Monday, July 11, 2005
Defying the Taliban
Afghan villagers sheltered a U.S. Navy SEAL wounded in a battle last month with the Taliban until they could get word to American forces to rescue him, a military official said Monday.
Afghan villagers did not shelter this SEAL out of undifferentiated love for Americans. Afghans are famously xenophobic. Furthermore, they obviously ran a great risk helping the SEAL, because the Taliban would undoubtedly retaliate brutally at their next opportunity. These villagers rescued this American soldier -- even at considerable risk to themselves -- because they understand that they will be better off helping the United States beat the Taliban than vice versa. They are trusting that we will help them build a future worth dying for. We cannot let them down.
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