For our readers at home

There's not much information in the news reports about the recent attack on Bagram Air Field, and there really isn't any context. Everyone in the area, whether they are coalition, Afghani, or Taliban, is familiar with the "gates" and the conditions around them. What is lacking is the knowledge of people back home as to those conditions.

There are numerous security checkpoints, or gates, leading up to the base staffed by a variety of Afghan and coalition forces. The biggest constant at these gates is Afghani children, who swarm the area both to beg, and honestly, to steal anything that isn't bolted down and even a few things that are. These kids are trying to provide for their families, there is no malice in being honest.

What hurts people on this base and in the community more than the fact that an attack occured after almost two years of relative safety is the toll taken on the children. The largest group among the killed and injured in the attack was Afghani children. I know of at least one child, a 12 year old boy who survived the attack, but died later from his injuries in the U.S. hospital here on base.

The depths of ignorance from which someone can claim to reach their God by slaughtering children is beyond me. Gitmo is too good for such malicious beasts pretending to be people, in my opinion. Gitmo is a luxory hotel compared to the general living conditions of Afghanistan, it's certainly better than the living conditions of our soldiers over here.

Even the attackers claim that the attack was just a "show of force", but it was a show that never even got close to the base or it's allegeded intended victim, Vice President Cheney. The attackers knew that they would never even get near base, let alone their "target". The attack was nothing more than a show of ignorance and barbarity against the Afghani people, and their children in particular.