Operation Moshtarak Thread: Afghan flag hoisted over Marjah

[Ahmad]

Again you started personal attacks indication of your weakness.

She is giving you the taste of your own medicine.

 

[Thomas]

In gurrllia war following factor play major role

1.Environment
2.Congo(fighting spirit)
3 Experience

In all these three important areas ISAF is lacking far behind the Talaban Mujahdeen, Hence chances of their success is very low.

Heavy weapons and air support are not much important in Guerrilla war fare.

Here you go again Fundamentalist. Talking about something you know nothing about. Here are some the prerequisites for a successful guerrilla Campaign.

1. Popular support. Support can be passive or active. It is not necessary that the entire population actively support an insurgency, but the majority of the population must passively support it. During the Soviet invasion there was wide support. Something the Taliban lack now.

2. Unity of effort. The overall thrust of an insurgent movement must provide a strength of unity that dedicates those involved to achieving the same goal.

3. Will to resist. It is not enough for the population to resist their government passively; at least a portion must be willing to resist actively.

4. Leadership. The activities and effort of the insurgent movement must be properly directed through the exercise of effective leadership.

5. Discipline. The aspect of the movement must be strongly maintained to ensure security and obedience.

6. Intelligence. Because the insurgent movement is usually inferior in numbers and combat power in relation to government forces, the intelligence effort must provide security for the insurgent organization and information to conduct successful operations.

7. Propaganda. It is used to gain popular support and intensify the populace's dissatisfaction with the government.

8. Favorable environment. This includes attitudes of the people, the political environment, and the economic situation.

9. External support. The preceding eight conditions are theoretically the only ones that an insurgency must have to succeed. Historically, however, there seems to be one additional condition that must exist the condition of external support. This support may be physical or psychological. Examples of physical external support are equipment, weapons, supplies, ammunition, sanctuaries, personnel, and combat units. Examples of psychological external support include the political support given to the resistance when a country recognizes that movement in the world arena and the pressure a government might exert politically or economically to influence world opinion in favor of the movement.


In the interest of time (it's 4am here) I will not go much into counter insurgency at this time. It is a broad topic that can take up a whole page of it's own. I will say though that the U.S. has vast first hand experience in fighting a counter insurgency campaign. The thousands of Taliban that have died since they were driven from power attest to that fact. And with the U.S. being able to divert attention from Iraq to Afghanistan more and more. Expect a marked increase in Taliban deaths.

However there is always much to learn. Anyone that's says they know it all are fools. However one of the keys to a good counter insurgency campaign. Is to always be teachable and willing to change tactics depending on the situation. As with any protracted war though mistakes will happen. The question is do you learn from them.

 

[booo]

another stupid hallucinated, un educated & illiterate comment by Funda-mental-ist

First you talked about temperature in direct sunlight, you yourself said that temperature in direct sunlight can reach above 90-C, you bring me just one scientific proof that where on God's Earth temperature reached 80-90C & i will walk out

now you have reached the temperature in car, looool
even inside cars the temperature cannot reach 80-90C knowing that there is something which exists by the name of air conditioner, I challenge you to prove me wrong

Again you started personal attacks indication of your weakness.

When you engage in discussion better learn to behave in positive way and be reasonable.

A little bit of googling will give you the answer world's hottest place - Google Search

A third of the world's land is deserted, mostly hot, dry deserts in which life has little to no chance of surviving. These deserts are some of the hottest places in the world. A good example is El Azizia, in northern Africa, which recorded 150°F (66°C) in 1922. Scientists believe this is not, in fact, the hottest place in the world, but it's certainly the hottest where humans have ever set foot. Death Valley, encompassing a good portion of both Nevada and California, is a close contingent for the hottest place in the world, with temperatures reaching 134°F (56.6°C) on more than one occasion.

Now, where did you get this 90°C numbers from?

 

[DaRk WaVe]

Again you started personal attacks indication of your weakness.

When you engage in discussion better learn to behave in positive way and be reasonable.

I am sorry , your highness but i have not done any personal attack & i don't need to tell people around about the personal attacks been done by you, your highness

if you have answer for my question then please answer it & prove me wrong & i will walk out & moreover a person who is telling that in Desert temperature reached is 80-90C has got no right to educate us about been 'reasonable'

thanks

 

[waraich66]

I am sorry , your highness but i have not done any personal attack & i don't need to tell people around about the personal attacks been done by you, your highness

if you have answer for my question then please answer it & prove me wrong & i will walk out & moreover a person who is telling that in Desert temperature reached is 80-90C has got no right to educate us about been 'reasonable'

thanks

It is important to note that when atmospheric temperatures are recorded it is not the surface temperature, where it can sometimes reach 150° F/ 66° C, but rather the air temperature at about 5 feet (1.6 m) above the surface in an enclosed shelter. Of course, it's important that the temperature sensor is not exposed to direct sunlight - the shelter is louvered to permit air flow across the sensor. Most humans don't 'hang out' where some of the hottest tempertatures on earth are regularly experienced so there aren't a lot of meterological stations in these places to reliably record extreme temperatures.

Hottest Place on Earth

 

[S-2]

"Death Valley, encompassing a good portion of both Nevada and California, is a close contingent for the hottest place in the world, with temperatures reaching 134°F (56.6°C) on more than one occasion."

I lived as a child in Ft. Irwin, California on the edge of Death Valley. I've trained as a soldier there and in Twentynine Palms, California where there's a HUGE U.S. Marine Corps Base and is less than 150miles away in miserable desert.

How miserable? A medic stuck a thermometer in the ground one day and recorded a ground temperature of 132F. We've spent years in Iraq and years in Kandahar/Helmand. Nobody likes that heat but, given all the equipment we carry, our troops do just fine and might understand living and fighting in the desert as well as any military in the world. Not better, mind you, but at least as well.

Thanks.

 

[waraich66]

A little bit of googling will give you the answer world's hottest place - Google Search

A third of the world's land is deserted, mostly hot, dry deserts in which life has little to no chance of surviving. These deserts are some of the hottest places in the world. A good example is El Azizia, in northern Africa, which recorded 150°F (66°C) in 1922. Scientists believe this is not, in fact, the hottest place in the world, but it's certainly the hottest where humans have ever set foot. Death Valley, encompassing a good portion of both Nevada and California, is a close contingent for the hottest place in the world, with temperatures reaching 134°F (56.6°C) on more than one occasion.

Now, where did you get this 90°C numbers from?

It is important to note that when atmospheric temperatures are recorded it is not the surface temperature, where it can sometimes reach 150° F/ 66° C, but rather the air temperature at about 5 feet (1.6 m) above the surface in an enclosed shelter. Of course, it's important that the temperature sensor is not exposed to direct sunlight - the shelter is louvered to permit air flow across the sensor. Most humans don't 'hang out' where some of the hottest tempertatures on earth are regularly experienced so there aren't a lot of meterological stations in these places to reliably record extreme temperatures.

Hottest Place on Earth

90Deg C and above under direct sun light is possible in desert

 

[Ahmad]

It is important to note that when atmospheric temperatures are recorded it is not the surface temperature, where it can sometimes reach 150° F/ 66° C, but rather the air temperature at about 5 feet (1.6 m) above the surface in an enclosed shelter. Of course, it's important that the temperature sensor is not exposed to direct sunlight - the shelter is louvered to permit air flow across the sensor. Most humans don't 'hang out' where some of the hottest tempertatures on earth are regularly experienced so there aren't a lot of meterological stations in these places to reliably record extreme temperatures.

Hottest Place on Earth

Have you ever been in war in your life? I havent fought a war, but have experiened and wittnessing it first hand myself. I was being caught in cross fire as a civilian. It has almost happened many many times to us in our lives that you couldnt imagine, we were actually used to such situation - 30 years of war is not a joke, we have spent all our life this way. When you are in war, all those condditions wont affect you as you dont think about all those things, cold, hot etc. you simply focus on the battle if you are a soldier and if you are a civilian caught in the battlefield like me, you will try to save your life and find somewhere safe. Trust me the extreme cold never affected us during the battle time. it might affect you in cold like Siberia or hot in Africa, but certainly not in Afghanistan.

 

[DaRk WaVe]

It is important to note that when atmospheric temperatures are recorded it is not the surface temperature, where it can sometimes reach 150° F/ 66° C, but rather the air temperature at about 5 feet (1.6 m) above the surface in an enclosed shelter. Of course, it's important that the temperature sensor is not exposed to direct sunlight - the shelter is louvered to permit air flow across the sensor. Most humans don't 'hang out' where some of the hottest tempertatures on earth are regularly experienced so there aren't a lot of meterological stations in these places to reliably record extreme temperatures.

Hottest Place on Earth

90Deg C and above under direct sun light is possible in desert

where the hell is written that there is going to be a temperature difference of like 30 C between the surface & 5 feet above the surface
do you know Hot air is less dense and experiences a buoyant force, just like a bubble of air in water. A temperature difference of 30 C means there will no gas on the surface at all, how are those snakes living in desert

Helmand Desert is not among the hottest deserts
anyways I give up

 

[DaRk WaVe]

​

 

[Tiger Awan]

Fundamentalist I have many friends who are joining army. Some as combat soldiers and some as Engineers and Doctors.

With those who are in PMA I have no contact for 6 months (until they are on leave) but I tell you what the training even the engineers are having is good to make them strong enough to face hot climates.

Can not imagine i have to tell you these basic things.

Are all army generals fool?

They can not imagine that the equipment their soldiers are using will cease to work in Helmand?

 

[Patriot]

9 years and now trying to clear a major part of Afghanistan.Speaks a lot about their capability.

 

[DaRk WaVe]

​

 

[S-2]

The thermometer story was simply an illustration. However, I can assure it only varied by 10-15F from the ambient air temp.

Lunacy to even entertain this guy's drivel.

Thanks.

 

[Thomas]

Elite U.S. Marines Airdropped Into Taliban-Held Territory

Elite U.S. Marines Airdropped Into Taliban-Held Territory - Afghanistan | Map | War - FOXNews.com

MARJAH, Afghanistan — Elite Marine recon teams were dropped behind Taliban lines by helicopter Friday as the U.S.-led force stepped up operations to break resistance in the besieged insurgent stronghold of Marjah.

About two dozen Marines were inserted before dawn into an area where skilled Taliban marksmen are known to operate, an officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of security concerns.

Other squads of Marines and Afghans, marching south in a bid to link up with Marine outposts there and expand their territory, came under sniper fire and rocket attacks by midday. The rattle of machine-gun fire and the thud of mortars echoed nearby.

The Marjah offensive, now in its seventh day, is the biggest since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan and a test of President Barack Obama's strategy for reversing the rise of the Taliban while protecting civilians.

A NATO statement said troops were still meeting "some resistance" from insurgents who engage them in firefights, but homemade bombs remain the key threat to allied and Afghan forces.

Six coalition troops were killed Thursday, NATO said, making it the deadliest day since the offensive began. The death toll so far is 11 NATO troops and one Afghan soldier. Britain's Defense Ministry said two British soldiers were among those killed Thursday.

No precise figures on Taliban deaths have been released, but senior Marine officers say intelligence reports suggest more than 120 have died. The officers spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.

As U.S. and Afghan troops moved south Friday, they continued to sweep through houses, searching for bombs and questioning residents.

One man came forward to the Marines and revealed a Taliban position a mile away. The man, who was not identified for security reasons, said he was angry because insurgents had earlier taken over his home.

He gave U.S. forces detailed information, saying more than a dozen Taliban fighters were waiting to ambush troops there. The position was rigged with dozens of homemade bombs and boobytraps, he said.

"Some of them are from here. Some are from Pakistan. Some are from other countries, but they don't let us come close to them so I don't know where they are from," said poppy farmer Mohammad Jan, 35, a father of four.

Brig. Gen. Mohiudin Ghori, who is in charge of Afghan troops in the offensive, said security responsibilities in a few sections of town, including the main bazaar, had been turned over to Afghan police, although they will continue to get assistance from Afghan soldiers.

"Police in the area need support from ANA (Afghan National Army) all the time," he said.

Ghori said five suspected militants who had stashed Afghan army and police uniforms in their homes had been arrested. They were handed over to intelligence services, he said. Infiltration of police and army ranks by insurgents has been a constant concern.

U.S. and Afghan troops encountered skilled sharpshooters and better-fortified Taliban positions Thursday, indicating that insurgent resistance in their logistics and opium-smuggling center was far from crushed.

A Marine general said Thursday that U.S. and Afghan allied forces controlled the main roads and markets in town, but fighting raged elsewhere in the southern farming town.

Brig. Gen. Larry Nicholson, commander of U.S. Marines in Marjah, told The Associated Press that allied forces had taken control of the main roads, bridges and government centers in the town of 80,000 people about 360 miles southwest of Kabul.

"I'd say we control the spine" of the town, Nicholson said as he inspected the Marines' front line in the north of the dusty, mud-brick town. "We're where we want to be."

British Maj. Gen. Nick Carter, NATO commander in southern Afghanistan, told reporters in Washington via a video hookup that he expects it could take another 30 days to secure Marjah.

Throughout Thursday, U.S. Marines pummeled insurgents with mortars, sniper fire and missiles as gunbattles intensified. Taliban fighters fired back with rocket-propelled grenades and rifles, some of the fire far more accurate than Marines have faced in other Afghan battles.

The increasingly accurate sniper fire — and strong intelligence on possible suicide bomb threats — indicated that insurgents from outside Marjah are still operating within the town, Nicholson said.

Under NATO's "clear, hold, build" strategy, the allies plan to secure the area and then rush in a civilian Afghan administration, restore public services and pour in aid to try to win the loyalty of the population in preventing the Taliban from returning.