Jazeera TV says Afghans take 3 US special forces

Reuters ^ | Saturday, September 29, 2001

[swheats]

All we can do at the moment, from our state, is hold our breath...

Thanks for the info. We have so much more we can do. Pray!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

"I hope you are right about that... that they can be rescued."

Again first we must see that the story is true.
IF it is then I pray that I am right.

[piasa]

A map containing "several" terrorist camp locations? Several? For one team?

[Travis McGee]

This ain't Iraq. In the clear air mountains, someone can be seen by sharp eyes across a valley, and an ambush for the unwary set hours in advance.

Remember, the SF guys were probably carrying 70-80# of gear and water, and were not yet acclimated to the mountains.

The Afghans carry only a rifle and 3 mags, marching very fast from cache to cache, and don't need to carry water at all, since they know where to find it. And of course the local boys can trot all day at 10,000 feet.

[JohnHuang2]

(CBS) A senior U.S. military commander tells CBS News that reports widely circulated Friday that U.S. special operations forces are inside Afghanistan to hunt down Osama Bin Laden are "crap through and through."

CBS News National Security Correspondent David Martin reports commando units are starting to move into positions just outside Afghanistan from which they could launch assaults on bin Laden's camps if the ruling Taliban regime doesn't turn him over.

And the CIA is already operating in parts of Afghanistan controlled by guerrillas fighting the Taliban.

On Friday President Bush warned that the war on terrorism may be an unconventional war, CBS News Chief White House Correspondent John Roberts reports. Mr. Bush also ruled out negotiations with Afghanistan's Taliban leaders on turning over bin Laden.

The Taliban has told bin Laden his holy war against America is hurting the cause of Muslims worldwide, but U.S. officials still see no indication he'll be handed over.

A delegation of Pakistani religious leaders and government officials pressed the Taliban — with no sign of success — to turn over bin Laden, suspected as the mastermind behind the attacks on Washington and New York.

In an Oval Office meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan, the president said he and his military planners have taken note of lessons learned by Russia in its long, brutal struggle against Afghan rebels in the 1980s.

"It is very hard to fight a...guerrilla war with conventional forces," Mr. Bush said. "There may or may not be a conventional component to" U.S. military action against terrorists believed to be hiding in Afghanistan, he said.

That's why, reports CBS News White House Correspondent Mark Knoller, Mr. Bush says the new war of terrorism is going to be what he calls "a different war," to be fought a variety of fronts — some having nothing to do with troops and guns or anything that we might be able to see on TV.

Mr. Bush refused to discuss details of his military plans, but said: "Make no mistake about it — we're in hot pursuit" of terrorists.

The Taliban so far have refused the U.S. demand to surrender bin Laden, and Pakistan, the only country with diplomatic ties to Afghanistan, has repeatedly tried to persuade them to cooperate. Pakistani religious leaders attempted to persuade Afghanistan's government to hold indirect or direct talks with the United States.

When asked if there were no room left for diplomacy, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer replied: "That's correct."

"There is no negotiation with the Taliban," Mr. Bush told reporters before talks with Abdullah. "They heard what I said, now they can act.

"It's not just Mr. bin Laden that we expect to see and brought to justice," the president added. "It's everybody associated with his organization ...and not only those directly associated with Mr. bin Laden, but any terrorist that's housed and fed in Afghanistan needs to be handed over.

"And finally, we expect there to be complete destruction of terrorist camps. That's what I told them. That's what I mean."

If not, the U.S. may do the job for the Taliban.

After bin Laden operatives blew up two U.S. embassies in Africa, the Pentagon drew up a plan for sending commando teams into his camps but it was rejected as too risky. Instead, the U.S. fired cruise missiles -- which dug up dirt and knocked down huts but did no lasting damage. This time the U.S. is preparing to take that risk.

"The concern about special operations going into those tunnels, of course, is that it's quite probable that they've been booby trapped, quite possible that mines have been laid in the area," analyst John Pike of GlobalSecurity.org told CBS News.

"The terrain is enormously jagged," Pike said in describing one of bin Laden's possible hideouts. "There aren't that many roads and so American forces are almost certainly going to be going in by helicopter, by air, rather than on foot with vehicles.

"Finding these targets isn't going to be that difficult," he added. "Watching out for booby traps, watching out for ambushes, those would be the big concerns."


©MMI CBS Worldwide Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press and Reuters Limited contributed to this report.

[seeker41]

It might have been OBL's men and not the taliban if this is a true story. For now I suggest we pray!

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

Ditto BTTT!

[Travis McGee]

Something fishy here. It is about 2PM in Afganastan. These guys dont move in the daytime.

They could have been captured 12 hours ago, and it took that long for foot messangers to get the word out.

They know that phones and radios = death.

[Howlin]

Yeah, they got it off CNN.

[FormerLurker]

Our guys may have been spotted coming up the trail miles away, time enough to put a great ambush on the trail, so good that it is not required to kill, just stand up with 20 or so rifles pointing at your 5 guys

Like I said, that's when you fight until they kill you. That's what I always told myself I'd do in a similar situation. I thankfully never got into that situation.

[seeker41]

Well, I was fixin to go to bed, but now I'm wired and having anxiety.

[what's up]

The U.S. makes it known that special forces are inside Afganistan.

This causes desertions and insecurity within Taliban.

Bin Laden releases statement that Special Forces have been captured.

Mere lies and propoganda on Bin Laden's part to shore up order within deteriorating Taliban?

Hope so!

[arimus]

This could have took place in the early morn (afghan time). Just now being released to media from the Taliban.

[celtic gal]

I think that if the Afghans have those US special forces men that they will photograph or video the execution in order to do the psyops thing. These people are brutal. They don't even spare their own people untold suffering if they don't do exactly as they are told by the Taliban... what makes anyone think they would treat someone from the land of " The Great Satan" with any kindness? They won't. From what I have read in recent days, these people will be vicious. They just killed some 7 thousand of our people without so much as a fine faretheewell! These people have one mission and one mission only ant that is to destroy this nation and first by destroying our economy.. our very way of life... then they want to take over the world with their own vicious version of Islam.

[uglybiker]

...modern weapons...

One of 'em must've had one of those fancy-schmancy Gerber multi-tools...

[seeker41]

This number sounds correct, a small recon party.

[celtic gal]

On fox they are talking about the airlines and J Jackson and if he should go to Afghanistan and if the airlines should have the attendants use pepper spray and Al Sharpton vs Jessy Jackson .....maybe it is time to go to bed. We may not get too many more restful nights.

[Travis McGee]

I totally agree, but these green troops may have been too shocked to react properly.

If this is true, and they are video'd gettig tortured as is customary, I don't expect any more of our guys will be captured alive.

In fact, I'd sew a cyanide pill into my collar.

Getting skinned alive and left in the sun....no thanks.

[Humidston]

(From your article)**A senior White House official confirmed on Friday that US and UK special forces have been operating inside Afghanistan.**

If the White House is now admitting we had personnel there, I'm afraid it's time to pray for a swift death for our men. God help them.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

"If the White House is now admitting we had personnel there,
I'm afraid it's time to pray for a swift death for our men. God help them."

Please change that to swift rescue.