thedrifter
03-19-03, 12:26 PM
March 18, 2003
While all eyes are on Iraq, Afghan mission continues
By Jamey Keaten
Associated Press
BAGRAM, Afghanistan — With war imminent in Iraq, U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan are scouring the mountains for al-Qaida fugitives who could try to launch terror attacks to coincide with an assault on Baghdad.
The 11,500 troops in a U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan are stepping up their vigilance in the hunt for terror suspects, Army spokesman Col. Roger King said. U.S. officials have raised the terror alert level in the United States, and the same caution applies to Afghanistan, where Osama bin Laden may still be hiding.
“The enemy have said they’ll attempt to increase attacks,” King said Tuesday.
U.S. forces especially are alert along the Pakistani border to make sure Taliban and al-Qaida fugitives do not use it as a launching pad for attacks.
They are aware that a war on Iraq could energize anti-U.S. groups hoping to ride an expected groundswell of public discontent and lead to new attacks on coalition bases. And though the world’s focus has shifted to Iraq, theirs has not.
The multinational coalition sends out daily patrols from at least a dozen outposts to comb the mountains for terrorists and search caves for weapons — even going door-to-door in villages. Almost daily, ordnance experts blow up caches of weapons left behind by rebel groups, and mine-clearing teams crawl on hands and knees searching for booby traps.
Bearded Special Forces soldiers fan out through the valleys and along the border with Pakistan searching for tips from villagers about the whereabouts of al-Qaida and the Taliban.
Apache helicopter gunships and A-10 attack jets roar low to provide air support to ground troops, escort supply aircraft or patrol the countryside.
There have been about a dozen code-named coalition combat missions, such as “Anaconda,” “Alamo Sweep” or “Champion Strike,” and more are likely, King said.
The crackdown against terror in Afghanistan largely has been successful in curbing attacks 18 months after the U.S.-led campaign began in Afghanistan, King said.
“We feel we’ve got the proper security measures in place” to prevent new attacks, King said.
Most arrests of al-Qaida leaders have occurred in Pakistan, but King has said the coalition’s operations “stir the pot” and keep the fugitives running.
Pockets of resistance remain throughout Afghanistan — especially in the border regions with Pakistan. Attackers emerge sporadically from mountain hide-outs to shoot rockets at coalition bases — but usually miss their targets.
“The only common denominator with the rockets is that they never hit what they’re aimed at,” King said. “There has not been a single coalition casualty caused by one of these rockets.”
Skirmishes with gunmen wielding assault rifles and small arms continue, though less frequently than late last year.
Twenty-five coalition members have been killed in combat and another 30 in “non-hostile” situations since the American campaign began in October 2001 to oust the Taliban, the Army said.
While coalition efforts are bearing fruit, there still is much to be done to win over regular Afghans.
On Monday, a 6-year-old Afghan boy tried to stab a U.S. soldier in Gardez with a syringe containing an unidentified liquid, King said. The soldier was not hurt.
While many soldiers here support war against Iraq, some fear a protracted conflict with Saddam Hussein could stretch U.S. military resources and require troops to stay abroad longer than first thought.
“It’s really hard on the whole military,” said Capt. Geoff Warlock, a Marine Harrier pilot. “There are regular deployments, plus here and now Iraq — that doubles things up.”
He fears his six-month stint could be extended to a year.
The frigid Afghan winter is nearly over, but swirls of dust in the air are a daily nuisance and soldiers often complain of missing loved ones back home.
Many service members say they do not want to follow the Iraq debate, preferring to focus on their work in Afghanistan. In e-mails home, they urge family members not to write of Saddam or squabbles at the United Nations. Televisions in the “chow halls” more often are tuned to game shows, sitcoms or sports than the news.
Another battle is keeping the international community’s attention, with many people around the world transfixed by the Iraq debate, King said.
“What you face the biggest challenge with is maintaining public awareness of what’s going on in Afghanistan,” King said. “Our focus is not going to change.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press
Sempers,
Roger
While all eyes are on Iraq, Afghan mission continues
By Jamey Keaten
Associated Press
BAGRAM, Afghanistan — With war imminent in Iraq, U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan are scouring the mountains for al-Qaida fugitives who could try to launch terror attacks to coincide with an assault on Baghdad.
The 11,500 troops in a U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan are stepping up their vigilance in the hunt for terror suspects, Army spokesman Col. Roger King said. U.S. officials have raised the terror alert level in the United States, and the same caution applies to Afghanistan, where Osama bin Laden may still be hiding.
“The enemy have said they’ll attempt to increase attacks,” King said Tuesday.
U.S. forces especially are alert along the Pakistani border to make sure Taliban and al-Qaida fugitives do not use it as a launching pad for attacks.
They are aware that a war on Iraq could energize anti-U.S. groups hoping to ride an expected groundswell of public discontent and lead to new attacks on coalition bases. And though the world’s focus has shifted to Iraq, theirs has not.
The multinational coalition sends out daily patrols from at least a dozen outposts to comb the mountains for terrorists and search caves for weapons — even going door-to-door in villages. Almost daily, ordnance experts blow up caches of weapons left behind by rebel groups, and mine-clearing teams crawl on hands and knees searching for booby traps.
Bearded Special Forces soldiers fan out through the valleys and along the border with Pakistan searching for tips from villagers about the whereabouts of al-Qaida and the Taliban.
Apache helicopter gunships and A-10 attack jets roar low to provide air support to ground troops, escort supply aircraft or patrol the countryside.
There have been about a dozen code-named coalition combat missions, such as “Anaconda,” “Alamo Sweep” or “Champion Strike,” and more are likely, King said.
The crackdown against terror in Afghanistan largely has been successful in curbing attacks 18 months after the U.S.-led campaign began in Afghanistan, King said.
“We feel we’ve got the proper security measures in place” to prevent new attacks, King said.
Most arrests of al-Qaida leaders have occurred in Pakistan, but King has said the coalition’s operations “stir the pot” and keep the fugitives running.
Pockets of resistance remain throughout Afghanistan — especially in the border regions with Pakistan. Attackers emerge sporadically from mountain hide-outs to shoot rockets at coalition bases — but usually miss their targets.
“The only common denominator with the rockets is that they never hit what they’re aimed at,” King said. “There has not been a single coalition casualty caused by one of these rockets.”
Skirmishes with gunmen wielding assault rifles and small arms continue, though less frequently than late last year.
Twenty-five coalition members have been killed in combat and another 30 in “non-hostile” situations since the American campaign began in October 2001 to oust the Taliban, the Army said.
While coalition efforts are bearing fruit, there still is much to be done to win over regular Afghans.
On Monday, a 6-year-old Afghan boy tried to stab a U.S. soldier in Gardez with a syringe containing an unidentified liquid, King said. The soldier was not hurt.
While many soldiers here support war against Iraq, some fear a protracted conflict with Saddam Hussein could stretch U.S. military resources and require troops to stay abroad longer than first thought.
“It’s really hard on the whole military,” said Capt. Geoff Warlock, a Marine Harrier pilot. “There are regular deployments, plus here and now Iraq — that doubles things up.”
He fears his six-month stint could be extended to a year.
The frigid Afghan winter is nearly over, but swirls of dust in the air are a daily nuisance and soldiers often complain of missing loved ones back home.
Many service members say they do not want to follow the Iraq debate, preferring to focus on their work in Afghanistan. In e-mails home, they urge family members not to write of Saddam or squabbles at the United Nations. Televisions in the “chow halls” more often are tuned to game shows, sitcoms or sports than the news.
Another battle is keeping the international community’s attention, with many people around the world transfixed by the Iraq debate, King said.
“What you face the biggest challenge with is maintaining public awareness of what’s going on in Afghanistan,” King said. “Our focus is not going to change.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press
Sempers,
Roger