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Troops Inch Toward Taliban in Bloody Assault
Reuters ^ | 3/5/2002 | By Christine Hauser

Posted on 03/05/2002 10:56:20 AM PST by michaelje

By Christine Hauser

GARDEZ, Afghanistan (Reuters) - U.S.-led forces fought their way under heavy fire toward Taliban and al Qaeda bunkers in the icy mountains of eastern Afghanistan Tuesday, pressing on with one of the bloodiest offensives of the war.

Afghan commander Abdul Muteen said U.S. and Afghan forces had advanced to within 100 yards of the enemy, who were trying to hold them off with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades.

"There is fierce fighting. The Taliban and al Qaeda fighters have become very weak. They are running out of ammunition," said Muteen, who commands 70 troops in the 1,500-strong Afghan force and receives regular reports from his fighters in the field.

"The bombing has stopped and our soldiers with some U.S. advisers have advanced to within 100 meters (330 feet) of some rebel caves and bunkers." The ground attack, the biggest of the five-month-old Afghan war and code-named "Operation Anaconda," had been on hold for nearly 24 hours to allow U.S. bombing of the mountain hide-outs by B-52s and F-16 jets, and strafing by attack helicopters.

The Taliban and al Qaeda have mounted a stiff resistance, repelling the first offensive Saturday and sending the U.S.-led forces back to regroup in the eastern town of Gardez, more than 20 miles from the front line.

Eight U.S. soldiers have been killed in the operation, including six who died when a "Chinook" helicopter was shot down Monday. The U.S. says hundreds of Taliban and al Qaeda fighters have been killed.

"SURRENDER OR DIE"

"The battle was very intense at times. There was mortar fire, machine-gun fire. The enemy has heavy weaponry," U.S. Maj. Bryan Hilferty told Reuters at Bagram Air Base north of Kabul, where much of the U.S. ground force has been shifted to support the assault. "This battle is going to go on until they all surrender or die."

Both U.S. and Afghan commanders said the Taliban and al Qaeda fighters seemed determined to fight to the death. "They are ready for martyrdom and will die to the last man," Muteen said.

Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammad Rahim Shirzai said even when the Gardez operation was over "it may take a long time for us to get rid of the Taliban and al Qaeda fighters."

"Some of our neighbors and regional countries have set up proxies in Afghanistan in the past two decades; it is unlikely we will be able to destroy them any time soon," he told Reuters.

President Bush mourned the American casualties, but vowed to pursue his global war on terrorism, launched after the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States.

The commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan said up to 200 hardened al Qaeda and Taliban fighters died in fierce fighting in the first four days of "Operation Anaconda."

Afghan government casualties were estimated at seven dead and 20 wounded.

Hundreds of Afghan troops and forces from other countries, including Australia, Denmark, France, Germany and Norway, were involved in the attack on the al Qaeda and Taliban forces, many believed to be dug in with their families.

A Pentagon spokeswoman said more than 1,000 U.S. personnel, including special operations troops, members of the 101st Airborne and 10th Mountain Divisions, were used in the attack.

'WE'LL WIN THIS BATTLE,' BUSH SAYS

Asked if more U.S. troops were now needed in Afghanistan, Bush said he would rely on the advice of his commanders. "But we'll take whatever means is necessary to protect our servicemen and women. And we'll win this battle," he said.

Afghan officials said they believed neither Osama bin Laden nor Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar were in the battle area.

U.S. officials have left open the possibility that bin Laden, their prime suspect in the Sept. 11 attacks, is dead, but said they have no clear evidence of his fate.

"I haven't heard from him since December 11," Bush said. "He's been awfully quiet. I don't know why. But I know he's on the run, if he's running at all."

The resurgence of fighting in the five-month campaign that toppled the ruling Taliban and routed al Qaeda followed a lull of several weeks during which some politicians in Washington began to question the U.S. mission's success.

Fears have been raised that the country will fall back into the warlordism and anarchy that reigned before the rise of the Taliban. The interim government is trying to keep local warlords under control and prevent factional squabbles.

Afghan Defense Minister Mohammad Fahim Tuesday started a two-day meeting with warlords from all over the country whom he summoned to Kabul to discuss the security situation.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: talibanlist; warlist
Lets hope our honorable men and women make it back alive and well.
1 posted on 03/05/2002 10:56:20 AM PST by michaelje
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Comment #2 Removed by Moderator

To: michaelje
Just say no to Orange Jumpsuits. Kill 'em all.
3 posted on 03/05/2002 11:05:46 AM PST by TADSLOS
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To: TADSLOS
Killing them all is counter-productive. Nothing beats HUMINT, so prisoners in orange jumpsuits are a good thing.
4 posted on 03/05/2002 11:10:05 AM PST by Seydlitz
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To: TADSLOS
We need to perfect the drone chopper and load it with robotic soldiers. Let em knock it down and when the hyenas come out to claim their booty, remote detonate the cargo hold full of C-4 and kerosene.
5 posted on 03/05/2002 11:10:15 AM PST by kinghorse
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To: michaelje
Hundreds of Afghan troops and forces from other countries, including Australia, Denmark, France, Germany and Norway, were involved in the attack on the al Qaeda and Taliban forces, many believed to be dug in with their families.

In a related news item, the commander of the French contingent had to be placed in a straight jacket to prevent him from surrendering the entire force to a teenage boy riding a donkey.

6 posted on 03/05/2002 11:10:40 AM PST by CholeraJoe
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To: Seydlitz
Maybe one out of a hundred and you have to capture the right one. They compartmentalize information and its value declines rapidly over time. I say kill 'em and save every one alot of trouble down the road.
7 posted on 03/05/2002 11:13:30 AM PST by TADSLOS
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To: michaelje
Ah, Reuters, the Taliban's state press agency.
8 posted on 03/05/2002 11:16:52 AM PST by hopespringseternal
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To: michaelje
This battle is going to go on until they all surrender or die."

Sounds good to me.

9 posted on 03/05/2002 11:21:27 AM PST by paul51
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To: michaelje
God save and protect our brave soldiers.

I'm keenly awaiting their inevitable victory, and their subsequent assault on Iranian backed forces in the Herat area.

10 posted on 03/05/2002 11:24:14 AM PST by Map Kernow
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To: TADSLOS
The fact that the compartmentalize information makes it all the more important to maximize the number of prisoners. The time value of information argues for the same goal. Intelligence gathering is putting together a hugely complex jigsaw puzzle, so why throw out so many pieces just for the heck of it?

Killing them all appeals to our emotions, so I sympathize, but it is logically counter-productive.

11 posted on 03/05/2002 11:24:31 AM PST by Seydlitz
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To: michaelje
France? LOL.
12 posted on 03/05/2002 11:27:00 AM PST by grimalkin
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To: Seydlitz
I tell you what, you detain them on your property, pay for their upkeep and run the risk of getting killed in the process over some month old tidbit of information that 'may' lead to something. I say kill 'em where they stand, no questions, no quarter. That's the way they would treat you and I given the chance. You want intel, let's start by rounding up Islamic extremists living under our nose for a change and conduct some good old fashioned heavy handed interviews in a dark room.
13 posted on 03/05/2002 11:34:10 AM PST by TADSLOS
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To: CholeraJoe
In a related news item, the commander of the French contingent had to be placed in a straight jacket to prevent him from surrendering the entire force to a teenage boy riding a donkey.

ROFL! It's gotta be tough fighting for a country that hasn't won a fight since Napoleon lost at Waterloo...

14 posted on 03/05/2002 11:34:56 AM PST by xsrdx
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To: hopespringseternal
Better yet

"Ah, Reuters, the **Far Left's** state press agency. "

15 posted on 03/05/2002 11:35:43 AM PST by michaelje
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To: michaelje
Dear LORD, protect our men in harm's way. Let their victory be swift and without undue casualty or injury. May it be Your Will that the enemy is defeated and that Your Name is exalted and praised!

God, I ask that despite the report, that we will find and bring that evil coward - Osama bin Laden - out of his hiding hole and into the light of day.

I know your justice will prevail in time. I ask that for the sake of all those whose lives have been shaken by his hand, you will let us see Your justice soon.

In Jesus' Name, AMEN!

16 posted on 03/05/2002 11:38:09 AM PST by kinsman redeemer
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To: xsrdx
It's gotta be tough fighting for a country that hasn't won a fight since Napoleon lost at Waterloo...

Well, in France's defense, they were on the winning side in WWI and WWII, albeit benchwarmers. Dienbienphu and Suez - total losers.

17 posted on 03/05/2002 11:38:40 AM PST by CholeraJoe
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To: TADSLOS
How about this? We'll flip a coin. If I win, I'll keep al-Qaeda pisoners on my property at my expense for purposes of HUMINT. If you win, you can go and explain to every widow of an American soldier how sorry you are that their husband died because of poor intelligence gathering procedures.
18 posted on 03/05/2002 11:45:10 AM PST by Seydlitz
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To: Seydlitz
You mean like the current 9 that just lost their lives to poor HUMINT? Alot of good GITMO did them. No. I'd rather just see 'em all die on the spot in a pitched battle.
19 posted on 03/05/2002 11:57:04 AM PST by TADSLOS
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To: *Taliban_list;*War_list;
Check the Bump List folders for articles related to the above topic(s) or for other topics of interest.
20 posted on 03/05/2002 1:37:11 PM PST by Free the USA
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