The command structure of the Taliban hasn't come close to being captured.

[bigtree]

Sep 16, 2006


In search of the Taliban's missing link

By Syed Saleem Shahzad

KARACHI - {snip}

When the Taliban's spring offensive began in June, the US-led coalition's intelligence identified the people in the Taliban's command council . . .

All coalition tactics were based on this information, such as search operations, troop postings, logistics and arms allocations. The primary aim was to net Taliban leader Mullah Omar and close aides, such as Maualana Jalaluddin Haqqani, Mullah Dadullah and Mullah Gul Mohammed Jangvi.

Months later, these men have not even come close to being captured. That leaves the questions unanswered: How (and from where) do they manage to relay their instructions into the battlefield? Asia Times Online has learned that this year alone, international intelligence operations in Afghanistan have spent millions of dollars trying to find out, even as fighting in the past month has been the heaviest ever.

As a result, NATO this week requested additional troops, with no success. The alliance, which took command of military operations in southern Afghanistan on July 31, had wanted 2,000 extra soldiers to reinforce the 19,000-strong International Security Assistance Force.

Throwing more troops into a conventional battle (artillery and air strikes especially) might not be the best way to go as long as there remains a basic lack of understanding of where the enemy's command center is and how the mujahideen receive orders. What is known is that among the rank and file of the mujahideen there is a strong system of communication, with instructions flowing freely and quickly.


http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/HI16Df01.html


White House spokesman Snow this week: "In many ways, the senior leadership of al Qaeda has been degraded."

[izzie]

1. That whole war was silly to me. What was all that paying money

to tribes to get people. It was just so silly. Every one knew they would just take the money and drag up any one to sell off to the USA and are most likely still laughing. It was only done so Bush could get in to Iraq and free us his army or our army. Did they really think paying off people would do the job? It is just another mess Bush has left us.

[Xenotime]

2. It's obvious this military can't get the job done..

We need to bring the troops home now. Hopefully, that will happen when we take back the house.