Posted on 07/16/2008 2:58:56 PM PDT by forkinsocket
KABUL -- U.S. troops have pulled out of a remote outpost in northeastern Afghanistan, the NATO-led security force has said, three days after Taliban militants tried to overrun the base and killed nine U.S. soldiers.
NATO played down the significance of the withdrawal, but Taliban militants are sure to claim victory in driving foreign forces out of the wooded valley, close to the Pakistani border.
Taliban militants briefly breached the incomplete defenses of the newly established base in the Wanat district of Konar Province on July 13 and hours of fierce fighting ensued that killed nine U.S. soldiers and many more insurgents.
It was the biggest single loss of life for U.S. forces in Afghanistan since 2005.
"We can confirm that a temporary outpost which was established in the village of Wanat has been removed," said NATO spokesman Mark Laity. "We will continue to patrol the village along with the ANA [Afghan National Army]." Asked whether the pull-out was related to the July 13 attack, Laity played down any link.
"Such posts are established and removed when they are not serving a purpose," he said.
Seven Militants Killed
Afghan soldiers killed seven militants in clashes in the same area on July 15. The assault on the base came less than two weeks after U.S. coalition aircraft carried out air strikes close by that Afghan officials said killed about 15 civilians.
"The citizens in Wanat and northern Konar Province can be assured that ISAF [International Security Assistance Force] and ANSF [Afghan National Security Forces] are going to continue with a strong presence in the area," an ISAF statement said.
Provincial officials said foreign air strikes killed nine civilians from one family in western Farah Province on July 15.
The issue of civilian casualties is undermining support for international forces' continued presence in the country.
"I am aware that nine people were killed in a foreign troops' air assault last night, but I don't know who the dead people are," the provincial police chief General Khalilullah Rahmani told Reuters, adding that an investigation team was on its way to assess the situation.
The district governor confirmed the incident and said four women, four girls and an 8-year-old boy were killed in the bombing.
Also on July 15, the Taliban kidnapped three judges in Logar Province south of Kabul, the provincial governor, Abdullah Wardak, said.
Maybe its a redeployment.
Something tells me that they’ll be back.
You have to love the media. They play this up like it was a major retreat and manage to get in uncorroborated claims of civillian deaths with a statement that civi deaths have hindered American plans in Afghanistan.
This by the same media that would portray a withdrawl from Afghan or Iraq as a major defeat for America, while at the same time aiding and abetting that cause.
The B-52’s are warming up their engines for a carpet bombing campaign as soon as our guys leave. Then our troops will reoccupy. Ooops, did I say that out loud?
ID Date Name Rank Age Nationality Srv Branch Unit Cause of Death Where Country Hometown State
924 07/13/08 Brostrom, Jonathan P. 1st Lieutenant 24 US U.S. Army 2nd BN, 503d Infantry Reg (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team Hostile - hostile fire - small arms fire, RPG Wanat (Kunar province Kunar) Afghanistan Not reported yet Hawaii
923 07/13/08 Garcia, Israel Sergeant 24 US U.S. Army 2nd BN, 503d Infantry Reg (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team Hostile - hostile fire - small arms fire, RPG Wanat (Kunar province Kunar) Afghanistan Long Beach California
922 07/13/08 Rainey, Pruitt A. Corporal 22 US U.S. Army 2nd BN, 503d Infantry Reg (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team Hostile - hostile fire - small arms fire, RPG Wanat (Kunar province Kunar) Afghanistan Haw River North Carolina
921 07/13/08 Bogar, Jason M. Corporal 25 US U.S. Army 2nd BN, 503d Infantry Reg (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team Hostile - hostile fire - small arms fire, RPG Wanat (Kunar province Kunar) Afghanistan Seattle Washington
920 07/13/08 Phillips, Matthew B. Corporal 27 US U.S. Army 2nd BN, 503d Infantry Reg (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team Hostile - hostile fire - small arms fire, RPG Wanat (Kunar province Kunar) Afghanistan Jasper Georgia
919 07/13/08 Ayers, Jonathan R. Corporal 24 US U.S. Army 2nd BN, 503d Infantry Reg (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team Hostile - hostile fire - small arms fire, RPG Wanat (Kunar province Kunar) Afghanistan Snellville Georgia
918 07/13/08 Hovater, Jason D. Corporal 24 US U.S. Army 2nd BN, 503d Infantry Reg (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team Hostile - hostile fire - small arms fire, RPG Wanat (Kunar province Kunar) Afghanistan Clinton Tennessee
917 07/13/08 Abad, Sergio S. Private 1st Class 21 US U.S. Army 2nd BN, 503d Infantry Reg (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team Hostile - hostile fire - small arms fire, RPG Wanat (Kunar province Kunar) Afghanistan Morganfield Kentucky
916 07/13/08 Zwilling, Gunnar W. Corporal 20 US U.S. Army 2nd BN, 503d Infantry Reg (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team
iCasualties.org: Operation Enduring Freedom
Prayers Up...
GOD Bless...
May God receive them into His open arms and comfort their families.
They play this up like it was a major retreat
No, they made it sound as if the troops just started running, each man for himself, as if they were protesting being there.
It was meant to deceive any reader who was just reading headlines to "stay informed" on current events with the express purpose of making it seem as if we are failing.
I bet the author of the title (I'll call him Wormwood) was taken out to lunch by his superior (I'll call him Uncle Screwtape) for a "job well done".
Thank you, made me cry, I served with a Trooper of 173rd of that day on my second tour in Nam..he was wounded multiple times that day and lived to re-up and return to Nam.
God keep and bless those 9 young men and their families.
Quite Welcome,,,blur here too,,,
The 173rd has always been the Best of the Best,,,
And Amen...
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