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Afghanistan
45 Taliban killed in Afghan clash, US coalition says
2007-09-14
Air strikes and Afghan army gunfire killed more than 45 suspected Taliban fighters in a clash in a southern province just as the holy month of Ramadan began, the US-led coalition said.

The battle in the southern province of Uruzgan on Wednesday began when insurgents attacked a joint Afghan army and US-led coalition patrol with rocket-propelled grenades and gunfire, the coalition said. Afghan soldiers "cleared" Taliban fighters from firing positions within the village of Aduzay, while attack aircraft destroyed some fighting positions, it said.
Posted by:Fred

#8  Jack, it is particularly the maturity of the young men and women who CHOOSE to join the service and go over there that have the impact. As I've written here previously, working with these people is the best part of my job. I never cease to be impressed.
Posted by: remoteman   2007-09-14 16:02  

#7  Remoteman you are right.

Today, I was driving past a high school practice field and the football team was out there bright and early practicing (schools out for Rosh Hashannah). And I got to thinking that for most of the kids over in Iraq being tough-ass ambassadors and sending the right vibes were out on that field a couple years ago practicing. Pretty impressive to think that an 18-25 year old has that kind of maturity compared to members of congress or the press.
Posted by: Jack is Back!   2007-09-14 13:47  

#6  The long term impact of our troops creating, developing and interacting with the nacent Afghan and Iraqi armies will be significant. The contrast that the participating locals see in how our troops operate compared to local holy man (who always seems to be a fatty) is too stark for them to ignore. Already you read how the local boys in Anbar want to emulate the Marines they work with, be that in how they prep for a mission or how they conduct themselves with the locals. Each of our soldiers is an ambassador and virtually all of them will have a more positive impact on these parts of the world than any puke from foggy bottom.
Posted by: remoteman   2007-09-14 12:42  

#5  Wouldn't it be neat to see a company of Afghan troops in Anbar?

Or sending the best of the best from each country to the other for cross training and comparing notes? They're fighting linked enemies, after all. And wouldn't that be a PsyOps coup! Set the whole world back on its heels, that would.
Posted by: trailing wife   2007-09-14 12:36  

#4  I would suggest that most of the leadership is gone, dead or in captivity. I realize there are cultural reasons for the Taliban to provoke such one-sided fights, but... you would think that the leadership would attempt to conserve its resources.

265 terrs dead in Afghanistan this month so far. Afghan Army in on just about all of it and doing a share of the killing.

Wouldn't it be neat to see a company of Afghan troops in Anbar?
Posted by: Chuck Simmins   2007-09-14 11:46  

#3  Idiots. Never bring an RPG to an airstrike.
Posted by: Jonathan   2007-09-14 10:08  

#2  Yes, his abacus is going crazy!
Posted by: Ol Dirty American   2007-09-14 09:00  

#1  Chuck Simmins will need to put a new roll of tape into his adding machine.
Posted by: Jack is Back!   2007-09-14 08:22  

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