19 July 2009 - 08H45
Taliban releases video of captured US soldier
A video showing an American soldier captured in Afghanistan asking for help from the US was aired on Arabic-language news channel Al Jazeera. The US military denounced the video as "Taliban propaganda" that violated international law.
REUTERS - The U.S. military denounced on Sunday the release of a video showing a soldier captured in Afghanistan, saying the images were Taliban propaganda that violated international law.
The U.S. military has confirmed the man in the video is the soldier it says went missing in late June.
The video has not appeared yet on websites regularly used by the Taliban or al Qaeda.
In the video, the soldier appeared to be in good health and is occasionally shown eating. His head is shaven and he has a slight beard. He is sitting cross-legged on the floor in traditional gray, loose-fitting Afghan shalwar kameez clothing.
The video is cut in places and a voice speaking in English can sometimes be heard in the background prompting him. Below is a transcript of a two-minute portion of the video which appeared on the Internet video sharing website YouTube (www.YouTube.com):
U.S. soldier: "Well I am scared. I'm scared I won't be able to go home. It is very unnerving to be a prisoner."
"I have my girlfriend who is hoping to marry. I have my grandma and grandpas. I have a very, very good family that I love back home in America."
Voice off camera: "Miss them."
Soldier: "And I miss them every day that I'm gone. I miss them and I'm afraid that I might never see them again and that I'll never be able to tell them that I love them again. I'll never be able to hug them."
Voice off camera: "Any message to your people?"
"Yes. To my fellow Americans who have loved ones over here, who know what it's like to miss them: you have the power to make our government bring them home."
"Please, please bring us home so that we can be back where we belong and not over here wasting our time and our lives and our precious life that we could be using back in our own country."
"Please bring us home. It is America and the American people that have that power."
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Comments (3)
I am proud of my service.
I want to remind people that part of the oath a service member takes is to defend democracy and freedom around the world. We have helped build schools and hospitals. Just because people are only informed the bad dose not mean you get the whole picture. News sells when they talk about the bad. You sell less when you talk about the good.
Je me souviens...
I find the previous comment rather hateful and reactionary. The US is only trying to provide the people of Afganistan with the peace and freedom that all persons are entitled to. I would ask you to remember how the great nation of France rose up to help the United States 225 years ago, and how the U.S. returned the favor in the 1940's. Without the noble actions of both our countries we would still be under the rule of tyrants and dictators. I hope that Afganistan will soon be able to enjoy the peace and liberty it greatly deserves and I will be able to be proud of the sacrifices my country made to help that happen.
usa
WHO CARE stay home and no problems no more kidnaping you sign for the army you take risque