Afghanistan is often referred to as the Soviet version of the Vietnam War. Some analysts credit the long. fruitless occupation (and the U.S. support of the mujaheddin–including one Osama bin Laden…) as a serious drain on the already fragile Russian economy and a factor in the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 90s.

Afghanistan is still living up to the reputation as a death trap for Western powers it first gained after the massacre of 16,000 people, including an entire British battalion, in 1842. It’s been seven years since we first went in, and the Taliban are experiencing a resurgence, and we’re no nearer to capturing or killing bin Laden.

But a picture is worth a thousand words, and this excellent set of images of American troops battling it out in the treacherous Korengal Valley explains better what the U.S. is up against.