If you Google “Afghanistan prison break”, this is one of the images on the first page–a still from Fox’s show “Prison Break”…ironic, isn’t it?
If I hadn’t spent 20 minutes watching Fox News on Friday afternoon just before news of Tim Russert’s death broke, I wouldn’t have heard about it. For some reason, media outlets seem to be burying what seems to be a major story–790 (maybe up to 1,100) prisoners escaped from a prison in Kandahar, a city in Afghanistan.
According to this tidbit, a suicide bomber drove right up on to the gates and bombs and rockets were used as well. There’s no word how it all went down, but as many as 1,100 inmates may have escaped, including 390 Taliban.
While NATO and the media are pretending this little event isn’t first page news (read a Canadian news article about their commander’s comments), the Taliban is certainly taking credit saying that two suicide bombers and 30 “fighters” on motorbikes assaulted the prison. Nine police officers were killed and another dozen were wounded. Of course, the information’s just all over the place on this one.
The AP released this article, which ironically isn’t front page news.
I admit that it’s been six years since I earned my undergraduate degree in journalism, so I may be a little rusty…but isn’t this a big story? Not to negate the other stories hitting headlines as my heart goes out to those in Iowa and other areas of the Midwest who are dealing with devastating flooding.
However, 1,100 alleged terrorists on the loose and a big-scale attack that was powerless to prevent the escape–that’s pretty dang newsworthy.
What’s behind the lack of coverage? Does it prove that should keep military stationed overseas? Does it show that no matter how hard we fight against the terrorists we can’t prevent every attack? Or does it just scare us silly? I don’t really know, but for a bunch of professionals dedicated to reporting world events, the U.S. media has crapped out on this one.
But, hey, you did hear that this Bush wants Osama Bin Laden caught before he leaves office, didn’t you? (Read this TOP NEWS story here). No word from the White House on the Kandahar escapees though.
She is Beloved 
Ok, I was in full agreement until you wrote, “However, 1,100 alleged terrorists on the loose . . .” As you had stated, only 390 prisoners were Taliban. Most of those who fled were common criminals. Not great for Afghanistan for sure. A bigger story is how US and NATO forces were near by and cowered in fear that it was they who were being attacked. Was there really no contingency plan for such an event? Certainly someone failed .
Many hours later not one escapee had been rearrested. Even if the well coordinated escape of the Taliban made their get-away, certainly some of the local thugs walking down the road should have garners some response?
Ok, I was in full agreement until you wrote, “However, 1,100 alleged terrorists on the loose . . .” As you had stated, only 390 prisoners were Taliban. Most of those who fled were common criminals. Not great for Afghanistan for sure. A bigger story is how US and NATO forces were near by and cowered in fear that it was they who were being attacked. Was there really no contingency plan for such an event? Certainly someone failed .
Many hours later not one escapee had been rearrested. Even if the well coordinated escape of the Taliban made their get-away, certainly some of the local thugs walking down the road should have garners some response?