Hi Brian,

I hope that Richard, you and your crew will be safe in Afghanistan. There are so many things going on there. I have faith that Pres. Obama and his administration, along with the military leaders will make the right decisions after the Afghan election is over. We can't afford for another administration to get it wrong. That includes Iraq too. I can't wait for my brother to finish up a long twenty yr. career and return from Iraq in the Spring, hopefully.

See you tomorrow night. Honestly, I'll be glad when you're back in N.Y.

Evening, Brian.

It would worry me naturally if it were any other day for you to travel to Afghanistan, but especially following the devastating helicopter crashes from this morning, I wish you a very safe visit back to Afghanistan. Both you and Richard will be joined in my prayers along with all of our brave soldiers fighting there and in other regions across seas. All of my thoughts and prayers go out to the families of all of the brave soldiers killed and wounded in the crashes early this morning. It's such an enormous loss for one day, I can't even imagine what their units are going through at this time. Hearing this morning that Richard Engel was supposed to be on one of those helicopters was such a shock. While the lives of so many of our brave soldiers were taken this morning, I was thanking God that Richard was still here to tell the stories of the brave men and women who continue to defend our country.

Please stay safe over there. You'll be in our thoughts.

Take care,
-Cary

Good Evening Mr.Williams, Looking forward to your reporting the rest of the week from Afghanistan. PLEASE STAY EXTRA,EXTRA SAFE ALWAYS MR.WILLIAMS! TRAVEL SAFELY TO THE REGION!  The news today of 14 US soldiers killed in two separate helicopter crashes was awful. Richard's reporting showed how the Afghan Army and US troops faced a terrible assault by militants. The collision of the two helicopters was terrible. The operations continue in the region, but it is horrible the loss of life and one wonders if there will be an end to the violence.
Looking Forward to Your Reporting from the region. Richard and his team always do an excellent job! Richard always does an excellent job!
See you and Richard tomorrow evening for the broadcast!
Peace to You and to All!

Stay Extra,Extra Safe and Well Richard! Stay Extra,Extra Safe and Well Mr.Williams!

Brian,

I am looking forward to your broadcast
from Afganistan with great interest
and your views which I value.  Have
a safe trip.

And what about that earthquake over
there?  I never did hear all that
happened, how serious it was, etc.

Phyllis

Stay safe Brian and your team it's ruff over there. I'll do what I can to full in todays stuff.

Wise move on Karzai's part if it's not broke don't fix it as it worked very well for Karl Rove for two eletions here in the US that were fixed. Who knew the voting machines were fixed and people were denied the right to vote. We learned this much later when it was to late.  Now for Karzai to remove the corrupt people now might give Afghanistan an honest election. This will work again and keep the corruption in the up coming election and Karzai can continue to steal US taxpayers money and put our soldiers in harms way. I'm having a problem with the US dealing openly with a Corrupt Administration run by President Karzai. One soldier said the Afghanistan soldiers are complaining about the pay and want the US to pay them more money in their salaries. I guess no one told them we're in a Recession and Americans need jobs.

I notice the Media continues to say our troops in Afghanistan are the most lost in both Iraq/Afghanistan Wars aka invasions. Well during the 8 years we lost 4669 soldiers and so far in Afghanistan we've lost 1481. Now every lost is to much but President Obama is doing the right thing by getting the best advice before just putting more soldiers in Afghanistan. The US General in Afghanistan is using the Dick Cheney policy as he was instructed and isn't looking out for the best interest of either our troops or the Afghanistan people. It's like adding gas to a fire when you really want to put it out.

I see Senator Reid now is adding Public Option for States to decide if they want it for their citizens. It's strange to hear Law Makers and the Media Host of Fox News say Americans don't want Public Option or Health Care. I went to Los Angeles and the line was so long it was amazing. I watched the News as people all over America were standing in lines for H1N1 shots because they didn't have Health insurance or Doctors. You'd have to be blind not to see and hear the cries of the American people for help from those who are suppose to Represent them. Some friends as me do the Law Makers even know what the Constitution says? I decided to down load the US Constitution for them and go over it every day. I suggested that the local schools do the same.

In short it starts with We the people of the United States, inorder to forma a more perfect union, establish justice insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of the liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America.
Few Law Makers realize in our Declarantion of Independence reads  That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying it's foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.  Yes we have the power and the Law Makers should know this and would if they would read.

Have a great evening all

I can't help but what happened last time ou went to Afghanistan. Tim Russert's death still reverberates today. Please keep safe!

Ann,
You had little to say about the H1N1 vaccine being 1-2 month late. I thought this was a national emergency. Some how I think it ties back to Bush or Chaney trying to make the President look bad.
Regads,

Brian and Richard-- Please be careful over there and be safe. As Lisa aptly puts it-- Extra, Extra safe! We look forward to your reports.

To all-- If you want to get an idea of what Brian and Richard are about to get into, check out this article by Marisa Guthrie from Broadcasting & Cable:

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/366275-NBC_s_Williams_to_Do_Leno_Remote_from_Afghanistan.php

Yes, Brian will be on Leno's show live from Afghanistan on Wednesday.

Fareed Zakaria has voiced another interesting option re: what to do about Afghanistan in a Newsweek article "A Third Surge?". This one is available on MSNBC.com or at:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/21980

He is citing an interesting opinion from Tom Ricks that maybe we should employ the Petraeus plan for counterinsurgency in the densely populated centers and the Biden plan for counterterrorism in the sparsely populated areas. A short read, but intriguing. Check it out!

@ Laurel-  I know what you mean about reading newspapers online, but I've gotten used to reading the Washington Post online. It's my only option. So you read the Times online and I read the Post online--that way the real paper gets read by at least one of us! I usually try to share the good stuff from the Times with you guys anyway! I don't think I could ever cozy up to Kindle or any of its electronic kin. Could you? Trouble is, like you have said, I have books piled up to the sky around here. Too much daily news to read in this crazy, dangerous world.

Again--be EXTRA,EXTRA SAFE Brian and Richard!
Take care all-

Of course Brian is going to Afghanistan.  The November Nielsen sweeps period starts on Oct. 29 this year, so that will put Brian in Afghanistan right at the beginning of sweeps month.  How convenient.  And as a special sweeps stunt, Brian will be riding along on army helicopter raids in a balloon designed by Richard Heene.

Good Morning Mr.Williams, I heard both reports from you and Richard and it certainly shows how dangerous this region. Yesterday, when I heard on the Today Show that Richard was supposed to be on the mission with the US troops on the helicopters it was simply shocking and I thanked God Richard was not on those flights. Richard always does an EXCELLENT JOB reportitg and I always pray for him to be EXTRA,EXTRA SAFE. PLEASE STAY EXTRA,EXTRA SAFE RICHARD!!!
PLEASE STAY EXTRA,EXTRA SAFE MR.WILLIAMS!
My thoughts and prayers go out to all the soldiers and their families.
You and Richard both do an EXCELLENT JOB!
My thoughts and prayers go out to you and Richard to be SAFE AND WELL!
Peace to you and to All!


 

Afghanistan is like everything else....
You stop praying.
You stop hoping.
You stop wishing.
Reality kicks in.

Brian,
I don't understand why Obama is in such a hurry to change our medical system, and not in a hurry to send more troops to Afghanistan. He said in his address the other day that he would be in no hurry to send the troops in harms way and that he wanted to make the right decision. It's not rocket science, the right decision is to do what ever it takes to win the war. It's obvious that that there are not enough troops and equipment over there to do the job. He seems to forget that more Americans were killed on 9/11 than in Pearl Harbor. We have the bombs to get the job done, we just don't have a Commander and Chief with the guts to do what it takes to do the job. He appears to be more worried about turning our medical system upside down than saving the lives of America's best overseas. The U.S. is in desperate need of strong decisive leadership, and the worst part about it is, that the enemy knows it. If this email sounds to harsh then just remember this, it's all varifiably real.    

Brian,

Please refrain from the military speak you like to dip into on these trips and in interviews with people like Petraeus or self-serving references to past "helicopter rides over Baghdad" with Petraeus.  You will gain more credibility by getting away from the military guided tour and reporting facts on the ground (or at least the facts that Richard and the other producers can scare up).

Stay safe but remember our soldiers on the ground won't be so lucky as you and you likely won't get the real story because of your need for safety.

Just some contstructive criticism from your previous work/interviews.

Hi Brian:

In light of the horrible helicopeter chrashes we have just had I am praying that you, Richard, and all those that are traveling with you arrive safely and come home safely.  I know we will all be waiting to see you from Afghanistan on the broadcast just to know you arrived safe.  Our prayers will be with all of you.  My heart goes out to the families of the brave troops that perished and were injured in the crashes. And to think Richard could have been one of them.  One can only imagine how devestated the the other troops must be and how hard to keep going on each day.  They have had to endure so much.  I hope that the President and Congress do the right thing and do it soon.  

Brian, PLEASE, PLEASE, stay safe and come home safely.  We are all keeping you, Richard and your crews in our prayers and thoughts.

Brian, have you had an opportunity to visit Tajikistan to the north of Afganistan?  They defeated a Taliban-like movement in the 1990s during a bloody civil war.  The Tajiks are at peace now.  There is wisdom in Tajikistan that should be tapped to bring the war in Afganistan to a conclusion. Every American soldier should travel to Tajikistan and walk the streets in safety and the peacefulness of a muslim country.  No fear ~ just invitations to drink tea and speak of families and children. It was wonderful.

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