Strategy: Crack Force Set to Prise Bin Laden from his Lair

News Telegraph - UK ^ | 9/30/01

[GVnana]

What bloody and dangerous work this will be.

[hc87]

Would fuel-air explosives work well in a cave system?

[Pharmboy]

What bloody and dangerous work this will be.

Yes it will...but I think we wll have a few surprises for them that will allow us to minimize our casualties.

[Mensius]

What bloody and dangerous work this will be.

Bloody on the Al Quaeda side, dangerous to be sure for all.

Thing is, the Afghans as well as the journalists have not the faintest idea what our elite troups can accomplish and how very well they are trained for ANY situation.

Many people ascribe others courage and bravery with there own limitations. Fact is that we have the best trained, best equipped elite soldiers in the world. Close combat in 'claustrophobic' conditions with those responcible for so many American deaths seems just what the doctor ordered.

Have no fear for our elite troops, for they have none.

[GVnana]

Ooohh. Sounds like you have a mind for this work!

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Sunset over Afghanistan

[MistrX]

Every cave entrance discovered should be blown shut. Sooner or later...

[jpthomas]

It sounds a bit like the maze of tunnels the Japanese built on Mount Surabachi on Iwo Jima. I believe the U.S. forces made heavy use of flamethrowers. Not to "smoke 'em out" so much as to "burn 'em out".

[GVnana]

I can't help it. I do fear for them. They are always in my thoughts.

[Tony in Hawaii]

When I read the subject line, I thought we had sent a group of plumbers after Bin Laden...

[mathurine]

We'll see.

[Recovering_Democrat]

What bloody and dangerous work this will be.

Why not just Nuke him? The destruction would seem to be complete, if we got within a few miles of him.

[GVnana]

Not to "smoke 'em out" so much as to "burn 'em out".

Maybe with some American jet fuel.

[sargon]

Those tunnels are gonna be crumblin'...

[sargon]

These Bin Laden clowns have no idea just how totally fu(ked they are about to be...

[elfman2]

"Would fuel-air explosives work well in a cave system? "

As I understand it, any underground facilities need to have an opening large enough for the air to suddenly rush out for fuel-air explosives to be effective (but I'm no expert). We've been aware of these caves for more than then years. (Hell, I've been aware of them for about 10 years) I'm only guessing, but there are probably counter measures prepared for sealing them in, probably involving seismic devises to map them and locate openings. If we can control the terrain for an extended period of time, we don't have to go in like the Vietnam tunnel rats.

[sargon]

Would fuel-air explosives work well in a cave system?

I don't know, but I'm sure our forces will conduct some "experiments" to see...

[elfman2]

then =ten

[blam]

The GBU-28 Bunker Buster especially built for Saddam Hussein. Two were used in the Gulf War. I understand that a new version has been on 'rush' order. This is the 4,000 pound version.

[GVnana]

So you think the idea is to bomb the caves and kill whatever emrges?