Troops in Kandahar send message to Boston, stand strong

A Dark Day in Boston Resembles Too Many in Afghanistan
April 19th, 2013
by Capt. Thomas L. Dickens

"Our message to the people of Boston must be consistent with that we send to the people of Afghanistan: stand strong."

Last week, word quickly spread through Regional Command South in Kandahar of the horrific attacks that took place during the Boston Marathon. Major General Robert Abrams, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, promptly ordered that flags be flown at half-staff in honor of the fallen. And while we were thousands of miles away, our hearts were with and continue to be with the victims of this act of terror and their families.

These acts of terrorism bring about a feeling of familiarity for those of us serving in Afghanistan. First, it was an act of terror on American soil that opened the door to our engagement in South Asia. And while the number of casualties from 9/11 was much greater than last week, their similarities lie in that they both brought with them the immense feelings of fear that are meant to paralyze our lives.

The second parallel with the Boston bombing is that we unfortunately are seeing similar attacks on a regular basis in Afghanistan. We now know that the attacks in Boston were the result of two homemade improvised explosive devices (IEDs) made with pressure cookers and commonly found items such as ball bearings, BB s and everyday hardware like nails. These cheaply made weapons are highly effective in that they inflict terror by tearing through flesh and creating unfathomable damage to their victims. IEDs are the weapon of choice for al Qaeda cells as well as local insurgents who wish to stop the democratization of Afghanistan.
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