A dark day in Afghanistan war
It was a dark day Saturday when America learned that 30 U.S. troops and eight Afghan soldiers were killed in the deadliest attack on U.S. forces since the beginning of the 10-year-old war.
It was a particularly devastating blow for the Navy Seals. Most of the victims belonged to that elite commando team, which consists of just a few hundred members in what amounts to a close-knit family.
Worse still, it appears likely that the Navy Seal unit was being methodically targeted by the Taliban when their helicopter was shot out of the air by a rocket grenade launcher.
Although it was a different group of Seals who ran the operation that resulted in the death of al-Qaida mastermind Osama bin Laden, claiming the lives of these American heroes was a major success for the Taliban.
Whether they specifically wanted to kill Seals or just Americans doesn't really matter. Either way, it shows the high stakes of our continued presence in Afghanistan, and the deadly seriousness of our enemy.
The fact that American fighter jets were later able to kill most or all of the Taliban insurgents responsible for the attack was welcome news, but cannot diminish the grief we feel for the families and comrades of those 30 American heroes who died in the line of duty.
THERE'S NOW a place at the table for more hungry people, thanks to the Samaritan House homeless shelter's expanded dining hall.
By moving the dining area from the shelter, where it comfortably fit about two-dozen people, to Samaritan House's administrative center in the former U.S. Army Reserve Center, the organization now can seat up to 150 people for its nightly dinners.
The expanded dining facility has been a true group effort, with a generous Roundup for Safety grant from Flathead Electric Cooperative paying for fire-alarm and lighting upgrades, and churches and youth groups pitching in to help. Federal stimulus money helped buy more tables and chairs and Samaritan House residents have stepped up to the plate, too, by doing everything from painting to cooking.
Under the keen leadership of Executive Director Chris Krager, Samaritan House has made great strides in recent years in serving the Flathead's homeless population. He's striving to create space for more beds at the shelter, aware that last year 803 people were turned away for a night's rest.
The Samaritan House is on the front line in providing care for our neediest residents; please remember that as you consider your own charitable obligations.
GET READY for the fair, folks.
The annual extravaganza at the Flathead County Fairgrounds officially starts Wednesday, but there's fair fun launching this weekend (a day of horse racing on Saturday, for example) and the festivities will continue through Sunday, Aug. 21.
As usual, there should be something to entertain everyone from young to old at the Northwest Montana Fair. Look for more details in a special section in Sunday's Inter Lake.