Captain's Quarters Comments - Latest Comments in Not Covering Themselves With Glory

Re: Not Covering Themselves With Glory

rob — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 15:08:37 -0000

Bill Roggio reports that the previous fort was besieged by 400-1000 Taliban under Mehsud, and rather than send air support, the gov't lobbed a few artillery shells. When the fort was taken, the Taliban promptly slit the throat of 15 Shia defenders. With that kind of lame support, no wonder the defenders of the next fort walked!
But Stanley Kurz sees it as a good thing, since the gov't was trying to split the Taliban alliance in South Wazirstan, splitting off the Wazir tribe from the Mehsud tribe, which perhaps led to this fort siege thing. Perhaps taking the forts is more indicative of an isolation of the Mehsud tribe than a widespread revolt against the gov't.

Re: Not Covering Themselves With Glory

unclesmrgol — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 12:27:29 -0000

What happened to the hudna?

Re: Not Covering Themselves With Glory

Mercutio — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 12:17:14 -0000

According to an article by Bill Roggio on this attack, the Pakistani troops consisted of "paramilitary soldiers of the Frontier Corps". While I don't have all that much confidence in the ability of the regular Army, I think this may have been a much softer target than a unit of regulars would have been.

Re: Not Covering Themselves With Glory

MrLynn — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:15:56 -0000

True, but Onelineanalyst's links say that the Taliban are operating in battalion-size units, which requires bases and organization. There are also dozens of training camps just waiting to be bombed.

/Mr Lynn

Re: Not Covering Themselves With Glory

exhelodrvr — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 10:25:17 -0000

I had the same thought. Large-scale actions are much easier to identify and target, and have a much higher payoff. With that big "IF" on the capability of the Pakistani army.

Re: Not Covering Themselves With Glory

gregdn — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 10:16:47 -0000

They attacked the fort but didn't even try tohold it. That should tell you that they're still operating as a guerilla force.

Re: Not Covering Themselves With Glory

MrLynn — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 09:10:29 -0000

If the Taliban are starting to act like traditional armies, that may make them easier to target and eliminate--IF the Pakistani army were competent to do so.

Conceivably a pincer strategy might work, Americans from Afghanistan and Pakis (with American 'advisors') from Pakistan. Musharraf would be a fool not to give permission.

/Mr Lynn

Re: Not Covering Themselves With Glory

onlineanalyst — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 07:36:09 -0000

Last evening Andy McCarthy in "The Corner" at NRO linked to some disturbing elements in Bill Roggio's blog "The Long War Journal". The number of jihadist warriors and training camps in Waziristan raises a lot of alarms.

Both Pakistan and Afghanistan may be bracing for some bloody business soon.