I was sitting in my home -- a gothic Stalin skyscraper built by German prisoners of war on the Moscow River -- when the second plane hit the Twin Towers. Staring at the TV set in a state of horrified confusion, my ex-fiancé and I sat late into the night, glued to the screen. Some networks showed Palestinians rejoicing in the streets. We spoke about the mujahideen the United States had supported during Afghanistan's war with the Soviet Union. It was all the same thing -- one big regional mess -- but I was too emotional that day to want to consider the implications of American foreign policy.
The United States was clearly posturing for war. The question was where and how I would cover the ensuing conflict. My agent in New York encouraged me to head to Afghanistan, while my ex-fiancé actively discouraged me, even though he was a photojournalist himself. He had photographed the Balkan wars, among others, and had seen more colleagues killed and wounded than he cared to remember. He didn't want me to go, insisting I would be killed or dismembered. Those were certainly distinct possibilities, but I pushed the thoughts out of my mind: How else does one find the courage to go to war?
On Oct. 2, 2001, I left Moscow for Pakistan with a small backpack containing a few pieces of clothing, my cameras, a film scanner, and $800. I was told the assignment would be for four days. Just two days after I arrived in Islamabad, I sat on my bed in the Best Western hotel watching the first U.S. airstrikes against Taliban and al Qaeda targets in Afghanistan -- the first rumbles of a new chapter of my life and a 10-year journey through a region colored by war.
Above: Sayed Hassan sits with his 10-year-old nephew, Noor Mohammed, who lost his right arm, left hand, and both eyes in an American bombing on Dec. 2, 2001, in the Agam district of Nangarhar province.




(17)
HIDE COMMENTS LOGIN OR REGISTER REPORT ABUSE
SIDROCK23
7:03 AM ET
September 8, 2011
this is what the west wants...
Looking at these pictures I'm reminded of 2 infamous words of the famous war monger George w bush "mission accomplished". Peace n democracy were just a cover for what the west really wants to happen. That is to kill non whites, steal resources, n input corrupt puppet regimes willing to kill their own for a few dollars. Before 9/11 there were no suicide bombings in Iraq n Pakistan. Now it is a daily routine. It was the whites who trained,funded,supported Sadaam,taliban,zia ul haq, the saudis, emiratis. They created this mess purposely n now that same mess who has come to bite them.
ARMYSKOON
6:57 PM ET
September 8, 2011
True
No suicide bombings in Iraq...just the relentless slaughter of thousands of minorities and the unprovoked attacks on two of its neighbors killing hundreds of thousands more...but you are right...there were no suicide bombings.
DCDANIEL
8:07 AM ET
September 8, 2011
Kill non whites?
We don't need to kill non whites, the locals and jihadists do such a great job they don't need any help from the west. Who are the Taliban and Pakis bolwing up in their markets and mosques? Stop your racist rants sidrock. You add nothing to this board.
SCREWED AND TATTOOED
8:49 AM ET
September 8, 2011
War is Hell
These pictures certainly tell the raw and sad story of what goes on in countries in the Mid East. The girl who lost a nose and ears because her husband cut them off is exceptionally sad. Sharia must be the way to go right?? I guess if you're in to brutalizing women it is.
I do have a problem with this statement though and it totally shows the bias and silliness that is prominent in many articles and many more comments in FP.
"Thousands of prisoners, pictured here in 2001, are said to have suffocated to death in freight containers while being transported under the watch of U.S. Special Forces and the Northern Alliance."
This is the first I've heard of such a thing. Good thing the words "are said to have suffocated" are there to give them an out for such an accusation. Again, no proof and just more baseless foolishness. No way our troops would have intentionally let prisoners die in freight containers as the writer implies. The crap in some of these articles and even more the crap in many of the responses is enough to make one sick.
HECTORBD
12:24 PM ET
September 8, 2011
Stop the War
Just look at the innocent lives affected by the war. More than the soldiers and rebels, the innocent civilians like women and children suffer the most. The photos depict the horrors of war that really need to be stopped.
EBOY
1:57 PM ET
September 8, 2011
Looks almost like war
Are we supposed to perceive this article as a "balanced " view of the evils of opposing forces in war? A day pack and 800 bucks? I would bet that war looks a lot uglier than what is shown here and no doubt the author has the images to prove it. So why not show, really, what war looks like. That woman with her nose and ears sawed off, that wasn't war that was sadistic cruelty, human ignorance and religious delusion.
MARTY MARTEL
2:20 PM ET
September 8, 2011
With an ally like Pakistan..........
Nobody forced Pakistani government to facilitate relocation of Osama bin Laden from Sudan to Afghanistan in 1996. Democratic government of Pakistan chose to do so of its own free will at the time.
Nobody forced Pakistani Army and Intelligence to create what ex-CIA official Bruce Reidel called ‘this jihadist Frankenstein’ monster in 1990s. Pakistani Army and Intelligence chose to do so with the full financing provided by Pakistan’s democratic governments at the time.
There was a reason why Sandy Berger, Clinton’s national security advisor told 9/11 Commission in 2004 that 'Pakistani Army was the midwife of Taliban'. UN report on Bhutto killing released on 4/15/2010 confirmed this fact when it noted that "The PAKISTANI MILITARY ORGANIZED AND SUPPORTED THE TALIBAN TO TAKE CONTROL OF AFGHANISTAN IN 1996“.
Declassified DIA Washington D.C., "IIR (intelligence Information Report) Pakistan Involvement in Afghanistan," dated November 7, 1996 states how "Pakistan's ISI is heavily involved in Afghanistan," and also details different roles various ISI officers play in Afghanistan. Stating that Pakistan uses sizable numbers of its Pashtun-based Frontier Corps in Taliban-run operations in Afghanistan, the document clarifies that, "these Frontier Corps elements are utilized in command and control; training; and when necessary combat“.
Declassified U.S. Department of State, Cable "Pakistan Support for Taliban" from Islamabad dated Sept. 26, 2000 states that "while Pakistani support for the Taliban has been long-standing, the magnitude of recent support is unprecedented." In response Washington orders the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad to immediately confront Pakistani officials on the issue and to advise Islamabad that the U.S. has "seen reports that Pakistan is providing the Taliban with materiel, fuel, funding, technical assistance and military advisors. [The Department] also understand[s] that large numbers of Pakistani nationals have recently moved into Afghanistan to fight for the Taliban, apparently with the tacit acquiescence of the Pakistani government." Additional reports indicate that direct Pakistani involvement in Taliban military operations has increased.
So in a way, Pakistan was in charge of Afghanistan in 2001 when 9/11 attacks were carried out and hence responsible for them.
Pakistani ISI Director General Mahmud Ahmad had asked Omar Sheikh (the kidnapper of Daniel Pearl) to send $100,000 from a Dubai bank account to Mohammed Atta (the lead 9/11 hijacker) one year before those attacks. Mohammad Atta used that $100,000 for flight training, living expenses and to purchase flight tickets on the day of 9/11 attacks in US and returned unspent $25,000 back to same Dubai account. Musharraf was forced to retire ISI director General Mahmud Ahmad after Wall Street Journal exposed General Ahmad as the chief financier of 9/11 attacks. Pakistani ISI was heavily involved in planning of 9/11 attacks as corroborated by former Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Bob Graham.
With an ally like Pakistan, U. S. war against terrorism has NO chance of success whatsoever.
GESWEB
3:16 PM ET
September 8, 2011
Brought tears to my eye
These pictures are very harrowing to look at. I cannot imagine how you must have felt taking them - it is certainly something I wouldn't want to do for a job!
It's such a shame that adults (on both sides) behave in this way and their actions result in effect others, such as the child in the first picture.
I hope one day that the human race will grow up and make war a thing of the past.
Danny
RAYE
9:25 PM ET
September 15, 2011
War never ends!
U.S’s retaliation of the 9/11 incident took an ugly turn when they captured thousands of Talibans only to let them die in asphyxiation while shifting them to prison camps. Just like wobenzym n, the purging measures taken up by U.S. in Afghanistan did effectively control Taliban, though not eliminate it entirely. War has painted a veil of gloom, despair and chaos everywhere; thousands of people dying due to missile attacks, drones and suicide bombers has become the order of the day. War did render some positive results in the region like aiding elections, driving off the Talibans and bringing their tyrannical rule to an end.
PADURAR1978
7:01 AM ET
September 17, 2011
Imagine that just like our
Imagine that just like our children having to go through it. I think these clips should remember all my life and their life would not be so good.
BAHARIMSIN
7:17 AM ET
September 17, 2011
a very bad situation
a very bad situation. healing gods give emergency..
omegle
STEEL
9:50 AM ET
September 19, 2011
War
Much has been written about war
, is bad, horrible, tragic,
Would never did not come to our house stal . I wish this all
BELASMASSAGISTAS
10:13 AM ET
September 19, 2011
PEACE !!!
The world needs peace! nothing else!
ANTHONIO
5:04 AM ET
September 20, 2011
WAR is BASTARD
Look a the poor little boy/girl laying there with no arms left. Be sure to give the best to your children, especially baby. Try this baby stroller and also baby bed
Thanks for the attention.
CINGOZ439
4:55 AM ET
September 30, 2011
Thanks
Now looking to get rid of the curse of terrorism turkey bulunu?u in states all over the world thought otherwise, all states should fight against terrorism is a terrorism problem will continue. Terrorism be fought on one front
sikiş sikiş
sikiş
sikiş
web tasarım
BYTECOMPASS
10:56 PM ET
October 3, 2011
Might as well get use to it
War has colored a veil of gloom, lose hope and chaos almost everywhere; thousands of people dying because of missile attacks, drones as well as suicide bombers has become the purchase of the day. War do render some good success in the region like helping elections, driving off the Talibans as well as bringing their tyrannical guideline to an end. Ough.S's retaliation of the 9/11 incident required an ugly change when they captured a large number of Talibans only to let them pass away in asphyxiation while moving them to prison ideologies. Just like wobenzym n, the actual purging measures adopted by U.Utes. in Afghanistan did successfully control Taliban, though not really eliminate it entirely.
YARINSIZ
2:17 PM ET
October 6, 2011
This is the first I've heard
This is the first I've heard of such a thing. Good thing the words "are said to have suffocated" are there to give them an out for such an accusation. Again, no proof and just more baseless foolishness. No way our troops would have intentionally let prisoners die in freight containers as the writer implies.seslichat The crap in some of these articles and even more the crap in many of the responses is enough to make one sick