Michael's Dispatches Watch Your Step

Details Published: Monday, 10 October 2011 10:14

10 October 2011

Afghanistan

The choice is yours. If blood and guts are too much, the video at the end of this dispatch is not for you. Do not click the button if your stomach is too weak for war.

Watch your step. Underneath that ground is the end of your legs, your testicles, and your life. If you are not ready to be shot in the face or blown to smoking pieces, better to find another line of work.

The bomb dogs provide a sense of confidence, as do the various gadgets. In reality, the dogs regularly walk past bombs, as do the men holding the detectors. Whatever the case, one step off the “cleared” path is completely uncleared. There is no white and black. Everything is grey and black. Even the pressure plates often don’t work until the umpteenth guy steps on it and then WHAM! His parts fly into trees.

I tried to find the Soldier who shot the following video. No success. The person wearing this camera was on official business for the US Government, and therefore this video is free of copyright constraints.

Final warning: Do not view if you can’t stomach unwatered footage.