Posted on 06/14/2006 12:31:19 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Huge anti-Taliban operation under way in Afghanistan
6 minutes ago
Coalition and Afghan forces are conducting their biggest counterinsurgency operation since the Taliban regime fell in late 2001 and are preparing to move into new insurgent strongholds, the coalition announced.
The campaign, named Operation Mountain Thrust, was launched in southern Afghanistan in mid-May, coalition spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Paul Fitzpatrick told AFP. Information about the campaign had been under wraps.
Involving 11,000 coalition troops -- including from Britain, Canada and the United States -- as well as Afghan soldiers, it is the biggest operation against the Taliban since the movement's government was toppled in late 2001.
"We have been conducting Operation Mountain Thrust since mid-May, disrupting the Taliban insurgents in southern Afghanistan, specifically their leadership," Fitzpatrick said on Wednesday.
"We are moving to the next phase of the operation in the northern provinces of southern Afghanistan," he said.
There was no specific date, he said. "There is no grand landing like Normandy Beach. This is part of a continuing campaign."
The operation was timed to coincide with the looming transfer of command in southern Afghanistan from the US-led coalition to NATO's International Security Assistance Force, he said.
It was intended to "set the conditions" for the transfer due in late July or early August, he said.
There was a dramatic upsurge in insurgency-linked violence in southern Afghanistan in mid-May with Taliban fighters taking on the security forces in some of their biggest battles in years.
The security forces in turn launched major strikes. About 400 people, most of the insurgents, were killed in a roughly two-week stretch.
Yes I'm sorry I was mistaken there.
As battle in WWI ? That's your reference for French military prowess ? Ummm... that leaves a bit to be desired.
As far as ruthless, the Foreign Legion can be quite so. However, only when stamping out tin-pot dictators and ill equipped and ill trained jungle villagers who they could push around by hiring a mercenary outfit instead of sending the Foreign Legion, in order to secure their economic interests. What that says, is that in addition to whatever else, the French are petty hypocrites.
Some would also say lack of political will to do what needs to be done is cowardice. And there's plenty of those in our congress.
On the lighter note :
http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/jokes/bljokefrenchmilitaryhistory.htm
Hey girl. I've been trying to find out if you got to see the President while he was there. I thought you might be announcing it in huge letters if you did, but I haven't seen such an announcement. So....did you?
Heck, no. :-( I'm not nearly high enough on the foodchain here to have gotten anywhere near where he was. They had the Palace and the Embassy surrounded by very tight checkpoints.
I joked about trying to get thruogh by saying my name was Karen Hughes, but unfortunately, my DoD ID doesn't say that.
I think the info gleened from killing Zarquwi is behind the current Baghdad sweeps.
Shortly before Dec 13th, 2001 works for me.
Unfortunately that date passed four and a half years ago.
Actually he is probably being used as bait.
Can you imagine how many messages and messengers can be traced, if he is the bait. Consequently there are many cells that can then be tracked and eliminated.
There seem to be a large number of times that arrests have been made just prior to potentially major terror strikes. I can't remember them all, but I know that I have read about them. Just recently there was the Canadian arrests. Once these arrests occur, those arrested just seem to disappear.
I was unaware that the French were in Afghanistan. Are you certain of your info?
O'Reilly is too tall to visit Iraq. Someone might mistake him for bin Laden. ;)
To be fair, Murtha hasn't switched sides. He's always been more John Kerry than Chesty Puller.
Hello, Osama, Usama... er whatever... candygram, girl scout cookies, got sher 72 virgins right here. Anybody home?
Good hunting, troops.
Deo, Legi, Regi, Gregi.
God Bless you if you are in Iraq! What a wonderful legacy you are leaving behind.....FREEDOM!!!!
We'll be prayinf for your friend....and you.
Well, the troops are the ones doing that. We're just helping out. ;-)
It is exciting...I've gotten to hear the Battle of Falluja from about 25 miles away in November '04, gotten to be here for their first election in January '05 and got to be here the other day when we celebrated Zarq's demise.
I'd like to be here when Saddam swings from the end of a rope.
Thank you for your kind words.
The French are like Democrats. Their specialty is to complain, whine, throw fits of anger, and give aid and comfort to the enemy.
You are quite welcome!!! Are you a contractor and not with the military?
I'm a civilian contractor working in support of the military and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Well, God Bless ya!! Have you seen any natural beauty over there?? I ask that because the mountains of Afghanistan lok sooooooo beautiful, but I never see anything pretty in Iraq on TV.
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