Sgt. Dennis Weichel, 29, gave the world a measure of the bravery and humanity of our soldiers serving abroad this week. Weichel, a father of three from Rhode Island, gave his life to save an Afghan girl from being run over by a 16-ton armored fighting vehicle this week. While Afghan President Hamid Karzai has called all Americans “Demons” , Weichel did not hesitate to give his life for a little girl in danger.
Weichel, a Rhode Island National Guardsman, was riding in the convoy in Laghman Province in eastern Afghanistan when he and his comrades saw Afghan children collecting shell casings on the road. The soldiers got out of the convoy to shoo the children away for their safety. Then, one girl suddenly ran back to grab a casing that the children collect for money. Weichel looked up and saw a MRAP, or Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle, heading toward the girl. He ran in front of the armored vehicle, grabbed the girl, threw her to safety, and was then run over himself.
A member of the Rhode Island National Guard since 2001, Weichel had only arrived in Afghanistan a few weeks ago. He previously served in Iraq.
I can only imagine the pain and sorrow of this family. However, if it is some small comfort, the entire nation is mourning the loss of this wonderful human being.
Source: ABC
RIP, may his brave act of valor grant his family peace in their time of grievance, knowing that their son served this country selflessly to protect its honor.
You know folks, there are other stories about which we should be concerned too.
Like the 19 civilians killed in Kandahar region. Most of them old women, kids, and young teens. All allegedly by a lone crazy gunman.
It’s disappeared from the news. Currently, Bales defense lawyer has a team there in Afghanistan—-but they are forbidden to go to the three villages to contact surviving witnesses, including the children.
Isn’t that peculiar?
A lady reporter got to visit, not the first day, but the second day, in spite of the alleged Taliban machine guns and mines, which hindered her first day visit. There were no villagers to interview. She got, through Karzai’s intervention, to visit the hospital where the kids were said to be getting care. Guess what? It was several men shooting. Some stood outside and held lights when one came in and shot my father …… Fill in the rest.
So it goes. We are properly praising our hero who saved a Afghan girl.
We are pushing for justice for Trayvon.
But in the meanwhile, out and out murders are committed in Afghanistan, and the patsy was drugged according to his lawyer during 4 hours the evening of the murders. Etc.
Do you believe your Pentagon?
Well here is one extensive link of many where this has not been forgotten.
In the meantime, the war criminals under Bush go to many places, but not Canada, and Europe. Wonder why Obama does this. Where do we have the standing to require an investigation for war crimes. Are the people so helpless.
JT, what say you on this last point of standing, etc.?
http://willyloman.wordpress.com/2012/0
3/30/kandahar-massacre-this-is-not-what-it-appears-to-be/#comments
And here is MSNBC which reports on the child witnesses testimony.
http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/29/10927844-child-witnesses-to-afghan-massacre-say-robert-bales-was-not-alone
Sadly, this little girl will be taught to grow up and hate American soldiers and the nation they serve. A Greek tragedy. This GI represents all that is good about our nation. He is indeed an American hero.
Jeff Metz
http://www.mostly-right.com
Strange daze, some heroes kill ’em and some heroes save ’em.
I707,
I don’t think Professor Turley is using this incident to endorse any war. It is to endorse the heroism of anyone who has the moral fiber and courage to sacrifice his or own her life to save another. No greater love…..
AN
You repeat JT’s words.
You’ve known him longer than I. Are his words to be construed straight up? I mean, it could be a justification of the war there, and our noble sacrifice of the Afghan lives—including this soldier who I feel the loss of personally.
OT
Just to let you know, my help with food tonight is from Herat, Afghanistan. She is living with her boyfriend here in Stockholm, her family in another part of Sweden. And she is muslim as well. Said not all muslims are like we think, which speaks of her experiences here I guess.
In the Herat district they speak a language closely allied to Persian (Farsi).
There are at least four other language areas in Afdghanistan..
She was impressed that I knew of Herat. Beautiful young lady.
So not all women are suppressed in the muslim world. Some even can read.
Irony.
“I can only imagine the pain and sorrow of this family. However, if it is some small comfort, the entire nation is mourning the loss of this wonderful human being.” -Jonathan Turley
Professor Turley’s words bear repeating.
Brainless,
I just read your post. You are a prick. This young man is fighting a cause he may or may not believe in. The child came first before country you asshole.
Oh yeah.
Because the presumption is that this girl will grow up to be a victim instead of the Afghan equivalent of Rosa Parks and Martin Luther.
And of course the best way to honor a selfless and heroic act is to minimize it.
Ahhhhh! The smell of Objectivism in the morning! Smells just like . . . selfish cynical horseshit.
Bron, I’m with you.
His kids need a father much more than this world needs another GD hero.
His family has reason to be proud. His picture belongs in the dictionary next to the word “hero.”
All honor to this warrior and father himself who sacrificed for a little child.
When do we see detachable catch bags for casings for automatic weapons?
Thrown and replaced they’d diminish the risk to kids.
Of course, if we got out it would be better yet.
An honest to goodness hero. His family will have to deal forever with the empty chair at the table, and never a day will pass, as long as they take a breath, that they will not think of him.
May he have Godspeed on his journey to forever…
I also hope the driver of the MRAP is going to get some help. He will be traumatized forever by this tragedy as well.
I share here a lament written five hundred years ago by a member of our family. It was written for the ten thousand who fell at the battle of Flodden Hill in 1513. It is now piped at military services around the world. It was piped for my own son at his service at the National Cemetery. Flowers of the Forest…. played by the Scots Guards.
yes, it was selfless sacrifice and for what? So this little girl can grow up and be abused her entire life by a bunch of religious zealots from the 8th century?
We need to be out of there, leave these people to their own devices.
Raff,
You are correct…. I’d like to say I knew him…. He is a hero anyway you look at it…..
Poor man. Talk about “selfless sacrifice”-this is it.
RIP.
Unbelievable courage! He will be missed.
What an act of valor……