"Afghanistan: militancy and security"
Latest Conference of Defence Associations media round-up (my recent letter in the Toronto Star gets a mention). This section is very useful:
Carlotta Gall and Eric Schmitt for the International Herald Tribune (see link below) report on the recent attack against an American outpost in Kunar province, bordering Pakistan. Jeffrey Stern for Time magazine and Aunohita Mojumdar for the Christian Science Monitor (see links below) provide some context to the attack. Bill Roggio for the Long War Journal (see link below) examines the link between Al Qaeda and Taliban forces in this attack.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/15/asia/15afghan.php
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1822515,00.html
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0715/p07s05-wosc.htm
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2008/07/joint_al_qaeda_and_t.php
posted by Mark, Ottawa at 3:39 p.m.
1 Comments:
I didn't even bother reading the first three publications' stories. If one has read a typical G&M article about Af-stan and/or about American troops in Af-stan or Iraq, one has basically read the ideological agenda and news slant of the first three. Horse manure, cow manure, sheep manure, it's all manure and smells like it.
However, what I get two ideas out of the Long War Journal article (some REAL journalism there).
First, these outposts along the hot stretch of the southern Af-stan/Paki border need to be at least multiple platoon or company strength in NATO forces (plus at least an equal numbers ANA unit), not just single platoon strength.
Secondly, these small outlying detachments need pretty much constant, extensive aerial surveillance. This can be from anything from Reapers and Predators to the new mini UAVs, such as the company or platoon level-use Ravens.
These UAVs, especially the small UAVs, can give these detachments a practically invisible and undetectable eye-in-the-sky tactical reconnaissance. As much as possible, this can deny the Taliban and Al Qaeda enemy the element of surprise.
Not only can these tactical UAVs deny the enemy the element of surprise, they can reverse that and give it to the defenders. Before they even get to open fire, any terrorist force attempting to stealthily mount an attack in force could suddenly find itself under fire from various lethal smart weapons. Or better yet, they get killed before they even know they're under fire.
(I'm just an ex-AF ground tech who reads a bit. Are there any Army or ex-Army types out there with a more experienced and informed opinion on this?)
Post a Comment
<< Home