Major Afghan Offensive
I see a lot of progress being made in both Pakistan and Afghanistan so what I learned about the ISI making a deal with Pakistan's Taliban so they would leaver Pakistan alone and be free to fight the west in Afghanistan. There is too much going in in both countries and by more than one country so I will once again supply you with links to the story you may want to look at. Look at them all as together they paint the whole picture. I will present my synopsis at the end!
Dozens die in militant battle in NW Pakistan
US sees signs of disarray within Pakistani Taliban
I hope some of my friends in Pakistan help me understand this because man we are making major head way here in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. We know there is no making deals with the Taliban and Al Qaeda. We have seen the results of the deals Pakistan has made with the Taliban in the past. The action by the Government of Pakistan today is the result. The link above as really troubling to me!
With all of Pakistan's success and the death of Mehsud now is the time to strike not make deals. I understand that the major war lords in South Waziristan has long and extensive ties in the ISI. The agency is viewed with awe and dread. It is the eyes and ears of military power. The agency is notorious and feared eliciting awe and fear from Pakistani's as this report illustrates
Right now the ISI is in negations with war lords in South Waziristan for a treaty. Since Mehsud's reported death, the TTP ( Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan) has been beset by infighting as several high-level commanders vie to replace Mehsud. One or two commanders have already been killed and I wish they would kill themselves off. I know there are a reported 70 to 90 Taliban killed by pro Government forces but there is much to be done.
Instead of pressing the fight in South Waziristan there are negotiations with some war lords. Those identified as the most likely turncoats in this strategy are the leaders of the Ahmedzai Wazir tribe, Hafiz Gul Bahadur and Maulvi Nazir. Both are primarily interested in fighting against Western forces in Afghanistan. The ISI will leave them alone if they will leave Pakistan alone and concentrate on killing western forces in Afghanistan. What the hell is that? That can't happen! Pakistan Military Not Capitalizing on Taliban Disarray
Someone help me out here! I am hoping that is merely a ploy to get more cooperation concessions and money from the US. This pincer movement by Pakistan and NATO in Afghanistan is really bearing fruit. Now is not the time for anyone to step back but to step up. For the first time the Marines are taking control of Taliban held towns after extensive firefights. Troops exchanged heavy fire with insurgents in Dahaneh, in the southern province of Helmand, killing at least seven of them after an 8 hour firefight. The Taliban had been forewarned. Marines Raid Taliban-Controlled Town
U.S. Troops Move Deeper Into Afghanistan's Helmand Province; One Marine Killed - washingtonpost.com
On their end 600 British marine commandos killed 130 Taliban in their daring raid on bases in the opium-swamped Marjah region of Helmand. Six-hundred commandos fought in a ferocious 3 day assaul to take the most important Taliban stronghold yet. Royal Marines kill 130 Taliban during a three-day raid in the Marjah region of Helmand in Afghanistan | The Sun |N
Pentagon Says Operations to Clear Taliban Will Expand
Make your deals do what you must but now is not the time to step back. I increasingly see more and more progress in our fight against the Taliban instead of the other way around. They are on the run and we must keep them running until more countries step up and we put an end to this.
James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
www.anaveragepatriot.com
10 comments:
Jim you need to step back from this a bit and see the whole picture. The Pakistanis were about to start negotiations with the Taliban when their top people got killed. So this big push was really a bad thing. As you know that no conflict will be solved without negotiations of all involved. If no resolution is found then the conflict will go on forever as fresh troops are recruited on all sides. This is not a conflict about land but about ideology. It will take more in the way of persuasion from the Pakistanis and Afgahans than it will from our brute force to resolve this. Did we learn nothing from Vietnam?
Hi Demeur
Sadly Bush proved as a leader him Cheney and the rest learned nothing from Vietnam. Pakistan has already learned the value of negotiating with the Taliban. I hate to say is and I have 3 sons in this I tell all the time but I call this Bush's forever war and it is just beginning!
There about 40,000 US troops in Afghanistan and growing, about 10,000 British and a smattering from other NATO countries. How many of those troops are feet on the ground, armed to the teeth shooters, guys that go out on patrol, seeking out the Taliban. Probably not that many, the US military is big on support and logistics. The Taliban seem go around in groups of not more than 300, many times less than that. I saw the Royal Marines video you suggested, very impressive, I almost forget that the Sun is a Rupert Murdoch newspaper. I just wonder about the tactics for this time of year, winter snows are not that far away, will everything stop, and then wait for a spring offensive, the only way to win is to pressure them non-stop year round, don't give them a chance to hibernate for the winter. Hard tough work and easy for me to say. Our enemies in WWII were engaged in heat, rainy seasons, snow and ice and it was hell. If you involved in a fight of any description, fight or get out.
Hi Holte
You are right there can be no let up. Pakistan in now letting them regroup. We will pay, I am impressed with what I am seeing from the Brit and American marines.
One of my sons who is teaching EOD at the school house in Florida is trying to get his tour cut short so he can go back to Afghanistan but I doubt if they will let him because he is their enforcer.
Wow bomb disposal, I think he is better off in a school house right now.
Holte
He loves what he does and wants to be leading his troops in the field. My son who flies says his rack is impressive but Jim finds it embarrassing.
He has so many rows he has to wear miniatures. The Iraqi's gave him something and they forced him to attend a ceremony for a bronze star from the Army in Afghanistan.
He has been in 10 years and this assignment at the school is his first State side. It is the law of averages that concerns me. He is trying to get another son to leave combat engineers and join EOD because he is smart and it is safer. Can you imagine?
Patriot - I understand a little more, why you write what you write. It's kinda personal.
Hi Holte
Thanks Bud! Yes it is personal. We all have a lot to lose but I started writing because we were living and I had to try to get the truth out from our perspective.
Plus it really hurt to see our patriotic soldiers abused and ill used as they fight so they think for our virtue!
Where are our troops going to be next? I tell my sons to relax because they are in it for the long haul. Jim has PTSD and is a hard core gun toting Republican.
He wakes up 4 or 5 times a month in a cold sweat after nightmares and he doesn't know why because he has no problem with the blood and guts and nightly mortar attacks etc.
He is the sgt Rock type and you would freak listening to some of his stories. His troops love it as do all his officers and senior NCO's. He has been in one place or the other with all of them. His wife is getting ready to have his 3rd child and his first son.
Jim is his Fathers son and I hope seeing his son will at least make him want to stay home ans stop going to fight, I think as a way to avoid family reality and PTSD!
Jim--
Do you honestly believe we are making headway in Pakistan and Afghanistan? Clear your head, my friend, smoke and mirrors make the truth hard to discern.
If we were making headway, McChrystal would not be calling for a change in strategy. You don't change your game plan when you're winning.
We have met our match in that region of the world. Read history, both their's and ours.
"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result."
~Albert Einstein
I am afraid no but I am trying to convince myself we are. This is a forever war as I have said a million times but I certainly don't like my kids in it. We need the world to join forces if we are to win but they never will. You know what I se in the future so I'll shut up!
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