“Truth, Lies and Afghanistan”

By Mark Thompson | @MarkThompson_DC | February 6, 2012 | +

Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jon Rasmussen)

Despite U.S. claims of progress, many supplies to U.S. posts continue to be delivered by air, to keep hostile forces from ambushing ground convoys. A C-130 aircraft on such a mission over Zabul province Jan. 25.

That’s the title of a column by an active-duty Army officer published on-line Sunday by the independent Armed Forces Journal.

Army Lieut. Colonel Daniel L. Davis writes about what he says he witnessed traveling 9,000 miles around Afghanistan over the past year:

What I saw bore no resemblance to rosy official statements by U.S. military leaders about conditions on the ground.

Is Colonel Davis a truth-teller, a whistle-blower or a publicity seeker? Or some combination of the three? When does perception freeze into reality, and who is best suited to draw conclusions in black ink? Read his column, or check out a story about it in Monday’s New York Times.

Related Topics: Army, Military, National Security, Pentagon, Taliban

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