| Submit your comments on this article | |
| Afghanistan | |
| "Omar’s Angels" gear up to attack Afghanistan | |
| 2003-10-08 | |
| A Taliban army is mobilising in Pakistan for a raid into Afghanistan before the end of the year. Up to 2500 fighters are in Baluchistan province preparing to cross the border on motorcycles and attack US and Afghan Government forces, Western and Afghan intelligence officials say. 2500 motorcycles, yeah, they’ll be able to sneak in.
"Nope, not us." Tuesday marked the second anniversary of the beginning of the US bombing campaign that destroyed the Taliban after the September 11 attacks. They now plan to harry US forces in Zabol and in Kandahar, where residents feel increasingly under siege. Since August, Taliban attacks have killed almost 400 Afghan soldiers, aid workers and civilians. Mostly aid workers and civilians, some Afghan soldiers whose trucks were ambushed while cruising around fat, dumb and happy, a few in combat. Four US soldiers have died. And around 150-200 taliban fighters, that we know of. "We have the American forces and the puppet regime of [Hamid] Karzai on the run. They will collapse soon" said a Taliban mullah in Pushtunabad bazaar. Just keep believing that, pal. The Taliban have bought hotels, shops and houses, forcing many frightened local residents to leave. Vehicle dealers say the Taliban have bought 1150 motorcycles in the past three months. Motorcycle guerillas roam Afghanistan’s rural areas attacking aid agency vehicles and isolated police posts. Motorcycle engines show up real nice on FLIR, lots of heat. For communications, they import hundreds of satellite telephones from the Arab Gulf states, because those bought in Pakistan are closely monitored by the CIA. (wink) That’s right, those sat phones from the Gulf States can’t be monitored or traced. Pass it on. (wink) Arms and ammunition are dumped inside Afghanistan. Their funding comes from the drugs trade and al-Qaeda. Osama bin Laden is still thought to be We noticed. The White House is reluctant to speak up about the extent of Pakistani help to the Taliban because of the US’s desperate need to enlist Pakistani troops for Iraq. Yeah, right, whatever. | |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #17 Vehicle dealers say the Taliban have bought 1150 motorcycles in the past three months. -Darn good of them to help stimulate the Afghan economy before going off to die en masse like a bunch of lemmings off a cliff. |
| Posted by: Jarhead 2003-10-8 8:34:51 PM |
| #16 Sounds like these guys are getting ready to fight to the death again. |
| Posted by: Matt 2003-10-8 8:07:49 PM |
| #15 Chengis on the Taliban: There morale seemed high as they walk freely in all of the country while Allied forces staying in Bases by fear of life. US forces stayed in their bases instead of patrolling aggressively? Very unlikely. Even in Vietnam, when we were fighting the war with draftees, US forces patrolled aggressively and carried out search-and-destroy missions where on bad days, we'd lose 50 KIA per day. With professionals in the field, I suspect the patrolling is even more aggressive. If we weren't aggressively going after the Taliban, we'd be sustaining many more casualties - this appears to be what the Russians are doing wrong in Chechnya - they're completely unaware of their surroundings and routinely fall victim to Chechen/al Qaeda ambushes. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2003-10-8 5:54:45 PM |
| #14 Does anyone else think this smacks of the Childrens Crusade? Except these toerags aren't innocent, and I would think the number coming back will be even less than for the CC. |
| Posted by: Tony (UK) 2003-10-8 4:39:43 PM |
| #13 Motorcycles? Just lay land-mines in the road's across the border. Oh, that's right, land mines are banned by the UN. Second option, Wait for the heat in the motorcycles to build up and napalm them. |
| Posted by: Charles 2003-10-8 4:24:10 PM |
| #12 nice commentary Chingas! |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-10-8 2:52:50 PM |
| #11 Has anyone got about 100 yds of piano wire handy? |
| Posted by: Superhose 2003-10-8 2:42:09 PM |
| #10 Hell's Angels, Quetta chapter? |
| Posted by: Raj 2003-10-8 12:15:02 PM |
| #9 Why Bradleys? Why not a first "trial by fire" for the Powerful Stryker? They were supposed to go to Iraq, but this might be more fun, nu? |
| Posted by: Hodadenon 2003-10-8 12:08:57 PM |
| #8 Motocycles vs Apache Longbows -- film at 11. That's one photo op I'd pay to see! Better still, arrange the good guys so they funnel the Toejobs into a tight corridor, and then hit 'em with a couple of Spectres. One at the front, one at the back, with A-10s in the middle. Of course, overkill like that will make it hard to identify the corpses, but that's ok - mass graves are popular in the Middle East. Just look at how many we've found in Iraq, alone. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2003-10-8 12:07:52 PM |
| #7 Viewers;You better discuss on net and we better do our job in the field. I went a few days ago into Afghanistan[Paktia]and saw number of Mujahideen.US Ground forces were not willing to move out of their base at Khost old Air port;rather local loyal people were sent who also tried not to face the Mujahideen;US air Force was present but it could not do much without ground support.Local population likes the Mujahideen who Were from different groups like Hizb-e Islami Hekmetyar;Taliban;and men of Jalal Ud Din Haqani.There morale seemed high as they walk freely in all of the country while Allied forces staying in Bases by fear of life. |
| Posted by: Chengis Kkan 2003-10-8 12:05:02 PM |
| #6 Put all your eggs in one basket.Smash that basket! |
| Posted by: Raptor 2003-10-8 12:03:19 PM |
| #5 Will Mullah O be right out in front leading the charge on the Retreatacycle? Oh, that's right. It only works in reverse gears. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-10-8 11:59:56 AM |
| #4 Motocycles vs Apache Longbows -- film at 11. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2003-10-8 11:48:50 AM |
| #3 I'm seeing the 7th Cav. remounted. Naw.... that's giving a sucker an even break. Perhaps we can send out a wood chopping party and lure 'em in, whilst we circle the Bradleys... |
| Posted by: Shipman 2003-10-8 11:35:56 AM |
| #2 They're gonna disguise themselves as a Shriners' parade... Just swap your turban for a fez, and bingo! you're good to go. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2003-10-8 11:28:10 AM |
| #1 What are the GPS coordinates of those "several suburbs of Quetta" again? Calling Diego Garcia, I have a mission brief for you ... |
| Posted by: Steve White 2003-10-8 11:14:17 AM |