Replies

Excellent point about the value of intell, which might be taken from cave strongholds intact. Such intell could provide directions to other cave complexes.

And of course, the forcibly conscripted Taliban POW/defector will be our best fountain of intell. A lot of these "Taliban in name only" were taken at gunpoint after seeing family members killed and sisters raped by the "real Taliban".

When these guys come over to our side, and are given some clean clothes and hot meals and medical treatment for chronic sores and illnesses they all have, they will be gung ho to lead our specops troops straight to the Taliban leadership.

With "our" former Taliban guiding us, the "real Taliban" will not be able to hide, even if they put on filthy rags and try to pass as refugees. We are going to have plenty of "Chieu Hois" or "Kit Carson Scouts" in this war, and they will be decisive if we play it right.

In Viet Nam, (from what I heard from the guys who were there) a SEAL specialty was the fast reaction op based on FRESH intell gained from prisoners and defectors. Intell on current meeting places of VC was acted on before the VC even knew that "old Tran" had been captured. SEALs went back on ops often the very same night or next night after the POW was taken, and made terrific hits.

If our specops troops are allowed to conduct IMMEDIATE follow-up ops based on HOT intell, we will do wonders.

But if the "chain of command" insists on all intell being chewed on for days all up the line before the attacks are conducted, they will find empty caves or (worse) our planes will blow up houses now filled with refugees.

Point is, the HOT intell must be acted on ASAP, and not be allowed to grow cold before permission is granted to launch the next raid, just because 25 REMF officers insist on putting their "chop" on every mission.

From what I remember the good snatch and grabs were always based on hot intel. SOP was the job was done before we got the go/no go order from the REMF's. Old intel meant a cluster f*ck of great magnitude. The intel I would hope for would be some contacts for the dirty war phase and some lists of USA contacts.

Unfortunately that means someone is going to have to go into the tunnels and caves. Also they will hopefully get more prisoner intel.

Stay well - stay safe - stay armed - Yorktown

I think it's going to be very methodical, and start with concentrating on people resupplying the caves or going to and from them. It will be a siege where time is on the side of the attacker.

US forces will go from one valley to the next, whenever they find a cave they will seal it, occupied or unoccupied.

Standoff weapons will be used, like the GBU-28, and FAE's. The larger caves will not be affected by these, but OTOH there is not an endless number of larger caves.

Any new cave-building will have telltale signs of earth disturbed and rocks being dumped and will be promptly dealt with.

There are satellites which can see day and night. Teams will be watching, especially at night, with far better night vision than the other side.

I predict a slow thorough process rather than a rush to show some results.