Article

2008-02-02 Afghanistan

Taliban take a hit, but the fight goes on

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Fred 2008-02-02 09:41|| || Front Page|| [2 views ] Top
File under: Taliban

#1 Can weapons caches be detected from above, say by magnetic anomolies, or must they be found by ground search? If the first, wouldn't it be lovely if, night after night after night, the many weapons caches of the many jihadi groups on the Pakistani side of the border were to suddenly decide to go boom?

Posted by trailing wife">trailing wife 2008-02-02 10:29|| 2008-02-02 10:29|| Front Page Top

#2 Magnetic surveys can detect the presence of concentrations of iron or steel, and if the survey is complex enough, how deeply that concentration is buried and how big it is (in a simple survey a small shallow chunk of steel looks like a big deep one.) It would not identify non-magnetic weapons materials (plastique, lead, powder etc.) and it would not distiguish between, say, a sign post and a rifle.

In my opinion it should be possible to create a survey tool that would locate munitions with electrically-triggered detonators - by causing those detonators to spontaneously trigger. Lots of variables and unintended side-effects from something that is kind of like a controlled EMP, but it would be fun to watch mosques randomly and spontaneously self-destruct.

Posted by Glenmore">Glenmore 2008-02-02 11:07|| 2008-02-02 11:07|| Front Page Top

#3 No Justice = Know Peace

(yes, it was said yesterday - it's always appropriate)

Posted by Pappy 2008-02-02 14:18|| 2008-02-02 14:18|| Front Page Top

#4 The difference between al-Qaeda and the Taliban is that al-Qaeda has the luxury of attacking, but the Taliban is in a fight for their life.

That is, when al-Qaeda gets whupped, they move somewhere else and begin again as best they can. But the Taliban have nowhere left to go. If they lose, that is the end of them, and even the tribesmen will slit their throats.

Posted by Anonymoose 2008-02-02 15:19|| 2008-02-02 15:19|| Front Page Top

#5 "But the Taliban have nowhere left to go. If they lose, that is the end of them, and even the tribesmen will slit their throats."

What's the downside, 'moose? ;-p

Posted by Barbara Skolaut">Barbara Skolaut 2008-02-02 16:20|| http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/]">[http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/] 2008-02-02 16:20|| Front Page Top

#6 Moose: That is, when al-Qaeda gets whupped, they move somewhere else and begin again as best they can. But the Taliban have nowhere left to go. If they lose, that is the end of them, and even the tribesmen will slit their throats.

Moosey besides Afghanistan and depending on the particular tribe, the Talibs move freely 'tween Wazoostan, Baluchistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and greater Pakistan, SOME have even been sighted in Freemont Ca USA!

*************************************
Asia Times
Taliban take a hit, but the fight goes on
By Syed Saleem Shahzad

This assbite verily gushes over the genius, lion heart, and the Nobel qualities of Warrior Guru Abu Laith al-Libi. A veritable Giant amongst Goat Fondlers!! Pity by comparison the mere mortals in the Talib organization.

real objective eh, imagine a NYT reporter exclaiming the genuine greatness of Tommy Franks and General Petraeus.

BTW AND to repeat, these two American Heros really were and are GREAT!!

Posted by RD">RD 2008-02-02 18:13|| 2008-02-02 18:13|| Front Page Top

23:39 trailing wife
23:04 Junior Assistant Sock Puppet of Doom
23:03 trailing wife
22:58 Junior Assistant Sock Puppet of Doom
22:37 Anonymoose
22:29 Pappy
22:26 Junior Assistant Sock Puppet of Doom
22:22 Redneck Jim
22:14 Glinesing Ghibelline6773
22:11 DMFD
22:05 Barbara Skolaut
21:58 Glinesing Ghibelline6773
21:55 Barbara Skolaut
21:50 trailing wife
21:43 jds
21:38 Broadhead6
21:32 lotp
21:24 trailing wife
21:23 Old Patriot
21:21 twobyfour
21:14 crosspatch
21:11 trailing wife
21:02 trailing wife
21:02 Lone Ranger