Earlier this month, a U.S. soldier lost his life in an explosion in a small strip of desert in Afghanistan. This strip was used as a patrol route and was home to multiple observation posts for soldiers and allies, but with the U.S. constantly using this route, the Taliban were prompted to hide and bury multiple explosives throughout, hoping to be able to keep our soldiers away.
The death of the U.S. soldier, Specialist James A. Slape, has cast an unwelcome spotlight for the United State’s prolonged presence and activity in the Afghan region and shows that the Taliban are not ready to give up. A group of Taliban militiants were able to recover a part of Slape’s left leg and proceeded to parade it through a bazaar in the Garmsir District, which to me proposes an act of aggression and relentlessness. Even though the United States has been conducting talks of peace and resolution with the renowned terrorist group, the Taliban continues to wage a brutal and unsparing war, and in addition using projections of violence as a demonstration of its influence and endurance.
In my opinion, the United States needs to send out bigger patrol groups and bomb squads with protection to uncover other hidden mines and explosives to keep our soldiers safe and prevent future attacks and deaths. As well as this, we need to begin to be more cautious and put effort towards developing new technologies to detect possible explosive devices. In addition, the United States should begin to show some aggression and power towards the Taliban to aid towards a possible resolution between our soldiers and the terrorists group to decrease the continuous loss of lives on both sides of the fight. The death of Slape should not go unnoticed and should put a little bit of fire in the hearts of his fellow soldiers to work towards an end in this constant chess match of war.