Article

2006-09-17 Afghanistan

Key strike puts Taliban to flight: Operation Medusa details

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Posted by Brett 2006-09-17 21:05|| || Front Page|| [11129 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 2500 re-enforcements are on the way from Pakistan.

Posted by Glenmore">Glenmore 2006-09-17 00:34|| 2006-09-17 00:34|| Front Page Top

#2 Taliban announces another stunning victory.

Posted by Redneck Jim 2006-09-17 01:15|| 2006-09-17 01:15|| Front Page Top

#3 You wonder how many of these guys were flinging themselves on NATO bayonettes so they could go get their 72 virgins.

As long as their mouths aren't around to spout more radicalism, I don't care how they get killed, just so long as they get killed.

C'mon, Talibunnies, is that all you got?!

Posted by gorb 2006-09-17 01:55|| 2006-09-17 01:55|| Front Page Top

#4 I get the impression that the French are fighting very effectively but under the radar so that they can avoid domestic publicity and because some of their tactics might not hold up as well in scrutiny from the MSM, i.e. they're taking it to the enemy.

A5089 or JFM, hearing anything from the domestic press?

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-09-17 03:29|| 2006-09-17 03:29|| Front Page Top

#5 Nice find, Brett. Love the comments! It's starting to look like the poor Taliban are going to have to spend the winter in Pakistan after all, where it sounds like they won't be as safe as heretofore.

Posted by trailing wife 2006-09-17 04:56|| 2006-09-17 04:56|| Front Page Top

#6 I heard a rumour a new sniper record had been set. Has this come out yet? I've been away for a while.

Posted by Gladys 2006-09-17 05:07|| 2006-09-17 05:07|| Front Page Top

#7 I suspect why we are not seeing any news about the French is they have gone "black" and are hunting HVT's only.

Posted by Chenter Unimp7361 2006-09-17 07:38|| 2006-09-17 07:38|| Front Page Top

#8 So just how many talibastards are there? Anybody know? Are they recruiting newbies from pakistan, or are their numbers finite?

Posted by PlanetDan">PlanetDan 2006-09-17 08:44|| 2006-09-17 08:44|| Front Page Top

#9 I don't think their numbers are fixes, new recruits are still showing up.
But there are less and less of the deluded willing to blow themselvs up, so we are winning.

I doubt we'll ever get them all, but we can get enough that they'll crawl back into the woodwork for a few hundred years.

That will have to do.

Posted by Redneck Jim 2006-09-17 10:14|| 2006-09-17 10:14|| Front Page Top

#10 (excerpt from Rudyard Kipling poem about the battle of Maiwand)

"There was thirty dead an' wounded on the ground we wouldn't keep -
No, there wasn't more than twenty when the front began to go;
But, Christ! along the line o' flight they cut us up like sheep,
An' that was all we gained by doing so.

I 'eard the knives be'ind me, but I dursn't face my man,
Nor I don't know where I went to, 'cause I didn't 'alt to see,
Till I 'eard a beggar squealin' out for quarter as 'e ran,
An' I thought I knew the voice an' - it was me!

We was 'idin' under bedsteads more than 'arf a march away;
We was lyin' up like rabbits all about the countryside;
An' the major cursed 'is Maker 'cause 'e lived to see that day'
An' the colonel broke 'is sword acrost, an' cried."

Posted by Anonymoose 2006-09-17 10:52|| 2006-09-17 10:52|| Front Page Top

#11 "Senior Nato officers expressed astonishment that the Taliban had abandoned traditional guerrilla tactics that would have seen them dispersing the minute heavy artillery and aerial firepower were introduced."

If I may venture a hypothesis (which, like any hypothesis, could be flat-out wrong):

In traditional guerilla warfare, one starts out with non-conventional tactics and organisation. As one gains more and more control over the strategic situation, one shifts to more conventional tactics and organisation. But -only- after one has gained control.

Obviously, the Taleban in this region are using more or less conventional tactics. One could sumrise either that:

The Taleban, for reasons historic and tactical, thought they had a solid and long-term control of the district and thus emplaced their conventional force. or

The Taleban or their handlers have thrown the more-conventional force into the fray as a desparate effort.

I guess it all depends on who one thinks is in charge.

Posted by Fordesque 2006-09-17 11:59|| 2006-09-17 11:59|| Front Page Top

#12 So just how many talibastards are there? Anybody know?

What's the male population of Pakistan, under 30, not counting those employed in recruiting (aka "religious authorities")?

Posted by Rob Crawford">Rob Crawford 2006-09-17 11:59|| http://www.kloognome.com/]">[http://www.kloognome.com/] 2006-09-17 11:59|| Front Page Top

#13 The Taliban concentrated their forces last year because their guerilla tactics were inflicting so few casualties on coaltion forces. They've now managed to kill a few more of our guys at the cost of getting wiped out themselves. The seal on the victory will be Afghan government forces and police in control of the South.

Posted by Apostate 2006-09-17 12:29|| 2006-09-17 12:29|| Front Page Top

#14 Thanks, NYT, CNN, and NPR, replete with stories about the renewed strength of the Taliban. Keep up the good work.

Posted by Perfesser 2006-09-17 12:49|| 2006-09-17 12:49|| Front Page Top

#15 What's the male population of Pakistan, under 30, not counting those employed in recruiting (aka "religious authorities")?
Her's a handy reference 9Scroll down)

Posted by tipper 2006-09-17 13:23|| 2006-09-17 13:23|| Front Page Top

#16 It's stories like this that remind me we aren't alone in fighting this War. Thank you Brits and Canadians.

Posted by Charles 2006-09-17 13:28|| 2006-09-17 13:28|| Front Page Top

#17 I hope Russia (and all the newly-minted members of NATO) is watching. NATO is gaining battle experience working as an alliance. We still need to get the new (Eastern European) members up to speed and integrated, and get them some battle experience as well. Russia REALLY wants to regain control of the areas of the old Soviet Union. A battle-hardened, war-experienced NATO will certainly throw a monkey-wrench into those plans.

Posted by Old Patriot">Old Patriot 2006-09-17 14:30|| http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/]">[http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/] 2006-09-17 14:30|| Front Page Top

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