Taliban announces new offensive

The Taliban never learn, intensifing attacks on troops won't make them leave, the decision to make troops leave is decided by the Government and only way to make a Government leave is to take away all the support of the people and make them widely protest the war.

As far as I am concerned, the harder they push. The harder they fall. The more they come out, the more NATO will kill.

The biggest threat NATO troops face are mines and IED's. Mines are being cleared out, and IED's are playing less effect. They should know by now that there AK-47's, and RPG's don't play a role in there efforts as it only kills a minor perctange of NATO troops. Doesn't matter how many comes out of hiding.

Only thing they got on there side as a advantage is the fact NATO can't tell whos soldier or whos civilian.

You think that the death of soldiers doesn't have an impact on the population view of the war?

Its nice of them to tell us when they plan an offensive so we can be ready, but I'm sure we were ready from day 1 as soon as our soldiers set foot on Afghan soil.

Didn't they say the same thing last year?

Yup and Allah has alot more disciples in paradise because of it.

Only a group of egocentric, suicidal morons would tell their enemies that they are planning an offensive. I wonder how it'll turn out for them????????????

SUPRISE SUPRISE

Schleihauf



Yep and just like Gore's Hurricanes it didn't amount to much.

What's unfortunate is that even though the Talibans' attacks are just pointless... damn, so appear to be ours. They just won't go away due to regular means.

If only there was a simple solution... but the only one I see is education of the population, and damn, that takes generations. =/

Yeah this matter will not be solved until the current crowd have gone to ALLAH. Killing them doesn't educate the next generation---that takes time. It take us 10-18 years to educate a kid in our society----it takes longer with mature students......

I don't recall saying that? However as I said, most deaths are caused by Mines and IED's. Rarely any are killed by AK47's and RPG's. All I am stating is, a bunch of Insurgents coming out of there hiding holes with AK-47's and RPG's aren't going to be much of a offensive as NATO Troops are a lot better trained, equiped and have a lot more fire support.

My point is that it doesn't matter how many they bring out, it just rushes the time in when we defeat the Insurgents. Because as Security is getting better, and because they constantly kill innocent civilians, and because we give a way a lot of free stuff to the civilians like Candy, Food, There nations flag, etc and help fix there tech like water pumps and bring new idea to them, train there police and Army. They are really starting to hate the Insurgents, and less and less fearing them. So once this batch of Insurgents are gone, I think it will be really tough for them to recruit a new batch and if they are struggling to recruit new recruits. That will be the end of them.

"If only there was a simple solution... but the only one I see is education of the population, and damn, that takes generations."

Very True, that is not what I am talking about though. You can do both, Kill the Insurgents and teach the population. However, all I was saying was that there attack is pointless. That's all I meant.

"What's unfortunate is that even though the Talibans' attacks are just pointless... damn, so appear to be ours. They just won't go away due to regular means."

our attacks aren't pointless, are attacks are moral defeats to them. We have already shown the Insurgents that whatever they dish out, it doesn't stop the good training of NATO Soldiers and there superior equipment, and the armor support that follows them.

You really think that after all this time, the Insurgents are going to being recruiting as many people when the people of Afghanistan know they face certon death by joining the Insurgents. The Insurgents are having a lot tougher time recruiting now, which is a sign of there defeat. There only hope for recruitment is to bribe the poor with money.

If they can't get people to fight NATO soldiers, you'd think that would be a victory? yes? That gives the people of Afghanistan the time to stop worrying about Insurgents and Terrorists and go on with there daily lives. Which would give us the time to further train Afghan Police and Army and can allow us to educate the population. Not by the means of saying Terrorism is bad, and Insurgents are bad. To actually educate them, by building schools and not having to worry about them being blown up by some idiotic terrorist.

Good post Bacardi----well thought out...

When the Taliban can't bribe recruits.....they use force---that's their way----and their support further erodes.

sasquasch, how do you expect that to happen? You got ANA and Police constantly patrolling the streets. Not to mention all the NATO troops. Only place they can force recruits into recruitment is the areas not protected by NATO or not defended by ANA or Police. Also once they start 'forcing' people into recruitment, you think all the civilians will like that? When they get a scoop of something, they will give us that intel and stop holding back on it.

Read some Afghanistan reports and you will read that as far as resistance is concerned, troops aren't facing as much as they did years ago. No where near that, as troops constantly find weapon caches and as the Insurgents constantly fuck up and piss of the civilians and as we get on there good side. We are get a lot more intel from them about insurgents, weapon caches, etc.

Why the lack of resistance against NATO Troops? Are they building up for something big? Such as a "Spring Offensive"? . They obviously aren't getting as many recruits as they use to.

You guys need to read the chapter 'Explaining Suicide Bombers' in PhD Bryn 'Sociology as a Life or Death Issue' book.

Since the mission began, there has been no action during winter in Afghanistan. A captain once told me that it was because Afghanistan is a mountainous region, and the additional cold of winter (in the mountains) forces the Talibans to slow down their operations.

Bacardi you seem to be a bit too positive about what's going on. Talibans don't just recruit in Afghanistan, but in all of Middle East among people who want to get back at the West. They also recruit a lot in the Tribal regions between Afghanistan and Pakistan (those regions are semi autonomous but still under the control of Pakistan). Those regions are basically the equivalent of a bandit paradise. All kind of criminals, outcasts, religious extremists live there. And guess what? This Tribal Region is right next to where Canadians are.

The Talibans also never have to bribe anyone, far from it. They are a political-religious group, the only promise they have to make is to make their fighters heroes.

You also overestimate the impact of giving candies to people. Do you think you can buy the pride of people who live in one of the historically most volatile region of the world with candies and food? No, those are means of payment for services. Also the problem with such procedures is that as soon as we stop doing it, they stop liking us.

Also our skirmish victories are far from decisive, actually we should avoid them until we can make a decisive victory of some sort (by this I don't mean actually killing them all in one battle... But taking very strategic locations instead). Our victories in skirmishes (because that's what they are, 10 minutes battles) only make them hide more and use indirect warfare such as IED.

"You also overestimate the impact of giving candies to people. Do you think you can buy the pride of people who live in one of the historically most volatile region of the world with candies and food? No, those are means of payment for services. Also the problem with such procedures is that as soon as we stop doing it, they stop liking us."

Did I state it had a impact? No I diddn't, however I do think it does do a impact on kids and villages. I think you underestimate the impact it gives to people there. They are poor, and practicly have nothing. Generosity can go a long way in a place like that. Go ask Africa.

"Talibans don't just recruit in Afghanistan, but in all of Middle East among people who want to get back at the West. They also recruit a lot in the Tribal regions between Afghanistan and Pakistan (those regions are semi autonomous but still under the control of Pakistan). Those regions are basically the equivalent of a bandit paradise. All kind of criminals, outcasts, religious extremists live there. And guess what? This Tribal Region is right next to where Canadians are."

Yes I know that, and? Ever heard of road blocks? You know those things that are currently being done there?
As cars coming from the outside pass by the road blocks, they are constantly being checked for explosives and weapons. So unless they are prepared to throw rocks at the soldiers, they aren't really usefull. Unless they go by foot across the mountains and deserts to reach the destination. That would however take a very long time, and probally die in the process. There are some who manage to find ways passed this, can't stop them all but those are only a few compared to what would be helping them if we never had the road block checks.

"The Talibans also never have to bribe anyone, far from it. They are a political-religious group, the only promise they have to make is to make their fighters heroes."

Some yes, but not all. The terrorists are the ones who they promise to be heroes and etc. The Insurgents they bribe the poor with money, or they volunteer. You can research that one if you like.

"Also our skirmish victories are far from decisive, actually we should avoid them until we can make a decisive victory of some sort (by this I don't mean actually killing them all in one battle... But taking very strategic locations instead). Our victories in skirmishes (because that's what they are, 10 minutes battles) only make them hide more and use indirect warfare such as IED."

Sorry to say but that is being tried, we take strategic locations a lot in the history of this war. Usually to build police stations, or ANA bases. They usually get taken back by Insurgents, or held off by NATO. It doesn't matter what actions you want to take, you can't avoid a combat situation. Either you hunt them, or they hunt you. That is how it works. They are also not 10 minute battles... have you even researched that very much? Some battles will last 20 minutes, others go on for hours. It depends how many insurgents there are, and how well they are dug in and there tactics.