Well, the United States’ military action in Afghanistan is becoming a reality as losses become a reality ­ and the reality was only magnified when the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) released information about the death.

November 25 was the day the first U.S. casualty in the conflict, dubbed the “War on Terrorism" by President George W. Bush. That casualty was CIA operative was Johnny “Mike" Spann, 32, from the small town of Winfield, Alabama.

According to the CIA, Spann apparently sparked a revolt inside an ancient fortress where he and a fellow CIA operative were interrogating Taliban-supporting fighters who had been captured as prisoners of war. CIA officials said Spann was in the prison compound at the time of his death, gathering intelligence from Taliban prisoners “about Taliban intentions and whereabouts."

“Although these captives (POWs) had given themselves up, their pledge to surrender ­ like so many other pledges from the vicious group they represent ­ proved worthless," CIA Director George Tenet said in a prepared statement.

According to the information released by the CIA, Spann, who was garbed in Afghan-style robes and a long bear, apparently asked one male POW why he was in Afghanistan. The prisoner, according to the information, replied, “We’re here to kill you!", and then, in an attempt to attack Spann, lurched at him.

Spann, who was a former U.S. Marine Corps captain, managed to shoot and kill his attacker, as well as three others with his sidearm, but was then overpowered by the screaming mob of POWs. The POWs evidently grabbed Spann, dragged him to the ground, and battered him to death, according to the CIA. In their crazed passion to kill Spann, the Taliban supporters kicked him, beat him, and bit him to death. What a horrendous way to be killed.

While the mob battered Spann, his partner, only identified as Dave, managed to kill at least one attacking POW and flee the melee, eventually sending an urgent plea for help, which brought in the airborne firepower which brought down the uprising. His body was recovered by a group of Special Forces soldiers, and will be returned home in the near future.

The sad thing about Spann’s death isn’t so much that he died, but rather how he died. Sure, it’s tragic that an American died in the conflict, but it is to be expected. This is a declared act of retaliation ­ an act of war, though not a war, as Congress has not sanctioned war at this point. The cold, stark reality is that people die in armed conflicts, in combat, whether it is a police action, invasion, war, or other battlefield.

From this veteran’s perspective, Spann’s death is gruesome. He was not killed in battle. He was mauled to death by savages. The thought of his death ­ being bitten -- to me simply sends shivers down my spine. Is this how humans seek vengeance? It sounds more like a cowardice show of force from a group of cannibals or animals.

What I find interesting is how some people so blindly support the Taliban and casting demeaning language at the U.S. for its actions at the prison uprising. In the thread, “Maintaining our Clarity about world events," on the misc.activism.progressive newsgroup, Alanna Hartzok wrote that “The whitewash of US war crimes by the American media has included the so-called liberal press, such as the New York Times and Washington Post, which have not even published editorial comments on the prison massacre. On the contrary, in a cowardly editorial Tuesday, the New York Times gave backhanded support to the Pentagon’s cold-blooded policy, writing, ‘One problem left over from earlier combat is the fate of foreigners who fought for the Taliban in northern Afghanistan and have now been defeated. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is right to demand that they not simply be allowed to drift away...’."

No matter how the U.S. would have responded to the rioting, the U.S. would have been criticized. Well, perhaps if the U.S. would have simply ignored the rioting, allowing the POWs to go free, criticism could have been avoided. Was that justifiable? In my eyes? No. The people had surrendered, irregardless of the circumstances. They were surrounded by a force larger than the one they had, and decided to lay down their weapons in exchange for their lives -- another stark reality of combat.