Report: U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan

Reuters | 9/28/01

[kattracks]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. special forces have been in Afghanistan for two weeks searching for Osama bin Laden, the prime suspect in the airborne assaults on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, USA Today reported on Friday.

Citing unidentified senior U.S. and Pakistani officials, the newspaper said U.S. commandos arrived in Pakistan on Sept. 13 -- two days after the attacks -- and began moving into Afghanistan with orders to capture or kill the Saudi-born Islamic militant, or pin him down until the United States can launch air strikes.

Pentagon spokeswoman Victoria Clarke refused to comment on the front-page story. The Pentagon was not making any comment on operations, she said.

Officials have said the U.S. "war on terrorism," declared after the terror attacks on New York and Washington in which nearly 6,500 people are dead or missing, would be an unconventional battle in which commandos could play a key role.

The newspaper, citing Pentagon officials in Washington and Pakistani military officials with direct knowledge of the operations, said U.S. special operations forces had landed in the Pakistani cities of Peshawar and Quetta.

Teams of three to five soldiers, supported by Black Hawk MH-60K helicopters based outside Afghanistan, began deploying into the country to locate bin Laden, concentrating their searches in caves and underground bunkers in southwest Afghanistan near Kandahar, the newspaper said, citing senior U.S. and Pakistani officials.

USA Today said the elite troops were having trouble finding bin Laden and had asked other nations for intelligence help.

Quoting U.S. officials, it said several elite military units were involved in the effort to find bin Laden, including the Army's Green Berets, Navy SEALS and the British Army's Special Air Services.

Copyright © 2001 Reuters Limited.

[LarryLied]

Why is USA Today reporting on the movement of US special forces? Is the rag confident that this does imperil the lives of American troops? Do they care? Just curious.

I am more than interested. I am pissed. And this reportage is the least of it.

[Combat Boot]

nice job kattracks, lets telegraph the rope-a-dope. score another one for people who cant seem to keep their big mouths shut about military actions.

[Ymani Cricket]

right. I didn't mean to say ready TO be deployed, rather DEPLOYED and in position within 18 hours.

[kattracks]

The source of this article is Reuters, an international news service.

[rbmillerjr]

It's true,,,,,,this one is different than the others and the SOP is consistent with SAS and SF..............so cheer up.

[iknowtoo]

To: kattracks "the newspaper said U.S. commandos arrived in Pakistan on Sept. 13 Special Forces - ready to be deployed anywhere in the world within 18 hours. Get 'em boys! Like we keep saying, we may not SEE anything for awhile."

Tell 'em Ymani! GO Troops! HOOOAAAAAA. And, if the truth be known, they were there before, diggin a hole for hasbinladen.

[Tex-Con-Man]

Your anger is misguided. kattracks is a valuable asset to this website, and is very aware of the posting rules.

[ambrose]

HELP IS ON THE WAY!

[okie01]

"Why is USA Today reporting on the movement of US special forces? Is the rag confident that this does imperil the lives of American troops?"

The Pakistani press reported on the arrival of the "Green Seals", as they called them, on September 14 or 15. The articles were posted here.

Moreover, USA Today is quoting "senior U.S. officials" meaning that the government probably wants the info out (though it doesn't necessarily mean that it's true).

Mind games.

[iknowtoo]

"Let's see... they got there on the 13th. It's now the 27th. Why haven't they foud him yet? Sheesh. It's not as if every man over there has a beard, and wears a robe and turban."

OH OH ye of little weenie faith.

[Dave W]

No, they aren't fishing. They reported facts. The article had declaritive statements.

It has long been reported that forces had moved into the surrounding states. Did you really think they were just sitting around making S'mores while looking across the border?

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

This is part of the mind game scenario. It was probably deliberately leaked. It may have something to do with drawing OBL recon troops out in the open to watch for American and British SF.

[Arkinsaw]

Umm, this is news? I surmised this back on Sept. 13 and had just about as much evidence as they do now....none. Of course we are in there searching for him!.

Its not going to be easy, imagine searching every rockpile in Texas for one particular guy in a cowboy hat. But that doesn't really matter, because we're going to search those rockpiles until we find him if it takes 10 years.

I keep hearing that we are not going to do anything. Yeah right, take a look at the deployment orders that have been made PUBLIC. Sheesh, they ain't all just going out for tea!

Patience people, patience.

[jlogajan]

Rumor has it that body bags of our SF guys are already coming back....we just aren't hearing about it yet...or it isn't true.

The only trouble with this is that if the Taliban knew of engagements where US forces were KIA'd, they'd be dancing in the streets about it. They'd broadcast it to the world.

[Trailer Trash]

Look for his body parts up for sale on Ebay within the week.

[Dave W]

Well, the story is in a paper that sells 2,200,000 copies a day and Reuters stories appear in newspapes worldwide.

I hardly think it makes any difference that it is posted here.

Somehow I doubt Osama is a lurker.

[tracer]

Reliable sources report that OBL is hiding out in Lima, Ohio wearing a disguise consisting of Nike shoes, lederhosen, a yamulka, and a T-shirt bearing the logo "I Love New York."

[america-rules]

Do you notice this article is very specific with too many details. It is a ruse to get them on the run !

[Critter]

LOL!

[Deb]

Osama bin Hidin'.