Taliban hampered by dead commanders

[MKSheppard]

Linka

Taliban 'stalled by lack of commanders'
By Thomas Harding in Lashkah Gah
Last Updated: 2:47am BST 23/05/2007

The Taliban's much-vaunted spring offensive has stalled apparently due to lack of organisation after dozens of middle-ranking commanders were killed by British troops in the past year, according to military sources.
The death last week of the key Taliban leader Mullah Dadullah at the hands of American special forces has harmed the Taliban's morale to the point that local commanders are having to tell their troops to "remain professional" despite the loss.

After suffering more than 1,000 dead in battles with the Parachute Regiment and Royal Marines in the last year, the Taliban retired to regroup and re-equip last winter.

A spring offensive was ordered by the Taliban leadership based in Quetta, Pakistan, and was meant to be launched in late March.

But a lack of mid-level commanders has meant that there has been little co-ordination to bring about the offensive.
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"They are getting strategic guidance from Quetta but this is not translating on the ground," a military source said.

"It's a bit premature to discuss the Taliban as a spent force. I believe that they are struggling but still maintain a capability to carry out attacks on a daily basis. But I would suggest in the long term the Taliban may just peter out."

Of the five main Taliban leaders who managed to escape in the 2001 fighting only two are at large, including Mullah Omar, the spiritual leader, who is living on the Pakistan border.

British commanders are still braced for a possible upsurge in attacks over the summer.

An "increase in enemy tempo" is expected and already the number of clashes has risen from five a day to 15, lasting from 10 minutes to 11 hours.

Within Helmand there is a small group of "irreconcilable" Taliban leading a force of about 1,000, which is reinforced by Chechen, Arab and Uzbek fighters. Some are part-time farmers supplementing their income by earning $25 a day by fighting.

After clearing and establishing a foothold in the area the British force has been able to begin rebuilding roads and other projects. They have also dispelled some Taliban propaganda that claimed the British would rape their women and steal their poppy crops.

Afghanistan's most famous woman MP has been thrown out of the country's parliament for saying that her fellow parliamentarians are less competent than farmyard animals.

MPs voted by a large majority to suspend Malalai Joya, 29, until the end of the current parliament in 2010 after her remarks were broadcast in an interview on Afghan television.

During the interview broadcast on Tolo TV, Miss Joya said that her fellow legislators were: "worse than cows or donkeys". Comparisons to donkeys are considered particularly hurtful in Afghan culture.

[Elaro]

Well, it's good to know we're doing some good.

Afghanistan's most famous woman MP has been thrown out of the country's parliament for saying that her fellow parliamentarians are less competent than farmyard animals.

MPs voted by a large majority to suspend Malalai Joya, 29, until the end of the current parliament in 2010 after her remarks were broadcast in an interview on Afghan television.

During the interview broadcast on Tolo TV, Miss Joya said that her fellow legislators were: "worse than cows or donkeys". Comparisons to donkeys are considered particularly hurtful in Afghan culture.

What was she thinking? If you have to insult politicians, at least insult ones from other countries.

They have also dispelled some Taliban propaganda that claimed the British would rape their women and steal their poppy crops.

Ah, see, the Talibans were confusing the modern "Tommy"* British soldiers with the older "Redcoat" model. Those do the pillage and raping.**


*Yeah, so I don't know the nickname for a modern british infantryman. So sue me.

**According to Bernard Cornwell.

[wolveraptor]

w00t. Clearly the Taliban has a more conventional military structure than Al Quaeda, or the Iraqi insurgents. That makes combat with them all the easier. Until they learn not to fight on our terms, they'll keep getting creamed.

[The Duchess of Zeon]

I love the fact that the article openly acknowledges that the headquarters of the organized enemy force that we're fighting in Afghanistan is inside of a country which is supposedly our ally in that same war!

[Aaron]

I love the fact that the article openly acknowledges that the headquarters of the organized enemy force that we're fighting in Afghanistan is inside of a country which is supposedly our ally in that same war!

Well it's not exactly a secret. It's been known that the Taliban have been operating out of Pakistan for some time. And Pakistan was good enough to sign a peace treaty with the tribal region, thereby giving the Taliban virtually free run of the place. Perhaps when the US finally pulls out of Iraq they can deploy significant forces along the border but untill then it's going to remain pretty porous, as Pakistan seems pretty content to sit on their ass in this matter.

[Zor]

Here is to those who fought and died to bring us this victory.

Zor