Taliban kill 10 French paratroopers, raid US base

News Type: Event — Seeded on Tue Aug 19, 2008 1:15 PM EDT

Article Source: The New York Times

SUROBI, Afghanistan (AP) -- Insurgents ambushed a group of French paratroopers as they climbed a mountain pass, killing 10 soldiers in a militant stronghold outside the capital. In a separate coordinated attack, a team of suicide bombers tried unsuccessfully to storm a U.S. base near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

The deaths of the French soldiers on Monday marked the biggest single combat loss for international forces in Afghanistan in more than three years.

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5.8

{"commentId":2503947,"authorDomain":"luckydog"}

luckydog

Another example of the folly of being tied down in the occupation of Iraq while our troops are so desperately needed in Afghanistan.

{"commentId":2503947,"threadId":"334947","contentId":"1762864","authorDomain":"luckydog"}

4 votes

#1 - Tue Aug 19, 2008 1:17 PM EDT

{"commentId":2504146,"authorDomain":"myriver"}

River-239955

I've seen something to the tune of 5 terror attacks in different countries posted here on newsvine in the last 2 or so hours. Did they just declare war on the world today or something?

{"commentId":2504146,"threadId":"334947","contentId":"1762864","authorDomain":"myriver"}

2 votes

#1.1 - Tue Aug 19, 2008 1:32 PM EDT

{"commentId":2507121,"authorDomain":"luckydog"}

luckydog

As the Bush administration has lulled us into a false sense of security; "the surge is working, the surge is working" while failing to address the real causes of terrorism, we sometimes forget that the real world and Bushworld are not one and the same.

{"commentId":2507121,"threadId":"334947","contentId":"1762864","authorDomain":"luckydog"}

1 vote

#1.2 - Tue Aug 19, 2008 5:16 PM EDT

{"commentId":2507331,"authorDomain":"RETLAW"}

RETLAW

luckydog--although the surge was in Iraq and this incident was in Afghanistan, the point is the same. Looks like the muslim extremeists just packed up and moved after the surge began and now the same terrorists are in Afghanistan. I wonder whether we could kill all the terrorists or whether the self-regenerate??

{"commentId":2507331,"threadId":"334947","contentId":"1762864","authorDomain":"RETLAW"}

1 vote

#1.3 - Tue Aug 19, 2008 5:32 PM EDT

{"commentId":2507746,"authorDomain":"luckydog"}

luckydog

I don't know that the terrorists have packed up and left Iraq and moved to Afghanistan as I am not sure how many were actually in Iraq or were really Iraqis with their own agenda. I suspect many Iraqi insurgents are just laying low to see how the winds are going to blow and that could change at any time.
In my opinion in Afghanistan you have to reach the rural population (most of the population of Afghanistan) and give them real reasons to support the central government by improving their lives. To do that you have to have enough troops to really suppress the Taliban and train and equip a solid Afghan army while providing security for aid workers and reconstruction. Once you change those loyalties and give them a good reason to hold onto that change then I don't think the Taliban will ever be able to come back.

{"commentId":2507746,"threadId":"334947","contentId":"1762864","authorDomain":"luckydog"}

1 vote

#1.4 - Tue Aug 19, 2008 6:03 PM EDT

{"commentId":2510318,"authorDomain":"RoguePawn"}

Rogue Pawn

Jones, the RAND analyst, said insurgents are benefiting from a learning process that comes with years of fighting. They are exploiting vulnerable spots more effectively and increasingly using intelligence to their advantage. Safe havens in Pakistan also aid their effectiveness, he said.

The "learning process" includes the migration of tactics and techniques from Iraq to Afghanistan. IEDs and suicide attacks did not happen in OEF until after their implementation in OIF. An unanticipated 2nd or 3rd order effect to be sure. The resumption of mass attacks with the integration of these new TTPs shows a strategic shift for al-Qaeda.

It almost seems like they want us to shift focus back to Afghanistan or drag us into Pakistan. Has Iraq really been effectively shut down for their operations or is there something more deliberate at work here? This whole argument encourages the shift of forces from Iraq. Can they achieve more of their goals with a broader war in Afghanistan? Are they interested in bringing Pakistan tribal areas further into the battle zone? What additional support would that win them?

The political situation in Pakistan makes that country ripe as the next cause celeb for al-Qaeda. Maybe they see an opportunity. The prospect of the West fighting on allied soil might work in their favor to discredit the US effort in the region and gain them more popular support.

{"commentId":2510318,"threadId":"334947","contentId":"1762864","authorDomain":"RoguePawn"}

2 votes

#2 - Tue Aug 19, 2008 10:38 PM EDT

{"commentId":2511216,"authorDomain":"luckydog"}

luckydog

Our presence in Iraq tends to promote violence rather than decrease it and yes I think that there might be and probably is plans by a number of groups in Iraq to destabilize it for any number of reasons both before and after (if ever) we leave. I think our military can be more effective stationed outside the borders of Iraq rather than inside as far as promoting stability.

{"commentId":2511216,"threadId":"334947","contentId":"1762864","authorDomain":"luckydog"}

1 vote

#2.1 - Wed Aug 20, 2008 12:31 AM EDT

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LUCKYDOG

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Taliban kill 10 French paratroopers, raid US base

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