‘We are taking fire… GET SOMETHING UP!’

But the outpost’s fate,chronicled in unusually detailed glimpses of a base over nearly three years,illustrates many of the frustrations of the allied effort: low troop levels,unreliable Afghan partners and an insurgency that has grown in skill,determination and ability to menace.

Some early reports from the area were upbeat. “Our friendship grows every day,” it said about the relationship with the local population. It also noted that the “positive nonlethal effects” of donations to villagers “stimulated a frank discussion on security issues”.

However,before long the optimistic reports about handouts of milk and soccer balls and the goodwill of the local residents gave way to a realization that insurgents controlled almost everything up to the outpost’s gates.

Feb 17,2007: Men in Afghan Army uniforms ambushed three trucks as they left after delivering supplies. They sliced off the crew’s ears.

April 29,2007: Men who identified themselves as “We the Mujahedeen” posted handwritten letters on the mosque that spoke about US infidels,“sold-out mullahs” and officials,and listed names of Afghans who worked as the outpost’s guards. “They are hated by God,” the letter said. “Soon we will start our operations.”

The local villagers tore up the letters. The next day,six insurgents stopped a car owned by a local community leader who was cooperating with the Americans and shot him dead.

With time,the outposts in outer Nuristan became defensive positions kept alive by helicopters that would typically fly only at night. Locals were caught between sides. Development was idled. The reports compose a portrait in futility: the enemy was strong,the post’s ranks were small and their efforts had no traction.

In the summer of 2009,Combat Outpost Keating,along with several other tiny firebases in eastern Afghanistan,was ordered to shut down. By fall,the US was quietly withdrawing from part of its archipelago of little posts.

But before Combat Outpost Keating could be closed,on October 3,the insurgents struck,pounding the little outpost with mortar shells and rocket-propelled grenades and raking it from above with heavy machine-gun fire. Real-time computer messages typed by soldiers at the outpost to headquarters depict American troops isolated and overwhelmed on enemy turf.

At first,the outpost reported,“IN HEAVY CONTACT.” Then,a soldier asked that an “Air Tic Be Opened”,military jargon for air support. The sense of urgency was clear.

“We need it now,” another soldier typed. “We have mortars pinned down and fire coming from everywhere.”

The battle escalated from there. “We are taking casiltys,” the first soldier typed within minutes — “GET SOMETHING UP!”

The outpost was told the attack helicopters would take time to reach. “IT’S A 40 MINUTE FLIGHT.”

The outpost asked about jets. “We are taking fire… Our mortars are still pinned down unable to fire… Multiple enemies running through (the police station)… fire coming from the mosque… The police station is shooting at us.”

Forty minutes into the fighting,he reported that the observation post was about to detonate its Claymore mines — a sign that the attackers were almost at its walls.

Eight minutes later he reported that the attackers were breaching Keating’s last defensive ring. “Enemy in the wire at keating,” he typed. “ENEMUY IN THE WIRE ENEMY IN THE WIRE!!!”

As the insurgents entered the outpost,the US attack helicopters began to arrive,joining F-15s and an aircraft with jamming equipment. Hellfire missiles destroyed the mosque,and the soldiers began to counterattack.

By end of day,the outpost had held on,but barely. Eight soldiers were dead. Almost two dozen others had been wounded. Several Afghan soldiers and guards were killed or wounded,too.