Michael Drudge

“ That young soldier refused to be evacuated. I saw his wound. I said: "We need to get you back to the medics." He said: "No sir, I want to stay here and fight." He's a hero in my mind and I couldn't be more proud."
Private Worth says the battle proves that Afghanistan is still a dangerous place.
"It's kind of ironic. Public perception is that things are kind of dying down here. You know, there's kind of a lull in the fighting. But then this happened. But they had told us when we were going, not to believe that. There's a very real threat there. ”

“ Every soldier in my company -- these soldiers beside me -- we have resolved to do a job here and we're going to stay until it's done."
The battle near Khost ended with two Afghan militiamen killed and five Americans wounded. The American troops saw the bodies of three dead enemy soldiers. They suspect more are buried under the rubble. And, there is the one suspected al-Qaida prisoner -- the incredible survivor who tried to fight to the death, but in the end refused to die. ”

“ These are dedicated, dedicated people. They believe in what they are doing, no matter how twisted it might be. And, I knew from minute one that those soldiers in there, we were going to have to fight until they were dead. They were not going to come out."
Still, Captain Cirino says, his men are ready, if the enemy wants to fight.
"I honestly believe that the al-Qaida and Taleban would love to kill as many Americans as they can, whether it's overseas or in America. ”