spencer ackerman

Video: Report From Afghan-Pakistan Border

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SALERNO, Afghanistan — Spencer Ackerman reports from a dangerous region 12 miles from the porous Pakistan border, where Taliban insurgents cross into the country to fire rockets at the base home to 5,500 U.S. troops.

Afghan Police Corruption Stymies U.S. Weapons Hunt

COMBAT OUTPOST ZORMAT, Afghanistan – The Washington Independent’s Spencer Ackerman rides along with the Alpha Cavalry Troop’s First Platoon in search of a Taliban weapons cache.

Zormat

COMBAT OUTPOST ZORMAT, Afghanistan -– Leaving Salerno, I asked someone what he knew about Zormat, an area in southwestern Paktia Province to the west of the large Khost-Province base where I was heading. He responded immediately: “Lotta IEDs.” Someone else asked me if I was a reporter. I said I was. “Aw, man,” he said. [...]