Posted on 11/16/2001 1:19:30 PM PST by Diogenesis
Wolfowitz Shares Special Forces' Afghanistan Dispatches
just released by the American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 15, 2001 -- The Northern Alliance and other opposition groups have made tremendous progress in Afghanistan -- last week, they controlled
about 15 percent of the country and today control about half.
Defense officials said U.S. air support was pivotal in the battle. In his after-dinner keynote address at the Fletcher Conference here Nov. 14, Deputy Defense
Secretary Paul Wolfowitz spread the credit among all those participating.
The Fletcher Conference is jointly sponsored by the Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis and the Army. The theme this year is "National Security for a New Era."
"Success in this campaign has come not just from our remarkable ability to fly bombers from bases in Missouri halfway around the world to strike targets with great
precision," he said. "Success has also come from putting extraordinarily brave men on the ground so they could direct that air power and make it truly effective."
Wolfowitz read to the audience the contents of two situation reports U.S. Special Forces soldiers sent from Afghanistan. The dispatches testify to the role the men
have played and will play in the campaign in Afghanistan, he said. Wolfowitz said he removed all classified information before sharing these dispatches.
The first is dated Oct. 25:
"I am advising a man on how to best employ light infantry and horse cavalry in the attack against Taliban T-55s (tanks) ... mortars, artillery, personnel
carriers and machine guns -- a tactic which I think became outdated with the introduction of the Gatling gun. (The Mujahadeen) have done this every day
we have been on the ground. They have attacked with 10 rounds AK's per man, with PK gunners (snipers) having less than 100 rounds ... little water and
less food. I have observed a PK gunner who walked 10-plus miles to get to the fight, who was proud to show me his artificial right leg from the knee
down. ...
"We have witnessed the horse cavalry bounding overwatch from spur to spur to attack Taliban strong points -- the last several kilometers under mortar,
artillery ... and PK fire. There is little medical care if injured, only a donkey ride to the aid station, which is a dirt hut. I think (the Mujahadeen) are doing
very well with what they have. They have killed over 125 Taliban ... while losing only eight.
"We couldn't do what we are (doing) without the close air support. ... Everywhere I go the civilians and Mujahadeen soldiers are always telling me they are
glad the USA has come. ... They all speak of their hopes for a better Afghanistan once the Taliban are gone. Better go. (The local commander) is finishing
his phone call with (someone back in the States)."
Wolfowitz said the soldier then went off and joined a cavalry attack on a Taliban position.
The second dispatch is dated Nov. 10:
"Departed position from which I spoke to you last night ... (We left) on horse and linked up with the remainder of (the element). I had meeting with (the
commander). ... We then departed from our initial linkup location and rode into Mazar-e Sharif on begged, borrowed and confiscated transportation.
"While it looked like a rag-tag procession, the morale into Mazar-e Sharif was a triumphal procession. All locals loudly greeted us and thanked all
Americans. Much waving, cheering and clapping even from the women. ... USN/USAF did a great job.
"I am very proud of these men who have performed exceptionally well under very extreme conditions. I have personally witnessed heroism under fire by
(two U.S. NCOs - - one Army, one Air Force) when we came under fire last night, which was less than 50 meters from me. When I ordered them to call
close air support, they did so immediately without flinching even though they were under ... fire. As you know, a (U.S. element) was nearly overrun four
days ago and continued to call close air support and ensured (Mujahadeen) forces did not suffer a defeat. These two examples are typical of the
performance of your soldiers and airmen. Truly uncommon valor has been a common virtue amongst these men."
Arabs are members of the original ethnic group for which Arabic (a Semitic language related to Hebrew, Aramaic and Syriac) was the dominant language. They originated in the Arabian peninsula and adjacent lands in what is now Jordan and Syria. With the rise of Islam they conquered and spread throughout North Africa and what is now Israel, Lebanon and Syria, Arabizing and largely Islamizing those lands. There are still identifiable ethnic minorities in some of those lands (Copts--who are also Christians rather than Muslims, Berbers,...)
The Persians, Afghans, Turks, Pakistanis, Bengaladeshis, Turkomens, Uzbeks, Tajiks, Azeris, Chechens, Abkhazians, Kazhaks and Indonesians mostly Muslims, but none are Arabs.
Among the Arabs from Palestine, Lebanon and Syria, though increasingly among Arabs who have emigrated to America, Canada or Australia, there has always been a sizable minority of Christians (mostly Eastern Orthodox, though in Lebanon with a fair number of Roman Catholics of various rites). (I am Eastern Orthodox, and though I am not an Arab, my bishop is. Or rather an Arab-American: his family came from a valley in Syria whose Arabic name translates as "The Valley of the Christians" because they have held out against the Jihad since it's beginning.)
Someone posted a link about turbans, so I will not say much, save to note that if you see a man with a large turban here in the U.S., he is almost certainly not a Muslim, and should be greated courteously as a friend: he almost certainly a Sihk. Sihkism is a monotheistic religion which arose in India and Pakistan in reaction against both Islamic absolutism and Hindu paganism. It was mercilessly persecuted by the Muslims. Its male adherent are required to wear beards and turbans, and to carry knives (usually small ceremonial ones here in the West, but in the lands of the faith's birth, ones suitable for self-defense). I believe that Sikhs are sort of practically-modified pacifists--they may only fight in self-defense, but perhaps someone more knowledgable could clarify that point.
More of this type information should be released by the Government, it harms no one and it helps people appreciate the bravery of those who serve us. God Bless and Protect them. We have never been served by better.
There is no longer any such critter as a "heavy weapons NCO" on a team. Only "weapons NCO's". The caliber (no pun intended) of the weapons training had fallen off to the point where it was worse then useless until about 2 years ago,when some changes were made. The students were not only not being taught very much,but some of what they were being taught was wrong. Don't get me started on this. I can rant and rave for hours,and won't be able to sleep for a couple of days.
As I have said before, dictators fear us because we represent freedom, and freedom is contagious, and therefore threatens their power.
Howdy AuntB...OpieMUD
Nam Vet
Hey, I wanna believe you but the covered wagon and the swords (or sabers) kinda make me doubt. :)
Nice pic. Hope he kill lots'o'Taliban with that PK.
Early comment on personal weapons I read that stuck with me - Russians found out early on that Afghans with old bolt-action Enfields and Moisins could be a real problem, as they outranged Russians holding AK's. You didn't want to be 300-400+ yards from a guy with a bolt-action while you were holding an AK, unless you also had a way to bring crew-served weapons or at least a sniper (SVD) to bear on the opposition. Of course, the number of Afghans who could actually hit at those ranges is probably very small, but would *you* want to be the one testing their skills?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.