Rumsfeld's day targeted (Al Qaeda attack in Afghanistan)

The US goes into Afghanistan accomplishes a coup of the Taliban (which, granted, is a pretty heinous bunch) and chases Al Qaeda into the hills and into Pakistan and into Iran and whereever. Then, the US moves attention to Iraq where a conveniently-named "Al Qaeda in Iraq" forms that was NEVER there before.

Now, a spinoff of *that* is forming in Afghanistan where the US just fought to kick them out and calls itself "Al Qaeda in Afghanistan".


I wonder how much the franchise fees and startup costs are?

"Last week, Army Special Forces Capt. Chris Sample told The Associated Press his force was in 88 firefights in the past six months, which was more than in its three previous Afghanistan deployments combined. "

Doesn't seem too "Mission Accomplished" there either?

:wtf:

They shoot their own guy, probably on purpose, then name a camp after him.

Oy gewalt.

WASHINGTON - Al-Qaida insurgents staged a brazen assault on a heavily armed Special Forces camp in Afghanistan last week on the day Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was in the country discussing U.S. troop reductions, the New York Daily News has learned.

The winter fight is the latest sign that a group now calling itself al-Qaida in Afghanistan is trying to emulate the aggressive tactics used against U.S. forces in Iraq.

Messages from the Afghan group have recently appeared on the same jihadist Internet sites as those of al-Qaida in Iraq, led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, said terrorism expert Rita Katz. "They see in Iraq what's successful, so they say, 'Let's do the same thing in Afghanistan,'" said Katz, who heads the SITE Institute, which seeks to educate the public about Islamic terrorists.

A statement by the Taliban, al-Qaida's allies, said 400 mujahedeen staged "the biggest attack upon the crusading forces in Afghanistan." B-52 bombers, Apache gunships, A-10 Warthog jets, artillery and infantry delivered a "devastating" counterattack outside the camp's walls, resulting in more than a dozen confirmed enemy kills, sources said.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/politics/13501571.htm

Karzai's and the US's power doesn't span more than a collective 100 mile area in Afghanistan. The only thing that was holding the Taliban back is unclear leadership and massively profitable and expedentially increased poppy production. That surely wasn't going to last forever.

I estimate that at this rate we will be bankrupt by the time we have killed 1% of the world population. Unless we start using nukes.:sarcasm: :scared:

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/GD06Ak01.html

Apr 6, 2005
By Nick Turse

Alliant notes that this year it is churning out 1.2 billion rounds of small-caliber ammunition at its Lake City plant alone. But that, it seems, isn't enough when future war planning is taken into account. As it happens, ATK and the US Army are aiming to increase the plant's "annual capacity to support the anticipated Department of Defense demand of between 1.5 billion and 1.8 billion rounds by 2006". Think about it. In this year alone, one single ATK plant will produce enough ammunition, at one bullet each, to execute every man, woman and child in the world's most populous nation - and next year they're upping the ante.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/GD06Ak01.html

and demand has grown so much we had to outsource

peace

in the hills was able to attack in battalion strength?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't it take the Afghans about three years to mount an effective resistance to the Russians? It wasn't until '82 or '83 that the soviets began taking major losses -- not till the CIA started giving the insurgents surface-to-air missiles that rendered the soviet helicopter fleet ineffective.

Whadaya think? Draw down in Iraq to build up in Afghanistan?

3//IribNews.ir (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting) Iran 2005/12/27 09:30:02 Þ.Ù

http://www.iribnews.ir/Full_en.asp?news_id=204367&n=12



KARZAI LAUDS IRAN’S CONTRIBUTIONS



Kabul, Dec 27 - Afghanistan's President Hamed Karzai in a meeting with Iran's Foreign Minister in Kabul said that the assistance rendered by Iran has helped Afghanistan to find its rightful place.

The Afghan government and nation are thankful for this help, he added.

In a meeting with visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, the Afghan President referred to the relation between Afghanistan and its neighbors.

"Afghanistan wishes further progress and development of Iran and will not let anyone drive a wedge between the two Muslem neighbors," Karzai added.

He also referred to the many shortcomings in his country due to past three decades of conflict.

"We should draw assistance from Iran's experiences to boost the development drive in Afghanistan."

He accepted an invitation from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for a visit to Tehran.

Mottaki said Tehran has put expansion of relations with its neighbors on its list of foreign policy priorities.

MOre

The U.S. will withdraw, like the Russians in Afghanistan, and the British in Iraq.

Can you say Deja Vu ?

Not Al Qaida.

I keep waiting to see that word - CRUSADE - used more. They might call it a Crusade for Democracy but we all know a christian crusade when we see one.

Just oh so many reasons to take control of the Middle East.