I hear people all the time state matter-of-factly that “we cannot win in Afghanistan”. Or, just as often, “no one can win a war in Afghanistan” because of the terrain and guerrilla fighting tactics of the Afghan fighters.
To which I say, “bullshit.”
If we fully commit to victory, there is not a force in the world that the US military cannot defeat decisively anywhere in the world.
There simply is not a better trained, better equipped, nor more capable fighter anywhere than a US Soldier or Marine.
Like these 12 bad ass US Army Green Berets (is there any other kind?):
After jumping out of helicopters at daybreak onto jagged, ice-covered rocks and into water at an altitude of 10,000 feet, the 12-man Special Forces team scrambled up the steep mountainside toward its target — an insurgent stronghold in northeast Afghanistan.
“Our plan,” Capt. Kyle M. Walton recalled in an interview, “was to fight downhill.”
But as the soldiers maneuvered toward a cluster of thick-walled mud buildings constructed layer upon layer about 1,000 feet farther up the mountain, insurgents quickly manned fighting positions, readying a barrage of fire for the exposed Green Berets.
A harrowing, nearly seven-hour battle unfolded on that mountainside in Afghanistan’s Nuristan province on April 6, as Walton, his team and a few dozen Afghan commandos they had trained took fire from all directions. Outnumbered, the Green Berets fought on even after half of them were wounded — four critically — and managed to subdue an estimated 150 to 200 insurgents, according to interviews with several team members and official citations.
A dozen US soldiers with a handful of Afghan fighters whom they trained — against more than 200 terrorists.
Of course, the ever reliable Washington Post sure picked an unusual word to use in their article — “subdued”.
Well, if by subdued they mean “killed“, then sure:
By the time the battle ended, the Green Berets and the commandos had suffered 15 wounded and two killed, both Afghans, while an estimated 150 to 200 insurgents were dead, according to an official Army account of the battle. The Special Forces soldiers had nearly run out of ammunition, with each having one to two magazines left, Ford said.
Oh, and there were 10 Silver Stars awarded to the Green Beret soldiers — the most for a single battle since Vietnam.
Frankly, I wholeheartedly agree with Kathy Shaidle from Five Feet of Fury with regards to how we should be fighting in Afghanistan:
had I been the Commander in Chief, I would have fired at least one nuclear missile on Afghanistan. Maybe two…
I increasingly question the wisdom of “helping” these primitive people, who will never ever truly be our allies.
Our cultural divide is too wide. At least the Germans and Japanese pre-possessed high culture, a scientific mindset and a respect for education. And taboos against (widespread) cousin-marriage (except amongst the monarchy…), which has probably polluted the Afgan (and possibly the Iraqi) gene pool irrevocably.
These people are our enemies. Why aren’t we, you know, killing them?
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hell f** yeah, hell yeah. Go Army !!!
Your uneducated, brainwashed mind works in strange ways. Here is what the articles you quoted say:
“his team and a few dozen Afghan commandos… an estimated 150 to 200 insurgents”
Translation in your brain: “12 Green Berets vs.” “more than 200 terrorists.”
Not to mention this is according to the official citations of this side’s army. So first you have their exaggerations which get the story to the point where 12 green berets and a few dozen afghan army (as if they were incapable of actually counting that number), so let’s say a round 50 people against an estimated 150 to 200. I consider that is even a stretch.
Then along comes genius who translates that into 12 against more than 200, and every time the story is told the proverbial fish gets longer and longer.
That’s why you don’t understand when knowledgeable people say we cannot win in Afghanistan. Because your world view is colored by the fairy tales you heartedly digest.
Can’t win in Afghanistan?
And Robbie’s world view is distorted?
For the nameless commenter above, we can win anywhere, if our military is allowed to do it’s job.
For some perspective, here is a video about the fight.
Total forces, 50 Green Beret, 100 Afghan fighters, versus an estimated 200 Towlies.
Our guys were expecting to fight down hill, instead, were surrounded, with the enemy holding an elevated defensive position.
Attacking a defensive position requires a 7 to 1 advantage in force, for the attackers to be successful. Attacking an elevated defensive position, requires about 12 to 1. Our forces were surrounded, and at an elevation disadvantage, yet they did their job, with an amazingly low casualty rate. Had they not had air support, it would have been a massacre.
Way to go SpecOps!
You make us proud, and piss off the wimps back home, at the same time.
Yeah Anonymous you forgot a couple of things in your fairy tale dreams. Wiston Churchill said it the best: “War is hell and don’t glorify it just get the job done and get out.” You and your cronies have been cutting down our troops and glorifying this war for your gain and giving aid and comfort to the enemy which in my book is TREASON and should be treated as such!!!!!!!!! Also you want an olive branch for our enemies when they cut off heads and blow up our troops. Yeah will can win this war if you and your cronies would let us take off the kid gloves that you have put on our troops. We are the best trained and armed troops anywhere!! Go military!! Robbie,TLP and No2Liberals are right “BULLSHIT” to you.
Actually the SAS (Special Air Service Troops) are regarded as the best soldiers in the world. Besides in this age of nuclear weapons soldiers don’t really mean shit unless your invading a small helpless country like Iraq. The reason the US didn’t do anything when Russia went into Georgia is because Russia has a stockpile of thermo-nuclear weapons larger than that of the US and the missile capabilities to launch mutiple simultaneous attacks against the US.
Gee, kiwi, thanks for explaining all that.
Your bull-shit insights are misaligned, yet strangely entertaining.
Speaking of the Army, here was their welcome for W.
Who loves ya’, baby?
Actually the SAS (Special Air Service Troops) are regarded as the best soldiers in the world. Besides in this age of nuclear weapons soldiers don’t really mean shit unless your invading a small helpless country like Iraq. The reason the US didn’t do anything when Russia went into Georgia is because Russia has a stockpile of thermo-nuclear weapons larger than that of the US and the missile capabilities to launch mutiple simultaneous attacks against the US.
Left by no2rednecks on December 15th, 2008 at 3:09 am
I thought you were just bigoted, turns out you are profoundly stupid.
That’s right – the Bush Doctrine established a new world order – the US only attacks sovereign countries that do not have nuclear weapons. Hence the lesson: any country with resources that Americans want to control does everything within their power to get them into that exclusive nuclear club, because that’s their only defense against an invasion by the most powerful military in the world.
Only to a simpleton liberal, Pat.
The amount of information, and all the facts that you have to ignore, and be willfully ignorant of, to reach such a conclusion, are to extensive to list.
You aren’t worth the effort.
OK Mr. Senior Military Strategist, how else does any sovereign country deter an attack by US (or Israeli) armed forces?
Pat, your hatred for this country is tiresome.
Typical wingnut pretzel-algebra: recognizing the limits of one’s power to control others equals self-hatred.
Are there any mirrors in your undisclosed location?
The only thing typical is your hatred for this country, and especially the military.
You must have some serious daddy issues.
I think you are making Annonymous’ point.
what’s up,
No, you missed his point, and mine, entirely.
You are stuck on the numbers, not his contention that no one can win in Afghanistan.
Come to think of it, no one can win there, but the U.S. can.
Sadly, NATO is in charge of the war against the Towliebans.
From Michael Yon.
You people call others blind afghanistan is and was a losing battle from the start the U.SMC are being obnoxious stubborn bastards saying ” we are the best no one can beat us”. Sas is the best combat trained canada holds the worlds best ever sniper shot. I addmire you pattrotisime and hope but inicent young men are dying, what has anyone gained in this war?