New York Times article on the face of the new Taliban

[Lemon law]

As reports come that the Aghani army brought in some 1400 additional troops to force the taliban away from the outlying villages near Kandahar, the operation appears to be a success
as the taliban appears to be fleeing. Different articles claims different numbers of dead taliban fighters, but the last one I saw on Yahoo news claimed 56. Which is down from the 100's claimed earlier. But what is disturbing is the presence of foreign fighters.

Which is why I am linking the article I found from the New York Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06...d.html?ref=todayspaper

On one hand its seems to support the palehorse type hypothesis that they must be rooted out from Pakistan, but as the NYT article somewhat points out, the funding and some of the fighters come from elsewhere. But its the same tactics that mujaheddin used to expel the Russians a 1/4 of a century before. Thus far, the Aghani insurgents don't seem to have the quality antiaircraft missiles that Reagan furnished their movement, but in terms of being aggressive, 2008 seems to be much higher than the activity level in 2007. And with a basic
three months left to go in what amounts to the taliban's summer offensive, things could get far worse before its over.

 

[lupi]

And?

 

[PokerGuy]

I just don't think an "outside force", no matter what outside force, can ever defeat an insurgency in the long run. An insurgency can only be defeated by the local population, so the key is to get the local population on board. If they are not, it's going to be a big waste of resources fighting the insurgents, you can't win.

 

[Lemon law]

Originally posted by: PokerGuy
I just don't think an "outside force", no matter what outside force, can ever defeat an insurgency in the long run. An insurgency can only be defeated by the local population, so the key is to get the local population on board. If they are not, it's going to be a big waste of resources fighting the insurgents, you can't win.

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If you are correct, and I believe you basically are, then trying to widen the Nato area of operation into Pakistan greatly decreases the chances of defeating the insurgency.

And that may also help lupi understand what and means.

 

[palehorse]

Foreign fighters working with the Taliban is nothing new, or surprising... hell, it's the very reason we're there in the first place.

Coming in through Pakistan, you say? Imagine that... :roll:

 

[lupi]

Originally posted by: palehorse
Foreign fighters working with the Taliban is nothing new, or surprising... hell, it's the very reason we're there in the first place.

Coming in through Pakistan, you say? Imagine that... :roll:

Yep, entire article is written as if someone had been napping for the last 12+ months and was catching up.

 

[Lemon law]

It least Poker Guy can connect the dots, but lupi had to rely on a clueless and ineffectual palehorse to realize this dates back all the way to Reagan brainfarts.

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: PokerGuy
I just don't think an "outside force", no matter what outside force, can ever defeat an insurgency in the long run. An insurgency can only be defeated by the local population, so the key is to get the local population on board. If they are not, it's going to be a big waste of resources fighting the insurgents, you can't win.

Please insurgencies were crushed in weeks before we got pussified. Read up on Philippines insurgency or the American Indians. Or the how the Romans and today the mujahideen deal with it.

 

[Lemon law]

Originally posted by: Zebo

Originally posted by: PokerGuy
I just don't think an "outside force", no matter what outside force, can ever defeat an insurgency in the long run. An insurgency can only be defeated by the local population, so the key is to get the local population on board. If they are not, it's going to be a big waste of resources fighting the insurgents, you can't win.

Please insurgencies were crushed in weeks before we got pussified. Read up on Philippines insurgency or the American Indians. Or the how the Romans and today the mujahideen deal with it.

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Its sure nice to see Zebo cite the Romans, at the time the de facto lone standing super power,
which did in fact fall to various insurgent groups when Rome over extended itself. Quite insightful Zebo, but somehow not what you intended to stay.

We still have to remember that the mujahideen was that enemy of our enemy 25 years ago, and they were strong enough to beat a Russian superpower. Now they are back targeting the USA.

 

[lupi]

Or how Daddy Norman made the old Persians real nice for the supply route to russia.