1.   He was shown a viedotape of people swimming in the Drina River in bitter winter weather after an air drop, trying to save food that was floating downstream.

2.   He was the only soldier on board -- his job was despatch, loading equipment for air drops.

3.   American and Polish veterans agreed the air drops did little good.

4.   And air drops, like those undertaken in Iraq, would not necessarily reach those in need and could simply resupply the combatants.

5.   And the humanitarian offensive - air drops of food, medicine and propaganda - are designed to influence the loyalties of the Afghan people.

6.   Because the region has a river running through it, the air temperature drops, and the smoke does not rise.

7.   A European military official said air drops had been rejected by NATO last week as too risky.

8.   Air drops are notoriously inefficient for getting food into the hands of those that need it.

9.   Air drops would expose lumbering NATO cargo planes flying low and slow to enemy fire.

10.   But American officials had insisted that the air drops were practical.