured American is simply gonna be a poster boy for the Taleban until the feel he's of no use or until they feel they have nothing to lose in losing him.
Reply to this comment
by usnjake July 17, 2009 11:16 PM EDT
There are no Afghanis in Afghanistan; there are Afghans.

"Afghanis" is their currency. Get your facts straight.
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