there is no goat

by Jennifer Dunham

  Once I got an answer out of them to this question, I continued on, asking what they thought might have happened if we had informed Pakistan of our operation. The nearly unanimous answer this was that Pakistan would have disclosed information to bin Laden of the impending raid, allowing him to escape. Likely, it would have been the Pakistani ISI, not the actual government officials, who would have given him the tip off. I had to agree that this was the likely scenario. I find it hard to believe bin Laden lived in a monstrous three-story house, next a Pakistani community full of military retirees, for several years without detection. Surely, residents of the surrounding community and, eventually some government officials, knew (or at least suspected) someone of great importance was living amongst them.

  One man gave me an interesting viewpoint on this assumption, surmising that Pakistani government and/or military officials did have knowledge of the bin Laden raid prior to its execution. However, he told me it was a lesser blow to their egos to claim ignorance to the raid, than to admit they had knowledge of the capture of a fellow Muslim and, in their view, jihadi martyr. Although I do not believe Pakistani officials had prior knowledge of the raid, I found this man’s analysis of possibilities fascinating. Well aware of the Pashtuns’ need for self-pride and non-blame, his assessment made sense.

  During one interview, prior to bin Laden’s death, I half-jokingly asked the guy I was talking with, if he knew where bin Laden was. I nearly fell out of my chair when he said “Yes!” I cautiously asked him where bin Laden was. He said “He’s in a hospital in Pakistan. He had a heart attack.” Visions of $25 million dollars floated through my brain for a few seconds (the reward offered for bin Laden’s capture or death). Turns out, the man was talking about Mullah Omar (Osama bin Laden’s second-hand man and “spiritual leader” of the Taliban) who, in fact, according to online news sources, was in a hospital in Pakistan. The man had seen the report on the television that morning, but got the two terrorist leaders mixed up.

  Those who would share their honest opinions regarding bin Laden expressed their hate for the man who brought so much destruction and terror to their country. Many of the men told me the reason there were so many widows and orphans in Afghanistan was a direct result of bin Laden’s insurgency. They were angry that this terrorist, who was not an Afghan citizen, used their country to plan and launch terrorist attacks and fuel The Taliban. A few said bin Laden should have waged jihad on “his own country”, meaning Saudi Arabia.

  One fellow summed up his opinion of bin Laden in an interesting way. He stated that bin Laden “never fixed one light or one road. The only thing he maintained was his beard.” Clearly, he understood the destruction bin Laden caused and that this was in stark contrast to the reconstruction (i.e. lights and roads) the American forces had accomplished in Afghanistan. His comment also insinuated how selfish he thought bin Laden was and how he cared only for himself. As an example of this, it was discovered after his death how vane Bin Laden truly was, evidenced by the fact that before filming himself for international television, he dyed his beard black, to rid it of the gray.

  Quite a few men used deeply offensive words and phrases to describe bin Laden. Some wanted to show the bottoms of their shoes to his corpse. Displaying the bottom of one’s feet or shoes in a Muslim country is an extreme insult. One man informed me “Osama bin Laden was a donkey!” To be equated with this animal is another offensive slur in the Muslim world. In more simplistic terms, another interviewee told me “I am glad Osama bin Laden is dead because he was the leader of the bad guys.” It was like talking with a second grader, but the guy had the basics correct.

  On more than one occasion, I spoke with men who had Osama mixed up with another world famous leader. I recall asking one man what he knew about Osama bin Laden. He answered “He is the President of the United States.” I suppose Osama and Obama are quite similar to the ear. This man’s face deepened to a crimson red when he realized his mistake. He probably felt he had deeply offended me with his mix-up, but I assured him it was an easy mistake to make. Had an educated person made the same blunder, I might have felt a bit insulted, but knowing this man had no formal education and little access to accurate news reporting, I could not blame him for his ignorance.

  Following bin Laden’s death, word spread throughout the Afghan community that his body had been buried at sea. This confused many of them, as this type of burial does not meet the standard Muslim traditions of burying the dead. However, many of the Islamic traditions were followed by the military men who deposited bin Laden’s corpse in the ocean. Reportedly, the body was washed and enshrouded in a white cloth. In addition, he was buried within twenty-four hours of his death, paying respect to his proclaimed religious beliefs. Upon hearing of the water burial, some Afghans thought this meant we had killed bin Laden by holding him underwater. I remember one man telling me “I think the Americans came to Afghanistan ten years ago to catch bin Laden and drown him.” I had to explain to him that bin Laden was quite dead, prior to becoming fish food in the ocean and that we do not routinely drown people to put them to death. Another man made me chuckle when he declared that “It was a good idea to bury Osama bin Laden at sea, but they should have cut his head off first.” His emotions towards the terrorist were obvious and it seemed clear that he felt we were too respectful in our burial of him.

  Many local Afghans I interviewed expressed great expectations that the death of Osama bin Laden would bring positive, noticeable changes to their country. Most Americans probably felt hopeful as well. I know I did. As the weeks passed after his death, we found that, not only did the situation in eastern Afghanistan not change for the better, but it actually deteriorated. Al-Qaeda, The Taliban and all their off shoots vowed revenge for bin Laden’s death. During the summer that followed, the attack rates against Coalition Forces increased. Being situated only a few miles from the Pakistan border, we noticed the increase in rocket attacks, roadside bombs and ambushes against our troops. Based off the number of medical Blackhawk helicopters that brought casualties to the base hospital, it was clear that the number of injuries and deaths was rising.

  Talking with local men in the months after bin Laden’s death, most admitted his death had not resulted in positive changes, as we had all hoped. Those who traveled with American forces off base noted the increase in attacks against the military patrols. As sad as a reality as it was, bin Laden’s death seemed to have no positive effect, other than the moral victory associated with it. Even on the home front, I saw our economy continue to struggle. I believe many of America’s current economic problems stem directly and indirectly from the terrorist attacks on 9/11. The worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil resulted in a downward spiral starting with the immediate (temporary) shutdown of the New York Stock Exchange on the day of the attack. The negative effects continued to spread, affecting insurance companies, airline companies, the security sector, the tourism industry and creating a general feeling of fear and helplessness. The attack led to the ongoing war in Afghanistan, as well as, drastically increased security measures on the home front, contributing to our country’s substantial debt and deficit.

  As most know, the CIA enlisted the help of a local Pakistani doctor, in their decade-long hunt for Osama bin Laden. Shakil Afridi ran a fake vaccination program in and around Abbottabad in order to gain information, including a DNA sample, about the possible presence of the world’s most wanted terrorist leader. Shortly after the raid which killed bin Laden, Afridi was arrested while trying to flee Pakistan. His name had been leaked (I hope unintentionally) as a key player in the CIA’s hunt and Pakistan was less than pleased at the news. Afridi was ultimately convicted of being a member of Lashkar-e-Islam, a militant group, although the evidence appeared less than convincing. Somehow, his alleged association with this group translated into “conspiracy against the state of Pakistan and high treason”. [7] He is currently serving a thirty-three year prison sentence, although it is under appeal. I am baffled as to how Pakistan can fai
l to investigate those who helped shelter bin Laden in their country, but can convict the doctor who helped find him.

  Many local Afghans I spoke with had no knowledge of Afridi’s involvement in the raid, or his subsequent arrest and conviction. However, when I explained the situation, the vast majority appeared horrified and could not conceive of this reaction by the Pakistani government. So many felt this was just another tactic purported by Pakistan to flex their muscles and have the last word, so to speak. One young man, who had been raised in a refugee camp in Pakistan told me “I will never return to Pakistan again, even if I find out heaven is there.” This was a bold statement coming from a Pashtun Muslim, most of whom try to live up to the Islamic expectations, in order to gain entrance to the coveted afterlife.

  Bin Laden was a despicable human being who used others to carry out his cowardly attack plans. In later years, he was content to live his life in comfort while others naively gave their lives for his radical cause. He did not live his life according to the Muslim standards and did not deserve to be included as a member of the Muslim religion. Whatever fate he faced in the afterlife, I suspect it did not meet his expectations.

  RAMADAN

  “ATTENTION ON THE FOB…LIBERTY BLACK, LIBERTY BLACK.” This is how the religious Muslim month of Ramadan began for us. Three “Liberty Black” calls over the base loudspeakers, in close succession to one another. Liberty was the brevity code for inbound casualties, by Medevac helicopter. Black meant four or more casualties. The “FOB” stood for Forward Operating Base. Mind you, casualty did not necessarily mean dead. It merely meant injured, but injured badly enough to need helicopter transport to a hospital. Generally, we would hear a Liberty Black call once or twice per month. Most Medevac calls only included one injured person. On the first four days of Ramadan, we heard nine of these calls. In those four days, we lost five American soldiers and approximately ten Afghan Army soldiers in our local area. Scores more were killed in other parts of the country. In addition, at least U.S. nineteen soldiers were sent to our Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) clinic on base for treatment. On the fifth day of Ramadan, Taliban insurgents shot down a Chinook helicopter in Wardak Province. The result of this action was the highest single day death toll of Americans in the ten year old history of the war in Afghanistan. Twenty-five Navy Seals died in this horrendous attack and there was a widespread feeling of anger, disbelief and sadness throughout our base. Many of us wondered why the Coalition Forces were still in Afghanistan, after ten years, when we were still subjected to attacks like this.

  According to Islam, Ramadan is supposed to be a time of sacrifice, patience, spirituality and peace. Ramadan begins at the sighting of the new moon in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. This calendar shifts by a few days every year, so Ramadan does not always fall in the same month every year. The religious period lasts 29 to 30 days and ends with the sighting of the next crescent moon. Religious personnel located in Saudi Arabia are responsible for announcing the beginning and end of Ramadan. Muslim worshipers in other countries must rely on the Saudis to dictate the exact days and times of Ramadan.

  During Ramadan, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and any other temptations (including sex) during daylight hours, or from sunrise to sunset. They rise early in the morning for a meal, say their prayers and fast all day until sunset, when they eat another meal. Ramadan is meant to teach Muslims to empathize with those who are less fortunate, as well as cleanse their souls, engage in self-reflection and focus on their religion. Followers of the Muslim religion are also expected to give to charity if possible, be kind, and help those in need during this month. A three day celebration called Eid (meaning the “Festivity for Breaking the Fast”) is celebrated after the end of Ramadan each year. It is a national holiday and is a time filled with family gatherings, large meals and other religious festivities.

  On base, the local Afghans workers followed the rules of Ramadan and did not eat, drink or smoke during the day. I gave them a lot of credit for having the discipline to do this in August, the hottest month of the year. American soldiers and contractors did not fast. But, most were very respectful of the local Afghan workers around and refrained from consuming food or drink in front of them.

  The night before Ramadan began, the local Afghan guard force, who manned the towers on our perimeter, invited a few of us to their compound for a meal. Although their cook only had two pots to prepare food in, his meals were the best I ate while I was in Afghanistan. We brought a few supplies for the guards, including a bottle of Tylenol and a bottle of Ibuprofen, a first aid kit and two volleyballs. It was our attempt at keeping in line with the theme of charity during Ramadan. These were luxury items to them and the guards were grateful, especially for the pain killers. They were provided no medical care on base and did not have even the simplest of medical necessities. If one of the guards became ill, he was expected to simply tough it out and continue to work with no time off. Although the gifts we provided seemed minuscule to us, we hoped the gesture would portray our respect and understanding for the sacrifices they made for us on a daily basis.

  We all sat around a long tablecloth, situated on the floor of one of their tents and indulged in tender pieces of lamb, rice, vegetables and watermelon. Most of the guards did not speak English and my Pashtu was limited to a vocabulary of about twenty words. But, the head supervisor of the guard force spoke English quite well and spent most of the meal translating for everyone. It was a merry time and everyone was in a good mood. The guards were thrilled to have a hearty and complete meal. As the evening drew to a close many guards gathered around us outside. They thanked us profusely for joining them. It was rare they had the opportunity to dine with anyone who was not employed by the guard force. Very few Americans cared to visit their compound.

  The mood changed a bit as the conversation turned to the expected increase in attacks by local insurgent groups during the impending month of Ramadan. It was not lost on any of these guards that their lives might be in danger, more than usual, during the coming weeks. We discussed the complex, large-scale attack that occurred on our base during Ramadan the year before. Some of them had been there for it, and helped fend off several suicide bombers who attempted to penetrate the perimeter of the base. They voiced their concerns about a possible repeat of this type of event. I assured them we were all working together to prevent such an attack. We promised each other we would keep in contact regarding any threats and/or unusual activity around the base. After posing for a group photo, we bid them goodnight and promised to return to their compound for their Eid celebration four weeks later.

  Somehow, insurgents in Afghanistan interpret the meaning of Ramadan quite differently and consider it to be a signal to wage jihad and increased war activities against Westerners. I even heard that insurgents believe they will be rewarded more greatly in the afterlife, if they “martyr” themselves during the month of Ramadan. In addition, some terrorist leaders call for an increase in attacks during this time, to rid the world of impurities, including perceived infidels. Inevitably, as a result of these attacks, innocent Afghan citizens are killed as well. I always wondered how the insurgents justified killing their own countrymen and women, especially during the holy month of Ramadan.

  Our medical staff and helicopter pilots earned their money several times over during Ramadan. The previous year, prior to my arrival in Afghanistan, there was a large-scale coordinated attack against our base during Ramadan. Around 4:30 am, the base began taking indirect fire, i.e. rockets and mortars, from the north. With the attention of the base defense forces focused in that direction, approximately 40 insurgent fighters began to attack on foot, from the south. They had managed to conceal themselves in a cornfield outside the base perimeter, until they were ready to strike. Many of the attackers were shot dead as they ran across another, grassy field, headed for the base perimeter. However, three insurgents, wearing suicide vests, managed to avoid the gunfire and cut through our perimeter fence and infiltr
ate the base. Fortunately, they were shot dead before any of them had a chance to detonate their explosives. But, they gave the soldiers on base a run for their money, before they were killed. One of them was running directly for the Dining Facility, when he was shot. The consequence of his intended actions would have been devastating.

  The second week of Ramadan was eerily quiet. There were very few Medevac calls and only one rocket attack against the base. During the rest of the year, on average, we had rockets fired at our base approximately three to four days per week. The tension from the week before eased up a bit. However, we feared the quiet days and nights meant only one thing: the insurgents were saving their munitions and energy for a large-scale attack later in the month. The full moon was due around the middle of Ramadan and insurgents often picked these nights to attack. Fortunately, the local insurgents had not yet acquired Night Vision Goggles, and therefore, had to use their naked eye to see in the darkness. That certainly gave the American military an advantage. We figured if they did not pick the night of the full moon to attack, they would wait until the 25th to 28th days of Ramadan. These days are reportedly the “most holy” and those who attack or kill Americans (or anyone they consider to be an infidel) are highly revered and heavily rewarded in the afterlife.

  Surprisingly, this chapter turned out significantly shorter than I expected. The remaining weeks of Ramadan came and went with no spectacular attack. Aside from the first week, there were very few Medevac calls. Everyone was on edge throughout the month, expecting the raid siren or loudspeaker to warn of imminent danger outside the perimeter at any time. Thankfully, that call never came. It was the first Ramadan in a few years, where that had not been an extensively-planned insurgent attack directed at the base. Despite the absence of an attack, the fear of one did not dissipate after the end of Ramadan. Many of us thought maybe the insurgents were trying to outsmart us. They probably knew we expected them to strike during the holy month, so maybe they were waiting until after Eid, thinking we would let our guard down. Fortunately, that scenario never played out either. I personally believe the unit responsible for security of the base did an excellent job of deterring an attack. In my opinion, they made the base too “hard” of a target for the insurgents to try and penetrate.