I think some folks here actually believe that you can fight a mountain guerrilla war with daisy cutters. We're in for a long nightmare in Afghanistan.
The Soviets held Kabul with a puppet government for ten tears using some of the most ruthless tactics ever seen in the history of warfare. Think our puppet government will last that long? We haven't even faced anti-aircraft missiles yet, but does anyone really think we won't. Most of the Russian mercenaries who were "the northern alliance" are back in Chechnya, where it's open season on anything with turban or beard.
If hundreds of thousands of terrorists were trained in Al Quaida camps, we got only a handful of them. Bin Laden is still out there receiving dialysis. And Mullah Omar is still on his prayer rug thrice a day. The only arrest of consequence appears to be by "axis of evil" Iran, who appear to have Ahman Al Zahwari in custody.
It's time for the summer fighting season in Anarchystan. Think we'll be able to hold the Unocal pipeline route without a massive commitment of troops and air resources in a time of endless war against multiple front elusive enemies? Do you think the Afghans want US there?
You think we won in Afghanistan?
First of all, any "puppet government" was put in place for a period of 6 months ONLY. Long enough for the Afghanis to arrange for a loya jerga to elect their own government. At that time, it's the peoples government, not ours, not the UN's, not anybody but the people who have chosen their own leaders.
Do we think Daisy Cutters alone will do it? No. We fully expect the people to finally get back up on their own feet and at that time THEY will do it.
There is no doubt that the Russian fighters were very capable warriors, but they were fighting for conquest and not for liberation. It makes a difference.
Hamid Karzai does not constitute a "puppet government". The man is serious, as is the president.
"We haven't even faced anti-aircraft missiles yet, but does anyone really think we won't."
DUH...yes we have experienced every single piece of heavy artillary that the Taliban were capable of throwing at us at the time. We pounded them. What we worry about now is the heavy artillary resupplied by Iran and Iraq.
"Most of the Russian mercenaries who were 'the northern alliance' are back in Chechnya, where it's open season on anything with turban or beard."
Total B.S. The Northern Alliance are back on their little warlordian estates in Afghanistan, concentrating on their own little itty bitty power games, and trying to sucker the US military into killing those whom they percieve to be their "enemies" for them.