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| Afghanistan |
| Norwegians out of the fray - weapons to be put back in storage |
| 2008-05-29 |
| Norwegian officers are being pulled out of the front line in Afghanistan, in order to train Afghan forces. That means it will be a long time until Norwegian troops again see action against Taliban insurgents. A lack of trained specialists will severely limit the offensive capability of the Norwegian force when the present contingent is replaced in June. Instead of the 100 troops requested, only 40 will be available. The long-range weapons that have given them a clear fighting advantage will be put in storage until further notice. The new contingent lacks the necessary training to operate these weapons. "I'm responsible for the troops," says Lt.Col Rune Solberg, the new commander of the Telemark Batallion. "They can't be used for missions that they're not equipped to handle." Norwegian forces concluded a month-long operation against the Taliban earlier this month. Together with NATO allies and Afghan forces, some 250 Norwegians took part in fighting in northwestern Afghanistan. A combination of mortars, air strikes and armoured vehicles gave alliance forces a winning edge. Norwegian troops have taken part in the Quick Reaction Force under ISAF control during the last two years. |
| Posted by:mrp |
| #4 Compare wid WAFF.com > STRATEGYPAGE - EUROPE IS FORCED TO RE-ARM. "Buying American" UFN until domestic industries are modernized. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2008-05-29 23:30 |
| #3 Eric the Red wept. |
| Posted by: doc 2008-05-29 21:26 |
| #2 They wre punching way above their weight. Shame they cannot sustain it. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2008-05-29 14:32 |
| #1 Sad... on so many levels. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2008-05-29 13:38 |