Americans in Afghanistan say Canadians and Brits fight like pussies
January 9, 2007
So, how are things going with that amazingly successful war in Afghanistan?
With NATO unable or unwilling to stem the rising violence, the Taliban are pressing their advantage. Rather than withdrawing to regroup over the winter, intelligence officials and combat commanders here said, the Taliban forces – clad in new cold-weather boots and fleece jackets – are fighting through the bitter cold months.
“It is bleak,” said Col. Chris Haas, commander of the Joint Special Operations Task Force in Afghanistan.
“The gains we have made over the past few years are mostly gone,” said a bearded Special Operations officer, fresh in from advising Afghan army units in battle with 600 to 700 well-equipped Taliban fighters.
Conway said U.S. commanders understand that the Afghan war is an “economy of force” operation, a military term for a mission that is given minimal resources because it is a secondary priority, in this case behind Iraq.
But surely the coalition of the willing is stepping up, right?
A senior U.S. Special Forces officer said the Canadians, even though they have tanks and light armored vehicles, refuse to dismount on foot patrols, which are considered more risky but more productive in establishing relationships with the local population.
British troops “established a series of strong points and then wouldn’t go out on patrol,” said another American officer. “It got almost comical when the Taliban would do drive-by shootings.”
One Special Forces officer, an adviser with the Afghan army, told of asking the Canadians for help in regaining the initiative in battle. “They refused to cross the river” to help, the officer said in a cold fury. “It is disturbing.”
Conway said he was “surprised” at the reported poor performance of some NATO troops. “I thought the troops in NATO were more aggressive,” he said.
Gee, that sounds nothing like Christie “Blood ‘N Guts” Blatchford’s breathless reports embedded with Canucks from the front. I’m so confused!
Tags: war, afghanistan, quagmire, clusterfuck
