Osama is in Kunar, but the US can't get him

AsiaTimes ^ | P. Escobar

[LS]

Let's see if we can deconstruct this idiotic article:

Just like we were told that it would be "near impossible" to go into Afghanistan and root out the Taliban, now it's supposed to be "near impossible" to go into Kunar;

Our intel is just so stupid because they believe everything everyone tells them. That must be how we destroyed the Taliban and AQ in Afghanistan in about three weeks, losing virtually NOBODY.

This ONE SOURCE is so brilliant, HE knows all these things (translation: "You guys need to hire me.")

All this overlooks one other small detail. If we know even remotely where OBL is (and I still think he's dead), we don't need to "go in." We can bomb the Shiite out of him and examing the bodies later.

[LS]

Oh, yah, one more thing: the Pakis say we are losing all sorts of guys in Afghanistan, but we won't admit it. We DO admit it in Iraq, but not Afghanistan. Huh?

These Pakis still cannot believe that we did what we did, and they can't get their piddly country under control.

[Clintonfatigued]

200 American soldiers overtaken by 37 terrorists? I'm skeptical. Still, the fight in Afghanistan is not over yet. The question is, does the government have the willpower to finish this war? Dropping bunker-buster bombs would be a good place to start.

[Lessismore]

Northern Kunar is home to the Nuristani -- fighting invaders since Alexander the Great, no doubt.

http://www.1upinfo.com/country-guide-study/afghanistan/afghanistan45.html

Nuristani

The Nuristani reside throughout a 5,000 square mile area in the east bordering Pakistan that is heavily forested and so rugged that much of it is accessible only by foot trails. The Nuristani designate themselves by the local geographical names of the five major north-south valleys and 30 east-west lateral valleys leading into the major valleys where they live. They speak Indo-Iranian dialects of Nuristani and Dardic called by village and valley names; many are mutually unintelligible from valley to valley. In 1990 the province of Nuristan was created from parts of the provinces of Laghman and Kunar. The population in the 1990s is estimated at 125,000 by some; the Nuristani prefer a figure of 300,000.

The Nuristani are of the Mediterranean physical type with mixtures from Indian stocks on the fringes. Historians accompanying Alexander the Great in the fourth century BC described this group as differing culturally and religiously from other peoples in the area. They were forcibly converted to Sunni Islam in 1895 during the reign of Amir Abdur Rahman but retain many unique features in their material culture.

The Nuristani are mountaineer herders, dairymen and farmers. They hold a respected place in the social order and many have risen to high government positions, particularly in the army.

[Tom Bombadil]

A Pashtun notable puts the issue succinctly, "If the Americans are serious about grabbing Osama, they will have to put up a fight. On the ground. Man to man. There will be a lot of body bags."

We've heard this before.....This whole article is wishful thinking...... Especially the "secret" American causalties.

[Jackknife]

The animal is dead.........he is now myth & legend for the 'peace-loving' radical muslims.

[freedumb2003]

"By Pepe Escobar "
Pablo's little brother?

[freedumb2003]

Especially the "secret" American causalties.

"American soldiers are dropping like flies. They are being mowed down even at this moment. Their fellow soldiers are afraid of every shadow! At this rate, there will only be a few soldiers in Afganistan after a shorr while and those will quickly depart!"

[bluelowrider57]

"Somebody I know went to america to blow up some buildings, and all i got was this american occupation."

Quit complainin, u ppl did it to urself.

[ido_now]

Usama and Saddam are still dead.

[jwh_Denver]

So what's the problem?

[fire_eye]

200 Americans were surrounded in a valley by only 37 Taliban, and many were slaughtered, with some beheaded

oh, please. *PLEASE!*.

200 Americans in *any* sort of firefight are going to call in air strikes and the result will be a blackened ring around their positions in which only embedded soil bacteria will survive. Give me a break... this is more Islamikazi fantasizing of the Arabian Nights variety.

[Orion78]

... "The Afghans add that the Americans believe that these two al-Qaeda training centers enjoy cooperation from China." ...