Tragedy underscores Afghan war's realities
By CNN's Tim Lister
The shooting down of a Chinook helicopter in central Afghanistan with the loss of 38 lives - most of them U.S. Navy SEALs - highlights two crucial aspects of the conflict in Afghanistan, as U.S. forces begin to draw down and Afghan security forces start taking the lead.
The first is the growing reliance on U.S. Special Operations Forces to combat the Taliban and other insurgent groups - in operations every night across the country.
The second is that many areas far beyond the Taliban's traditional strongholds in the south remain very insecure, areas where the Taliban have exploited an instinctive wariness of a foreign force among locals - and punished those who dare to work with them.
One such place is the Tangi Valley in Wardak province, where the crash occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning. Soldiers who have served there describe it as perfect territory for insurgents, with steep mountainsides of shale and boulders overlooking orchards and thick vegetation.
Improvised bombs are regularly planted along the one road that runs through the valley, next to the Logar River, and detonated from vantage points above. (NATO officials say that the IEDs' control wires are laid across the river, making pursuit of the insurgents more difficult.)
Tangi is only 60 miles from Kabul, close to the main highway south. But the Taliban (though not al Qaeda or other foreign groups) have long been active in the area.
In 2009, soldiers in the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division were deployed to this part of Wardak. They encountered 57 roadside bombs in the valley in just three months, dubbing the road "IED alley" and "Walter Reed Highway," a reference to the Army medical center where many soldiers wounded in Afghanistan have received treatment.
Firefights were an almost daily occurrence.
On his blog this weekend, a former member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade recently deployed to Tangi wrote of the village where the helicopter came down. "Juy Zarin is a village we went to frequently during our deployment and never found anything good while out there. In fact it was a wonderful place to go if we felt like getting into contact."
Back in the 1980s, the Soviet Army was never able to pacify the region, and Soviet convoys were frequently ambushed there.
Earlier this year U.S. forces passed control of the military post in the valley to Afghan troops. Lt. Col. Thomas S. Rickard of the 10th Mountain Division handed over Combat Outpost Tangi to a unit of the Afghan National Army.
"As we lose U.S. personnel, we have to concentrate on the greater populations," Rickard told the U.S. Army website at the time. But the afghan Army did not maintain a permanent presence at the outpost, according to officials of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
As elsewhere, especially in eastern Afghanistan, U.S. forces are now returning to areas previously seen as too remote to focus on or too difficult to defend, where the Taliban and other insurgent groups have filled the vacuum. As they do, the risk of casualties grows - as does the role of U.S. special forces.
The use of U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) in Afghanistan has grown exponentially. In a talk two weeks ago at the Aspen Security Forum, the outgoing commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command, Adm. Eric T. Olson, disclosed that SOF carried out "somewhere between 3,000 and 4,000 operations" in 2010 alone.
"This is now routine, every night....ground forces getting on a helicopter and flying against a target," Olson said.
The template of such operations includes "a quick reaction force on call to render assistance should things go bad," Olson said. In Friday night's attack, it was the quick reaction force, on its way to assist an ongoing mission by Army Rangers, that perished.
Speaking of the Navy SEALs who took part in the mission that killed Osama bin Laden, Adm. Olson made their role sound almost mundane. "For the people involved it was another mission and another target....This is not a force that sits on the second deck of the fire station waiting for the bell to ring every 10 or 15 years. We trace our lessons back to what we did last night."
But he also recognized the huge burden now falling on Special Operations Forces to subdue the Taliban.
"We are beginning to fray around the edges. We are asking an awful lot of our people," he said at the Aspen conference, adding that SOF units were seeing "a lot of separations short of divorce." But 82% of SOF troops who have the choice of leaving or staying in choose the latter, according to Olson. And more will be asked of them. Of the 33,000 U.S. troops due to be withdrawn from Afghanistan by the end of 2012, none will be special forces.
Special Operations Command - drawn from all four branches of the U.S. military - has grown to a strength of 60,000. With a $10 billion budget it is now larger than the U.S. Coast Guard and about the same size as the entire Canadian Defense Force.
And the caliber of its members reflects its special status. Thirty percent are college graduates. They are more experienced than regular soldiers, with an average age of 30, and they volunteer multiple times. Olson says 60% of SOF have joined since September 11, 2001 - and the aim is to keep them in the military for an average of 20 years.
SOF operations in Afghanistan have at times been controversial, the subject of criticism from President Hamid Karzai because of civilian casualties.
In 2010, then-ISAF Commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal tightened rules of engagement after a series of raids involved civilian deaths, although some units remained exempt from the directive. When he took over, Gen. David Petraeus expanded the use of SOF in an effort to drive the Taliban out of Helmand and Kandahar provinces and blunt the Haqqani network further east.
In testimony to Congress in March, Petraeus said: "We have stepped up the tempo of precise, intelligence-driven operations to capture or kill insurgent leaders....In a typical 90-day period, precision operations by U.S. special-mission units and their Afghan partners alone kill or capture some 360 targeted insurgent leaders."
It appears the Army Rangers were involved in just such a mission in Tangi Valley - closing in on Taliban commanders meeting in a village - when they called for reinforcement.
Special Operations Forces remain the sharp end of a multi-pronged approach in Afghanistan. Olson said the strategy marries "the counter-terrorism line of operation and the engagement line of operation - what's been called village stability operations and the development of Afghan local police trying to return neighborhoods back to the neighbors."
It's become known as "clear, hold, build, transition" to win over what are euphemistically called "under-governed spaces."
Such was the aim of commanders in Tangi two years ago.
Lt. Col. Kimo Gallahue, battalion commander for the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, told the Armed Forces Press Service in March 2009: "We'll take the physical terrain from the enemy ... and we'll take the people away, because the people are the prize in this fight."
But even with the surge last year, many areas of Afghanistan rarely see an ISAF soldier. And officers acknowledge that while a platoon can show a presence, it might take a company or more to persuade villagers they are secure. "Successful counter-insurgency is labor intensive," said one officer.
One soldier deployed to Tangi Valley wrote of his experiences on the website AssgnmentAfghanistan in January.
"Few of the villagers are openly hostile towards us, but they are always mindful of the Taliban, who move through the valley at night," he said. "They are in a delicate situation - we Americans have much to offer them, but they know that we will not be in their valley forever, and they know that the (Afghan National Army) and (Afghan National Police) cannot fight the insurgency alone."
Last year, the newspaper Stars and Stripes reported on a planned meeting for farmers in the district.
Two officials from the ministry of agriculture in Kabul backed out at the last minute, fearing for their safety, and not a single farmer showed up, "leaving a handful of American soldiers and a lone U.S. Department of Agriculture representative, sitting on otherwise empty benches in a stiff breeze, with folding tables full of unopened water bottles and unmade tea," the paper reported.
The phrase commonly used in Afghanistan is: "The Americans have the watches, but the Taliban have the time."
@natlsecuritycnn on Twitter
how to dispose of prescription drugs [url=https://pharmacyken.com/ ]pharmacy discount coupons[/url] online pharmacy price checker
is generic cialis from india safe [url=https://cialisjla.com/ ]purchase cialis in canada[/url] cialis liquid for sale
You're so cool! I don't believe I've read through anything like that before. So good to discover somebody with original thoughts on this subject matter. Seriously.. thank you for starting this up. This website is one thing that's needed on the internet, someone with a little originality!
https://reddit.app.link/?channel=mweb_branch&feature=xpromo&campaign=xpromo&$og_redirect=https://sergioa50v2.blogofchange.com/5082002/the-5-second-trick-for-maserati-ghibli-s-q4lease-near-me
Very good article. I'm experiencing some of these issues as well..
http://cgi-central.net/r.php?l=https://automobes.in/history/comment-page-567/
http://www.dmca.com/Protection/Status.aspx?ID=edc817fd-d796-4c84-abb8-d1cb5b2e3719&refurl=http://onefiveent.anavdesign.com/comment/37668
pharmacy global rx reviews [url=https://cjepharmacy.com/ ]online pharmacy technician school[/url] safest online pharmacy
cialis online [url=https://ckacialis.com/ ]online buy cialis[/url] where to buy generic cialis?
Everything is very open with a clear description of the issues. It was truly informative. Your website is useful. Many thanks for sharing!
https://reddit.app.link/?channel=mweb_branch&feature=xpromo&campaign=xpromo&$og_redirect=https://gregoryl21h0.collectblogs.com/46386653/indicators-on-roofing-shingles-near-me-you-should-know
cialis pill cost [url=https://krocialis.com/ ]generic cialis for sale[/url] cialis to buy
I like it when people come together and share views. Great site, continue the good work!
https://rspcb.safety.fhwa.dot.gov/pageRedirect.aspx?RedirectedURL=https://elliotta85r4.blogstival.com/24344802/top-digital-marketing-agency-secrets
This is a topic that is near to my heart... Cheers! Where are your contact details though?
http://www.london.umb.edu/?URL=http://www.ingenieurleistungenreiter.com/index.php?option=com_phocaguestbook&view=phocaguestbook&id=1&Itemid=4&t=2340&limitstart=47640
Good site you have got here.. It’s hard to find high-quality writing like yours nowadays. I truly appreciate individuals like you! Take care!!
https://rspcb.safety.fhwa.dot.gov/pageRedirect.aspx?RedirectedURL=https://andyb58o9.newbigblog.com/5696022/the-2-minute-rule-for-digital-marketing-agency
This is the right webpage for everyone who really wants to find out about this topic. You realize so much its almost tough to argue with you (not that I really would want to…HaHa). You certainly put a fresh spin on a topic which has been discussed for decades. Great stuff, just excellent!
/
http://aps.sn/spip.php?page=clic&id_publicite=366&id_banniere=6&from=/actualites/sports/lutte/article/modou-lo-lac-de-guiers-2-l-autre-enjeu&redirect=https://elliot9w0m6.snack-blog.com/3494384/little-known-facts-about-rv-service-near-me
http://www.ams.ceu.edu/optimal/optimal.php?url=http://www.fleetservicesocrv.com/sprinter-van-windshield-replacement-shop-near-me
http://www.zhhsw.com/home/link.php?url=http://www.ocrv.online
bph cialis dosage [url=https://cialishav.com/ ]cialis mexico pharmacy[/url] cialis 2.5 mg price
http://productinfo.kemppi.com/showroom/open-kemppi-video.php?lang=en&v=arcquality_video1&video=http://sprinterrepairnearme.com/
http://guozhenlai.com/link.php?url=http://sprinterrepairnearme.com/
rx pharmacy richland wa [url=https://pharmacyhrn.com/ ]free online pharmacy technician practice test[/url] pharmacy technician course online free
http://dellsitemap.eub-inc.com/loc.php?url=https://ocrv.guru/
where to buy cialis in canada [url=https://rcialisgl.com/ ]order original cialis online[/url] discount cialis online
cialis american express [url=https://ckacialis.com/ ]cialis soft tabs online[/url] where to buy cialis
https://dealers.webasto.com/UnauthorizedAccess.aspx?Result=denied&Url=http://fleetautorepairshop.com/sprinter-van-alignment-shop-near-me
Your style is so unique in comparison to other folks I have read stuff from. I appreciate you for posting when you've got the opportunity, Guess I will just book mark this page.
http://www.week.co.jp/skion/cljump.php?clid=129&url=http://commercialrepairshop.com/sprinter-van-dent-repair-shop-near-me
Good blog you've got here.. It’s difficult to find excellent writing like yours these days. I honestly appreciate individuals like you! Take care!!
http://action.smartgrowthamerica.org/salsa/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=7&url=https://ocrvart.com
pharmacy school canada [url=https://cjepharmacy.com/ ]the drug store pharmacy columbus ohio[/url] london drugs edmonton canada
http://scanverify.com/siteverify.php?site=rvmarketingexperts.com/
You should take part in a contest for one of the most useful sites on the internet. I most certainly will recommend this blog!
http://forum.ragezone.com/redirect-to/?redirect=https://ocrvcenter.net/
buy brand cialis online [url=https://cialishav.com/ ]buying cialis without a prescription[/url] cialis for sale canada
Your style is so unique compared to other folks I've read stuff from. I appreciate you for posting when you have the opportunity, Guess I'll just bookmark this blog.
https://music-style.info/music-style/rank.cgi?mode=link&id=7897&url=https://postfallsfitness.com
https://www.flash.wakunavi.net/rank.cgi?mode=link&id=333&url=https://ocrvmotorsports.net
I couldn’t refrain from commenting. Exceptionally well written!
http://www.p-hero.com/hsee/rank.cgi?mode=link&id=88&url=http://www.ocrvmotorsports.us/
http://naniwa-search.com/search/rank.cgi?mode=link&id=23&url=https://www.ocrvshop.com
best online pharmacy reddit [url=https://pharmacyhrn.com/ ]online pharmacy store[/url] pharmacy tech jobs in canada
http://directory.broomfieldenterprise.com/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=boxtruckrepairshop.com/promaster-van-conversion-shop-near-me
The next time I read a blog, I hope that it won't fail me as much as this one. After all, I know it was my choice to read through, but I truly believed you'd have something interesting to talk about. All I hear is a bunch of moaning about something that you can fix if you were not too busy seeking attention.
http://www.dorsten.de/Externer_Link.asp?ziel=boxtruckrepairshop.com/truck-dent-repair-shop-near-me
เกมสล็อต 3 มิติ ให้คุณเลือกเล่นอย่างจุใจ พร้อมความสนุกและก็ความท้าทายใหม่ๆที่รอคอยให้ท่านเข้ามาสัมผัสประสบการณ์สุดเจ๋งกับเกมยิงปลา
แข่งม้า รวมทั้งอื่นๆแบบจัดเต็มรวมทั้งอีกหลากหลายความสนุกสนานระดับพรีเมียม พร้อมให้คุณสนุกกระทั่งไม่ต้องการพลาดจากหน้าจอโทรศัพท์มือถือ
ตอบโจทย์ทุกไลฟ์สไตล์ของคนทุกกลุ่ม ไม่ว่าจะอยู่ที่ใดก็สามารถทำเงินได้ทุกขณะ ทุกสถานที่ และก็ที่สำคัญแจ็กพอเพียงตแตกแต่ละวัน คุณอาจเป็นเยี่ยมในผู้โชคดีคนถัดไป
bookmarked!!, I love your blog!
http://1000love.net/lovelove/link.php?url=http://affordableranking.com
differences between viagra levitra and cialis [url=https://cialisjla.com/ ]cialis side effects women[/url] cheapest brand cialis 20mg
https://www.are.na/go?redirect-to=https://fleettruckrepairshop.com/rv-mechanic-shop-near-me
http://www.peterblum.com/releasenotes.aspx?returnurl=https://commercialrepairshop.com/sprinter-van-collision-repair-shop-near-me
http://koromo.co.jp/files/rank.cgi?mode=link&id=1260&url=https://juicycalls.com/
This website really has all of the information and facts I wanted about this subject and didn’t know who to ask.
https://ad.sxp.smartclip.net/optout?url=http://fleetservicesorangecounty.com/truck-repair-shop-near-me-3
cialis where to buy [url=https://krocialis.com/ ]when does cialis go generic[/url] order cialis from canada
Hi, I do believe this is an excellent website. I stumbledupon it 😉 I will revisit once again since i have saved as a favorite it. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and continue to help others.
http://2ch-ranking.net/redirect.php?url=https://spokanevalleywebdesign.com/
http://server.tongbu.com/tbcloud/gmzb/gmzb.aspx?appleid=699470139&from=tui_jump&source=4001&url=http://fleettruckrepairshop.com/rv-maintenance-shop-near-me
https://www.vanpeople.com/space/link.php?url=https://www.internetmarketingmontana.com/
http://admin.kpsearch.com/active/admin/customer/customer_email1_birthday.asp?item=&chname=gnc&strhomeurl=www.fleetservicesocrv.com/box-truck-dent-repair-shop-near-me &ch=283085
There's definately a great deal to know about this issue. I really like all of the points you've made.
https://www.paeria.cat/ang/ajuntament/noticies.asp?Detall=True&IdNoticia=21087&Dia=-1&Mes=-1&Any=2014&IdDepartament=-1&Consulta=False&PaginaAnterior=http://fleetservicesocrv.com/kenworth-truck-repair-shop-near-me
Howdy! I could have sworn Iíve visited this blog before but after going through a few of the articles I realized itís new to me. Anyways, Iím definitely delighted I stumbled upon it and Iíll be book-marking it and checking back frequently!
https://aquarist-classifieds.co.uk/BANNER-MANAGEMENT/click.php?id=44&url=https://juicycalls.com
Great weblog right here! Additionally your web site a lot up fast! What host are you the usage of? Can I get your associate link in your host? I desire my site loaded up as fast as yours lol
https://telegra.ph/Suggestions-To-Picking-Out-A-Motorcycle-Helmet-05-29
Hi, I do believe this is a great web site. I stumbledupon it 😉 I am going to come back once again since i have saved as a favorite it. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and continue to guide others.
http://www.arakhne.org/redirect.php?url=https://fleetservicesocrv.com/van-repair-shop-near-me-2
http://local.kristv.com/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=www.ilovegirlfarts.com
http://services.accredia.it/engines/banner2/jump.jsp?idArea=234&idBanner=2&destination=https://fartfantasy.net/&gTemplate=default.jsp
https://navi-ohaka.com/rank.cgi?mode=link&id=1&url=https://clubinsanitybangkok.com/en/component/k2/item/1-live-at-the?start=907810
https://www.click.dsp.com/c?type=2&db=mediav&pub=120013_527433_1050746&cus=172_663_12717020_63096188_63096188000&url=https://sanityinthewaiting.com/2016/02/dr-caroline-leaf/
This is a topic that is near to my heart... Thank you! Exactly where are your contact details though?
https://wapp.baidu.com/mo/q/checkurl?url=https://www.sprintervanrepairshop.com&referer=wapp.baidu.com
https://www.city.tonami.toyama.jp/search/?mode=bn_ad&url=http://maxieelise.com/summer-vacation-outfits-with-walmart/
/
Aw, this was an exceptionally good post. Spending some time and actual effort to produce a great article… but what can I say… I put things off a lot and never seem to get anything done.
https://prmac.com/external_link.php?release=34382&l=1&url=http://internetmarketingsupply.com
http://media.vol.at/weiterleitung/redirect.asp?id=https://internetmarketingsupply.com
An impressive share! I have just forwarded this onto a friend who was conducting a little research on this. And he in fact bought me breakfast due to the fact that I stumbled upon it for him... lol. So let me reword this.... Thanks for the meal!! But yeah, thanks for spending the time to discuss this issue here on your web site.
https://www.qingms.com/link.php?url=https://www.sfhpurple.com/2224
canada pharma limited llc [url=https://cjepharmacy.com/ ]is buying drugs from canada legal[/url] mexican veterinary pharmacy online
I would like to thank you for the efforts you have put in writing this site. I really hope to view the same high-grade content by you later on as well. In truth, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my own, personal site now 😉
/
Greetings! Very helpful advice in this particular article! It's the little changes which will make the most significant changes. Thanks a lot for sharing!
http://p-hero.com/hsee/rank.cgi?mode=link&id=88&url=cdaseo.com/
allergy [url=https://pharmacyken.com/ ]canada drug pharmacy[/url] prescription drugs for depression
May I simply say what a relief to find somebody who really understands what they are talking about on the web. You definitely realize how to bring a problem to light and make it important. More and more people really need to look at this and understand this side of your story. I was surprised that you aren't more popular since you most certainly have the gift.
http://www.music-style.info/music-style/rank.cgi?mode=link&id=7897&url=https://elixirdrago.com/smartblog/8_Nuevos-enfoques-para-la-conceptualización-y-m.html
onlinecanadianpharmacy [url=https://pharmacyken.com/ ]rx express compounding pharmacy[/url] buying prescription drugs online canada
You made some good points there. I looked on the net for more information about the issue and found most individuals will go along with your views on this website.
https://athemes.ru/go?https://ocrv.fun/rv-repair-shop-lake-view-terrace-california
super cialis [url=https://krocialis.com/ ]free 30 day trial cialis[/url] is there an over the counter cialis?
https://www.iaai.com/VehicleInspection/InspectionProvidersUrl?name=AA Transit Pros Inspection Service&url=https://ocrv.today/construction-truck-collision-repair-paint-shop-near-me-orange-county
cialis 60mg [url=https://cialisjla.com/ ]cialis 80mg[/url] where to buy cialis soft tabs
https://autofans.joj.sk/api/rdr.php?key=Husqvarna+Ambassador&rdr=https://ocrvcenter.co/rv-repair-shop-bell-gardens-california
https://publishing.brookes.ac.uk/?URL=ocrvluxurycoaches.com/rv-repair-shop-la-verne-california
http://manoeksportas.vz.lt/invitePage.do?id=309782144&url=https://ocrv.fun/rv-bathroom-repair-near-me
cialis online mastercard [url=https://ckacialis.com/ ]free cialis no prescription[/url] brand cialis 20 mg
http://chtbl.com/track/118167/ocrvart.com/rv-refrigerator-repair-near-me
http://www.foodprotection.org/a/partners/link/?id=79&url=https://ocrv.xyz/rv-repair-shop-stevenson-ranch-california
https://www.newsletter.viamedica.pl/lt.php?c=1282&m=2481&nl=6&lid=20647&l=https://ocrvmotorcoaches.com/rv-repair-shop-west-hills-california
Having read this I thought it was very informative. I appreciate you taking the time and energy to put this article together. I once again find myself spending a significant amount of time both reading and posting comments. But so what, it was still worth it!
https://affiliates.streamray.com/p/offsite.cgi?http://meticulousjessmarketing.com/
Saved as a favorite, I like your site!
https://cutephp.com/forum/redirect/?q=https://ocrv.world/fleet-truck-collision-repair-paint-shop-near-me-orange-county
Hello there! This blog post could not be written any better! Going through this article reminds me of my previous roommate! He always kept preaching about this. I will forward this information to him. Fairly certain he'll have a very good read. I appreciate you for sharing!
https://www.laosubenben.com/home/link.php?url=https://www.refundfees.com/eldorado-6/comment-page-343/
cialis image [url=https://cialishav.com/ ]cialis and dapoxetine tabs in usa[/url] black ants cialis australia
canadian pharmacy wisconsin [url=https://pharmacyhrn.com/ ]charles raines pharmacy winston-salem nc early drug store[/url] canadian pharmacy 365
I want to use the WayBackMachine to try to retrieve my old Yahoo! 360 Blog posts, but I don't know what the URL format was. So far I am coming up empty. Anybody have an example URL that I can use to reconstruct a valid URL for my old blog? Thanks!.
https://twitter.com/katekdesigns
Excellent post! We will be linking to this particularly great post on our website. Keep up the good writing.
http://doctor-navi.com/cgi/hospital-search-engine2/rank.cgi?mode=link&id=14979&url=ingenieurleistungenreiter.de/index.php?option=com_phocaguestbook&view=phocaguestbook&id=1&Itemid=4&t=680&limitstart=57100
cialis v viagra [url=https://rcialisgl.com/ ]finasteride and cialis[/url] price of cialis
/
https://skioregon.com/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=affordableranking.com
http://www.udonlove.com/link.php?id=8&goto=http://www.affordableranking.com
pharmacy store hours [url=https://cjepharmacy.com/ ]canadian international pharmacy association[/url] canadian pharmacy king complaints
5mg cialis reviews [url=https://cialishav.com/ ]can you take cialis in the morning and viagra at night[/url] cialis manufacturer website
https://studeo.icp.fr/url?https://bulknearme.com
/
http://d-click.abnt.org.br/u/15007/839/7593/11704_0/4a0ff/?url=https://fukushima-nouki.com/blog/archives/1210
/
generis cialis [url=https://ucialisdas.com/ ]what is cialis black[/url] cialis purchase
best time to take viagra https://jokviagra.com/ viagra how it works
https://www.arthobby.com.cn/go.php?url=https://affordableranking.com