Posted on 09/21/2006 8:10:48 PM PDT by Straight Vermonter
Taliban fighters in a pocket of Kandahar province in Afghanistan "paid a very heavy price" for going on the offensive against North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces, and the NATO response, called Operation Medusa, resulted in a Taliban retreat, General James Jones, commander of European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe for NATO, said during a Pentagon briefing on Wednesday.
The arrival of 6,000 NATO troops in Kandahar was "a culture shock to the region," and the Taliban "decided to make a test case of this region," Jones said.
While NATO forces were surprised by the level of violence, "what was really most surprising is the change in tactics (by the Taliban), because they decided to stand and fight in a fairly conventional linear sense, and they paid a very heavy price for it," Jones said. "And the outcome of it was that they retreated, and we are now in the consolidation phase, and we are going to start bringing aid and reconstruction to that region." The intent of Operation Medusa was to signal to the insurgents, the Afghan government, the people of the region and the international community that NATO forces "would not back down from exercising robust and overwhelming combat power when necessary," Jones said. "It was also designed to demoralize the Taliban and their supporters, and deter them from believing that they could achieve a military victory in a fairly conventional battle and seize the initiative." The success of NATO efforts was acknowledged when Qari Mohammed Yousaf Ahmadi, generally viewed as the chief spokesman of the Taliban, announced to the Afghan Islamic press last Friday that Taliban forces had conducted "a tactical retreat" from the Pashmul and Sefit Taiwan areas of the Pangui district in Kandahar province, Jones noted.
"This was not a decision that was theirs alone," he added. "I assure you it was encouraged highly by ISAF (the International Stabilization and Assistance Force)." Operation Medusa terminated its offensive phase this past weekend, Jones said.
NATO assumed operational responsibility for the southern region of Afghanistan from coalition forces on July 1, "and we have been involved in offensive operations in that region almost continuously ever since," Jones said.
The ISAF mission in Afghanistan is proving to be the most demanding operation that NATO perhaps ever has been involved in, he said.
Today NATO finds itself responsible for more than three-quarters of Afghanistan with 37 NATO and non-NATO nations, with more than 20,000 troops committed to the effort, Jones said.
Provincial Reconstruction Teams, which total about 23 throughout the country, are used by NATO increasingly to help establish the NATO presence, he said.
Kandahar is very important strategically and symbolically since it is in the crossroads of the former heartland of the Taliban, Jones said. It is in an area that massively produces opium as part of the narcotics trade, and has been beset by criminals and lawlessness, ineffective governmental structures and no permanent troop strength of any consequence, he said.
Following the successful completion of offensive operations, NATO forces immediately began the stabilization phase of Operation Medusa, Jones said.
"In this phase we intend to provide immediate battle-damage repair and quick-impact material assistance for the returning population," he said.
The United States, for example, has made available half a million dollars to address this urgent immediate need, Jones said, and ISAF is engaged with the broader international community "to enable and facilitate the return of internally displaced persons, and set the conditions for longer-term reconstruction and development activities." "It is important that we understand that the way ahead in Afghanistan is to link any successful operational mission with visible, tangible demonstration of aid and relief available to the local population," he added. (end) rm.
Resurging Taliban ping.
shouldn't that be a retreating Taliban ping? Go NATO!
Reconstruct immediately and keep the people of the region warm and fed through the winter PING.
NO, DAMN IT! You gotta "keep up the 'skeer'" and keep 'em on the run. Don't stop to repair damage and make friends with the population...pour it on the Taliban and finish them once and for all. Jeez, what knuckle-heads are running this show???!!!
Good work NATO troopers. Get you some!
Looks like their TET fizzled. NATO, like the ARVN seems to have found itself in it's wake.
No stunning propogands triumph for the baddies either, but we must consolidate and win hearts and minds, provide permanent security, etc. or we'll be back trying to sink that ol' floating cork with that ol' sledgehammer...
Yeah, we always mention how the Taliban is "resurging" whenever there is a story about them getting thumped again.
Good to hear something really positive of the NATO forces!
ah... well, I guess their bodycount is resurging...
She did the same with another general's comments about security in Baghdad. CNN in all its glory. "We report what we want, not what happened. That's why we're the least-watched most-trusted name in news."
I don't really think the NATO troopers had to find themselves. As for the ARVN, they truly found themselves during the Easter Offensive by the NVA in '72. It was in places like Quang Tri City and An Loc where the ARVN troopers fought, halted the NVA, and made them retreat. Had we not cowardly denied RVN the financial and logistical resources to fight a war, no T55 tanks would ever have been seen in Saigon.It;s more than 30 years, but the sight of the choppers leaving the embassy remain a stain on America. The nation allowed the Democratsic leftists, newly arrived in DC due to Watergate, to starve an ally into defeat. These same Dems still rule the roost in their party circles. Not only have they not learned from their cowardly past, they zealously hope to replay it.
Mohammed Yousaf Ahmadi
I think in the case of the Canadians and some of the Europeans they had to rediscover their warrior traditions. Peacekeeping missions seem to suck that sort of thing right out of them.
I have heard nothing but glowing reports about what NATO forces have done in country.
Taliban confused, thought NATO troops same as UN variety.
Taliban make zee boo-boo.
Didn't Katie Colic say that the Taliban was retaking Trashcanistan?? Good Work.
Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters
Read Sun Tzu.
A simple adominition.
If you have, I'll enjoy our dialogue.
The Taliban will certainly adjust their tactics, ala the Iraqi insurgency, and shift more towards suicide bombings and IEDs. They know they cannot defeat a professional western military, but they can deny victory. This will be a long battle, and we need a lot of patience - these fanatics are not going to just fade away.
In the vacuum of the absolute, total, unmititagated command to obliterate the Islamo-Fascists, I concurr.
Oh, is Hugo painted?
How's the pipsqueak dictator doing from North Korea, and has he been able to get his "dong" up to consummate his marriage?
As for the "president" of Iran, he's got something coming.
Bush, is quiet, steady and doesn't "play."
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