I am a security contractor protecting a USAID project, and not under any ROE. I work with some good airborne soldiers every day on the task of securing a road being re-built between the provinces of Paktia and Khost. This is an area with traditionally high levels of enemy activity. A better road will facilitate troop movement, and connect the local to services. Of course the latter will require the Afghan government to get off it’s rear end and make an effort, but that’s another story.
As I said earlier, the Army is conducting more offensive ops than I’ve seen at other times. This trend started last winter in an effort to get into areas used as base camps and sanctuaries - some of which US forces had not been into for years. At the same time this is one of the more active times for the Taliban, Haqqani, etc. They are quite capable of reading the newspaper, and know this is a good time for high visibility operations.
I speak with US battalion and company commanders routinely, and with soldiers just about every day, and I’ve not heard any of them complain about the new ROE, or Mcchrystal. That doesn’t mean they don’t, just that I’ve not heard it.
“Afghanistan as usual.” I like that.
Sorry. Meant US military ROE.
“As I said earlier, the Army is conducting more offensive ops than I’ve seen at other times. This trend started last winter in an effort to get into areas used as base camps and sanctuaries - some of which US forces had not been into for years. At the same time this is one of the more active times for the Taliban, Haqqani, etc. They are quite capable of reading the newspaper, and know this is a good time for high visibility operations.”
We have been told that these offensives are not going to remain as part of the “new” strategy. We are withdrawing from forward bases and are NOT going after the enemy as we had been.
You say the taliban know this and are hitting us more. THAT is why these threads are here. If our goal is no longer to kill the enemy, and our ROE are so restrictive as to render our forces defensive at best, then how can we sustain any kind of long term control over ANY area, including the heavily populated areas?
The situation is deteriorating daily.
Thank you for giving us your insight. And I appreciate what you are doing over there. Anything that helps our guys is a good thing. My question is whether we have the resolve to make any of this worth it.