fontman
05-23-06, 09:14 AM
Received below and passing on for information...
-----Original Message-----
From: LTC Al West USA (Ret)
Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 8:06 AM
To: Undisclosed Recipients
Subject: Afghanistan Sitrep - 22 May 2006
Ladies and Gents, unclassified security report follows; it is doggone hot here and wears one down. Planning continues with Afghans of future operations, had our Afghan Plans team conduct a mission analysis brief to Corps Commander this morning, went well.
Ok, lots of folks asking me about security situation here and its status. Well, first of all let me clear the air on one thing......the freakin Taliban do not care about the civilians here, that is why they keep them in place under threat of murder and decapitation if they try to evacuate after they enter an area. The Taliban purposely use civilians as human shields to hopefully deter bombing. Now, there are no B-52 strike on these villages so get the idea of mass carpet bombings out of your head. This is being done with AV-8B Harrier aircraft, close air support, as well as Apache Attack Helicopters, brought in as precise as you can get in urban counter-insurgent operations.
Now, next point, why does it seem so violent in southern Afghanistan Al? Well, simple y'all, we aint got no doggone Americans kicking buttocks. We have publicized the NATO transition so much that the enemy knows European governments don't have the same resolve or mettle. If you believe me wrong, send one US Airborne Brigade here and see what happens.....if you notice there is no great hoopla going about in Zabul province, next to Kandahar, because there is a US light infantry Battalion handling business.
Look, Afghans trust Americans, cannot tell you how many times I have been told that here. They know Americans will abide by their word, not into imperialism or conquering, and are true Fighters. The Taliban has done its intel and they know that if they can make things ugly, well, NATO will have European member countries crying.
So please, tell everyone, it is not just a simple matter of things seeming more volatile. There is always a cause and effect, NATO transition is the cause, and exploitation through escalated violence is the effect. Damn Taliban is getting exactly what they want, folks to believe the situation here is crumbling.
Regards,
Al
-30-
;)
-----Original Message-----
From: LTC Al West USA (Ret)
Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 8:06 AM
To: Undisclosed Recipients
Subject: Afghanistan Sitrep - 22 May 2006
Ladies and Gents, unclassified security report follows; it is doggone hot here and wears one down. Planning continues with Afghans of future operations, had our Afghan Plans team conduct a mission analysis brief to Corps Commander this morning, went well.
Ok, lots of folks asking me about security situation here and its status. Well, first of all let me clear the air on one thing......the freakin Taliban do not care about the civilians here, that is why they keep them in place under threat of murder and decapitation if they try to evacuate after they enter an area. The Taliban purposely use civilians as human shields to hopefully deter bombing. Now, there are no B-52 strike on these villages so get the idea of mass carpet bombings out of your head. This is being done with AV-8B Harrier aircraft, close air support, as well as Apache Attack Helicopters, brought in as precise as you can get in urban counter-insurgent operations.
Now, next point, why does it seem so violent in southern Afghanistan Al? Well, simple y'all, we aint got no doggone Americans kicking buttocks. We have publicized the NATO transition so much that the enemy knows European governments don't have the same resolve or mettle. If you believe me wrong, send one US Airborne Brigade here and see what happens.....if you notice there is no great hoopla going about in Zabul province, next to Kandahar, because there is a US light infantry Battalion handling business.
Look, Afghans trust Americans, cannot tell you how many times I have been told that here. They know Americans will abide by their word, not into imperialism or conquering, and are true Fighters. The Taliban has done its intel and they know that if they can make things ugly, well, NATO will have European member countries crying.
So please, tell everyone, it is not just a simple matter of things seeming more volatile. There is always a cause and effect, NATO transition is the cause, and exploitation through escalated violence is the effect. Damn Taliban is getting exactly what they want, folks to believe the situation here is crumbling.
Regards,
Al
-30-
;)