Afghan border success may mean more fighting

[unhappycamper]

Afghan border success may mean more fighting
By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Tuesday, November 18, 2008

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Pakistani military is pushing militants into Afghanistan, meaning U.S. troops there could face a tougher fight this winter, a U.S. commander in northeast Afghanistan said Tuesday.

The fighting season in Afghanistan typically runs from spring until the onset of winter, when militants head to their sanctuaries in Pakistan.

But since September, the Pakistani military and paramilitary forces have been fighting militants on that side of the border, said Col. John M. Spiszer, commander of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division.

"From my perspective, what they’ve been doing over the past two months is a sustained offensive that’s really put pressure on the enemy in a way that I don’t think — from I’ve learned in the past — has happened before," Spiszer told reporters at a news conference.

As a result, militants could end up spending the winter in Afghanistan, he said.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=58896