Meet Afghanistan's Motorcycle Police, the U.S. Military's Newest Weapon Against Taliban Insurgents
The motorbike police have supplemented U.S. operations and air assaults, and word about the unit has spread among locals in the Ghazni old city bazaar, who praise the increased security around town.
And soon a piece of the unit will be coming to America. Before he returns to the States, MacDonald plans to buy one bike and ship it home to the Red Dog Saloon, his biker bar in Maple Valley, Wash., and mount it on the roof. It will be a bit of memorabilia, he says, from his time in this country.
Reader Comments
Great Idea
Adapt to enemy tactics. This is a great example of what the American populace pays commanders to do. This commander observed an enemy tactic that his unit could exploit and turn against them. As an Army officer myself, I fully understand the importance of analyzing enemy tendency and countering them before the enemy evolves yet again, and catches you or your unit unprepared. In doing so, LTC Demartino is taking care of his soldiers. His efforts are allowing US personnel to refocus stretched resources to another task, while bolstering effectiveness in the Afghan police force. One of the over arching reasons we are in Afghanistan is to assist the Afghan government in building its own capabilities so it can support itself. This new capability has already proven itself, and has caught the enemy unprepared. There are more success stories in Afghanistan, and I hope to read more of them in the days to come. It is important that the world does not forget what is going on in this country and how important it is to the world. A stable Afghanistan will deny terrorist organizations a safe heaven, as well as training and breeding grounds.
The Views expressed in this Blog are my personal views only and not an official position or statement from the US Army or any of its units or agencies.
Sure
Lt.Col. Demartino is a joke.
He should spend more time taking care of his troops and accomplishing the mission than boasting to the press.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/12/AR2008121203291.html
Motor cycle cops
While assigned to U.S. Embassy Jakarta, Indonesia in 1998 (during the riots) there was a "police squad" that rode around on 125cc or 250cc two cycle bikes. They looked more like a Nazi strike team and were heavily armed w/machine guns, pistols, body armor, night sticks and traveled in packs of about 10-20. Their appearance immediately calmed rioters as they had a reputation of serious head knocking. Actually, people were terrified of them. Their bikes allowed them to pass through traffic jams and large crowds without a problem. Probably a good idea for Afghanistan police to master this form of police work. Vehicles are cheap, gas is cheap, maintainence is easy and the police enjoy the heck out of them because they take it home and drive the family around on them (I've seen up to 5 people on one small bike in Thailand). It's also a moral booster for them to be engaged with a "special team/force" and their association with some bike club in the U.S.
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