Afghanistan Videos - The Documentary Network

The Afghan Interpreters

Documentary.net staff — Tue, 15 Jul 2014 00:53:04 +0000

The interpreters who worked alongside American and NATO forces in Afghanistan are among our bravest and most loyal allies. They played an essential role in sourcing intelligence and educating Western troops about the local culture. Now they're in danger of being abandoned. ... As well as translating for American troops attempting to build relationships with Afghans, the interpreters played an essential role educating foreign forces about the local culture they so badly needed to understand. They were also key sources of intelligence, able to keep an ear out not just for information about the Taliban, but also about the Afghan army and police, who sometimes posed as much of a threat as the insurgents they were supposed to be fighting. The interpreters, or “terps” as they became affectionately known, did this for years on end, going out on every patrol and operation with American forces. It’s no exaggeration to say that the interpreters saw far more combat than the vast majority of American veterans... Download the full eBook from Ben Anderson's "The Interpreters" PDF Download (Free)

Combat Outpost

Documentary.net staff — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 17:21:50 +0000

Western forces are losing ground to the Taliban. As US and UK forces struggle for a way forward in Afghanistan, this unique film shows one of the most dangerous outposts as it struggles to hold on. The photojournalist and film-maker John D McHugh spent months embedded with US troops in Afghanistan in 2008-09. As the situation in the country reaches a critical stage for the British army, this series provides an authoritative guide to the background to the present conflict Youre the first reporter Ive seen here in 8 months, says Staff Sergeant O Brien, in a rare break from the Talibans incessant fire. This outpost in Kunar province is one of hundreds supposed to allow the Americans to win over locals and control Taliban movements. But its not working. The Taliban control the high ground around the bunker and attack every day. Weve got the most sophisticated equipment in the world, O Brien says but we cant pick up on one guy whos sitting 800 metres away from us shooting. His men have spent 9 months under fire and must rely on what they can. One thing we usually use to determine who the bad guys are is shoe type, O Brien explains. They wear shoes like this to move around the mountains he says comparing it with the sandal worn by a member of the Afghan National Army. Part of the outpost strategy is to mentor the ANA. But the men here see the reality of western forces losing ground. A lot of the reports you see are out of the big bases, where its secure and theres not a lot of fighting. Its in remote outposts like this one that conditions are almost like what the Russians ran in to. http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2009/feb/13/us-military-afghanistan-outpost

This Is What Winning Looks Like

Documentary.net staff — Tue, 28 May 2013 13:23:23 +0000

A documentary about the ineptitude, drug abuse, sexual misconduct, and corruption of the Afghan security forces as well as the reduced role of US Marines due to the troop withdrawal.

I didn’t plan on spending six years covering the war in Afghanistan. I went there in 2007 to make a film about the vicious fighting between undermanned, underequipped British forces and the Taliban in Helmand, Afghanistan’s most violent province. But I became obsessed with what I witnessed there—how different it was from the conflict’s portrayal in the media and in official government statements. All I had to do was trek out to one of the many tiny, isolated patrol bases that dot the barren, sunbaked landscape and hang out with British infantry troops to see the chaotic reality of the war firsthand: firefights that lasted entire days, suicide bombers who leaped onto unarmored jeeps from behind market stalls, IEDs buried everywhere, and bombs dropped onto Afghans’ homes, sometimes with whole families of innocent civilians inside. Ben Anderson

747 Cargo Plane crash in Bagram airfield, Afghanistan April 2013

Documentary.net staff — Thu, 02 May 2013 04:53:59 +0000

Horrific amateur video shows a cargo plane belonging to a U.S.-based company that crashed shortly after takeoff from Bagram Air Base. The Boeing 747-400 was en route to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Taliban claim responsibility, but NATO denies plane was attacked.

Snap Snap Snap: Documentary about United States Air Force Photojournalist

Hannes Kreuzer — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 09:50:58 +0000

Staff Sgt. Ryan Crane is a United States Air Force photojournalist and was deployed to Afghanistan twice. In this film he shares his experiences as a photojournalist in a combat environment as well as the mental and physical toll it takes on him. He says: "It's really hard to just, when you're on a patrol with you know a hundred other people to stop and just say "I wanna take a picture for just 30 minutes"... You don't have that luxury. You are walking in your unifrom with these people so you have to constantly be moving while taking pictures so I don't have the luxury of always looking through the lens I don't have the luxury of stopping in getting these photos that I want. It's really hard, you learn you can torture bodies in certain ways. You learn to pretty much never look through the viewfinder of the cameram, you just don't have time... ...As unprofessional or bad it may sound, a lot of times my photos are me sticking my camera way up in the air are way down lower way out to the side and just you know, just praying and praying and hoping I get something." For more of his amazing work visit his website: