Taliban 'losing momentum'

We have yet to capture Bin Laden??

May 14, 2008: Afghan and security forces waited, and waited, for the Taliban Spring Offensive, but it never came. Gun battles with the Taliban were down 50 percent so far, compared to last year. Roadside bomb attacks were about the same. But Taliban casualties were up, as more Afghan and NATO forces went looking for them. Last year, 8,000 people died in Taliban violence. So far this year, the death toll is 1,200, indicating casualties for the year will be about half what they were last year. This year, a higher proportion of the dead are Taliban and al Qaeda, and a lower proportion civilians. While some Taliban commanders have tried to develop new tactics to reduce casualties (smaller units of Taliban, and avoiding contact with police and troops), nothing has worked. The Afghan army is larger (76,000 troops) and better trained than last year, and there are more foreign troops. Worst of all, more tribal leaders have sided with the government this year, meaning tribal militias are also ready to fight Taliban moving through previously pro-Taliban territory.

http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/afghan/ ... 80514.aspx

about time

And yet the Taliban are purportedly spreading into central and north Afghanistan.........

Moving in what number? All their doing is setting up IED's and using children and mentally unstable people as human mines, and even their best results are still insignificant in the greater scope of the war. Roadside bombs are an act of desperation and have less and less effect as their methods become known. The taliban must resort to this sort of chicken shit acts because they dare not show their heads in any number lest it gets blown off.

Hmmm...The media is slipping. Good news out of Afghanistan...How can this be?

I see that you are one of those "misinformed" who think that warfare consists of set piece armies battling each other. Well son, that went out with the Korean War (as Vietnam plainly showed for the Yankees, and Afghanistan for the Russkies). Pull yer head out of your nether region, and see what modern warfare looks like. WWII was the first war in which civilians were DELIBERATELY targeted (Dresden/London anyone?) as just another mode d'emploi in psychological warfare, and in which civilian casualties far outnumbered military ones.

And when an estimated one in three of our soldiers who serve in Afghanistan require treatment for post-traumatic disorder -- possibly for the rest of their lives, given the Canadian governments's reluctance to provide adequate funding for this, after these men and women have served their country -- just who do you think is really winning?

I see that you are one of those "misinformed" who think that warfare consists of set piece armies battling each other. Well son, that went out with the Korean War (as Vietnam plainly showed for the Yankees, and Afghanistan for the Russkies). Pull yer head out of your nether region, and see what modern warfare looks like. WWII was the first war in which civilians were DELIBERATELY targeted (Dresden/London anyone?) as just another mode d'emploi in psychological warfare, and in which civilian casualties far outnumbered military ones.

And when an estimated one in three of our soldiers who serve in Afghanistan require treatment for post-traumatic disorder -- possibly for the rest of their lives, given the Canadian governments's reluctance to provide adequate funding for this, after these men and women have served their country -- just who do you think is really winning?




Ok. I want to keep that one because I've seen you try and hide you're ignorance before.
I don't really have time to refute but be sure that I will later.

Exactly what gives you the notion that the taliban are winning though?
They went from controlling the country, to controlling a province or mountain region (as long as they could hide across the border) to now using children to blow up troops in the public market. Their support with the Afghan public is failing and their recruits from Pakistan are getting tired of being shelled as they cross the border.

While you're thinking about that, do reflect on the fact that South Korea is now a strong and solid allies of the West and that North Korea is a Marxist hellhole.

I attended a conference which included a teleconference from nursing in afghanistan.. although i was somewhat enlightened and could see that inroads are being made in restructure for some afghan people, I still believe that it is a losing battle...not because of military might on either side.. but solely the religious beliefs of the people.. we pride ourselves in the accomplishments but the reality is that given the opportunity the same people we are striving so hard to help would turn heal and go back to their cultural ways and religous beliefs..
and in that regard it is a losing effort.. and RPW is accurate regarding our military with post traumatic stress syndrome.. which effects their families and children.. its costing billions and is a war without end...

The taliban movement wasn't a vast popular uprising, it was a religious totalitarian state that moved into the power vacume when the Russians left. . People who opposed it were shot in the soccer stadiums during half times.. that's when they still allowed soccer.
While there are some of the rebels that live in the hills that are hard line, the majority that lived in the cities were very happy the taliban was gone.
Looking back at the huge participation and pride that they had in their first national vote was proof enough.

This bad news for DerbyX and Streaker, sorry chaps Allaaaaah Ackbar next time.

Insurgents must move from the disruptive phase to publicly challenge the existing government as a viable alternative. During the dirsupive phase they try their best to show that the government of the day is unable to protect them or dosen't care for them in the same way the rebels might, be that racial or religious. Bombings or terrorism tries to prove that the government isn't in control but also harms the civilian population and the tide can turn from support to tip-offs is they feel the rebels are more dangerous than they promice.

Since the Taliban started out holding the country and now are hiding in the Pakistan hills, I'd say they are losing. Even rural Afghan famalies know that education of their sons AND DAUGHTERS gaurantees a better world for Afghanistan snd they oppose the Taliban's burning of schools and their policy of ignorant women. The Taliban refused women medical care so the child mobidity rate waas huge and it dosen't take a genious to figure out that that more children means a betterr, smarter and stronger Afghanistan. Most Afghan adults knew that their lives were better before the Soviets and Taliban, and once again recognise that they need to take control of their future once more.



We're just giving a hand up, lilke we did with South Korea. I fully trust and expect Afghanistan to be on their feet in the next decade. If they become another allie like South Korea or a perpetual problem is up to them, but I doubt their fierce nationalism and pride would let them be anything but successful.

Ignorance, eh? So I notice you've nicely sidestepped the issue of Canada's soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. I can only imagine you are one of those who would do a "Patton" and slap them around, or possibly a "Haig" and have them shot for cowardice. Or better yet, just ignore them, as was done with the Vietnam Vets.........

The Mujahideen (not all resistance fighters in Afghanistan are Taliban after all) have been financing themselves to the tune of $10 mil a month through the insatiable American demand for heroin.(what an ironic sense of justice!), and unlike the Halliburtons of the world, they use this cash to equip themselves instrad of pocketing it over the bodies of American dead. If you read the news, you'd notice a sea change in tactics.

And just WTF does what south and north Korea have become have to do with Pork Chop Hill?

I didn't side step the issuue, I simply dismiss it, as well as you're childish bait. Let's keep this on topic and leave the personal attacks out of it.

The Canadian forces is an all volunter force and over sea service is also voluntary. These people have had ample opportunity not to go and a very few do not go. Morale is higher than it's ever been and so are the recruiting numbers. If this was a lie and a meatgrinder, the folks who are there would see it and wouldn't be going back.
While the left dearly wants to call this a quagmire and paint this as another Vietnam, the folks doing the work are proud of the progress and although their never really free from complaints, they are going back 3 or 4 times in a row.


"If you read the news, you'd notice a sea change in tactics."

I have. I saw them in open fights, then taking back towns and villages on the borders, now I see them using children to blow up soldiers and their innocent countrymen in public markets. That's a slide downhill that you refuse to accept. They are losing.
Last year, there were 200 yound men who crossed the borders from Pakistan. We knew who hired them and what they were paid and we followed them all accross the border untill the airbust artillery killed them all. What do you guess that the young men from pakistan have something better to do now when the ttaliban recruiters come calling.


"I see that you are one of those "misinformed" who think that warfare consists of set piece armies battling each other. Well son, that went out with the Korean War (as Vietnam plainly showed for the Yankees, and Afghanistan for the Russkies)."


I brought up Korea because it's one of my favorite examples in history. The UN mission was against the Norths attack on the peacefull south and the western forces won. Anyone who quibbles that the war isn't over can simply look at the quality of life between the north and the south and give you're head a shake. It is a great example of agressive patrol and how effective the UN used to be.

As for the Soviets in Afghanistan, there are a fwe good military books that cover the topic:
Bear Went over the Mountain: Soviet Combat Tactics in Afghanistan is very good from the soviet persopective. The Other Side of the Mountain: Mujahideen Tactics in the Soviet-Afghan War tries to view things from the insergents perspective. Both are in english you can find both of those on line if you're crafty.

They really show that the Soviets were resticted not to much by the enemy but by their frighteningly rigid command and control process. Attacks were planned far in advance and artillery or air assets couldn't change fire missions to attack targets of opportunity. The authors took paticular delight when gunships couldn't attack targets they could see and had to attack open fields because that's what was planned. They learned, but it was far too late.

We're not doing that, and now we're training and letting the Afghans lead the fight. Their well trained, well equiped and even paid so the money goes home to their families. Ther woman can leave the house to go to the doctor and their children can leave to go to school, and that means a better life that the people of Afghanistan can see.