Militants Kill Nine U.S. Troops in Afghanistan

Amen (4.00 / 1)

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by: deMeme @ Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 19:10:15 PM CDT

Pakistani Militants... (4.00 / 1)

This is troubling news out of Pakistan.

"The message was that the jihad in Kashmir is still continuing but it is not the most important right now. Afghanistan is the fighting ground, against the Americans there," said Toor Gul, a leader of the militant group Hezb-ul Mujahedeen. The groups included the al-Qaida-linked Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, banned by Pakistan and branded terrorists by the U.S., he said

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200...

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by: Brian McGough @ Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 20:23:33 PM CDT

The difference in tactics is telling (4.00 / 1)

In Iraq we are fighting a guerilla insurgency made up of numerous different groups, most of which are also fighting each other.  It is a hit-and-run type of fighting made up of IED's and random attacks on moving groups.

What you are talking about in Afghanistan is an organized assault directly on a military encampment.  This type of structure and cohesion on the part of the enemy should have been annhialated several years ago.  

"No U.S. soldier ever dies in vain because they're carrying out the missions of their commander in chief. And we honor all the service that they've provided." - Barack Obama

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by: Chris LeJeune @ Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 20:36:34 PM CDT

Right on. (4.00 / 1)

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by: Brandon Friedman @ Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 20:55:30 PM CDT

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They will have to change their tactics (4.00 / 1)

and begin defending posts with at least a company of troops if not more. Larger concentrations of troops means less footprint--but you can't leave a platoon out there anymore. You can't.

Now, who will write the diary?--making General Petraeus CENTCOM Commander means that our troops in Afghanistan don't have a commander who understands the type of insurgent fight they face.

The Taliban can fight at company and battalion strength--they are maturing faster than we can adapt our own tactics.

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by: WarrenStreet @ Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 21:37:50 PM CDT

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Time is a Weapon for Guerilla's (0.00 / 0)

Hell anything that can be used is used in Insurgent Warfare by the Insurgent, the Higher tech an opposition is the more lower tech the Guerrilla fighter will go, won't be expected by the high tech folks and by the time it's figured out how to combat they've moved on to other forms.

Not that I think they needed it, but we gave the Taliban and others the Time to better organize and develop tactics. They don't need to recruit nor preach jihad, everytime we blow up a wedding party or a family or their homes...................etc., we're doing the recruiting and preaching.

Even though Iraq is as you describe for many of these groups they still have a common enemy, Us and any Occupation force. Between each other they may have Religious tones for fighting, or sect, or tribe, but I would bet some of the different groups are still working together against the common enemy when the need or want arises. And I'll bet some of them, because of the walled in neighborhoods and vast checkpoints etc. have moved their fight to Afganistan to help their regional brothers against the foreign occupiers.

If that's the case things in Iraq will become lax, giving the opening to bring the battles back, the Wac A Mole using the countries and region not just one theater.

Invade Iran, or even Bomb it, and the whole region becomes the battlefield, with ordinance crossing once borders that won't exist,  including Iran and Pakistan!

'Hearts and Minds, "The ultimate victory will depend on the hearts and minds of the people who actually live there." -- President Lyndon Johnson

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by: jimstaro @ Mon Jul 14, 2008 at 05:34:08 AM CDT

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