Posted on 02/11/2007 9:48:08 AM PST by voletti
Asserting a right to self-defense, American forces in eastern Afghanistan have launched artillery rounds into Pakistan to strike Taliban fighters who attack remote U.S. outposts, the commander of U.S. forces in the region said Sunday.
The skirmishes are politically sensitive because Pakistan's government, regarded by the Bush administration as an important ally against Islamic extremists, has denied that it allows U.S. forces to strike inside its territory.
The use of the largely ungoverned Waziristan area of Pakistan as a haven for Taliban and al-Qaida fighters has become a greater irritant between Washington and Islamabad since Pakistan put in place a peace agreement there in September that was intended to stop cross-border incursions.
Army Col. John W. Nicholson, commander of the 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, said in an Associated Press interview that rather than halt such incursions, the peace deal has led to a substantial increase.
Pakistani border forces, which had been active in stopping Taliban incursions into Afghanistan as recently as last spring, stopped offensive actions against them once the peace deal took effect, he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
Time to stop playing niceguy and give the enemy as good as we're getting. No more reconstruction BS. Hit to kill, not to rebuild. IMHO, of course.
I wonder if we're using any of the new GPS-guided munitions? If so, it's got to be devastating. With some of the new artillery, they can fire multiple rounds to impact simultaneously, either on a single point or along a whole line. No diving for cover after the first round, because everything blows up around you.
we should have done this as soon as bin laden crossed the border back in the early days of the WOT.
They've been suckering us for years now.
I've always been saying iuts time the admin make the balkanization of porkistan into its constituent provinces a policy objective. The indians, israelis, russians and afghans would be VERY glad to help.
This is an important development and in my mind signals the beginning of a hot pursuit policy. At least I hope so.
We have been doing this since 2004, we have always had a hot pursuit accord with the Pakistani's. We limit its use to targets with some form of eyes on due to the tendency of the taliban to claim we shell innocent civilians. In one day in november of 2004 we killed over 200 (est) taliban inside Pakistan with artillery. The GoP screamed bloody murder we just smiled and said to bad so sad, after this is when the Pak army went into Waziristan in force and lost 3000 killed and wounded before they signed a peace deal with the taliban.
It is already reported that Mullah Omar is living in Quetta.
The one I was recalling was a single computerized artillery piece that could reload itself and fire so rapidly that it could launch up to (I think) 10 shells to land at the same time. Pretty cool. Also cool that we could do this before, but I'm sure GPS-guided shells would make it even more effective.
I think you're talking about the so-called "time on target" technique -- a popular and effective tactic since WWI.
Gee, if its their territory, maybe they should actually try to control it. If not, then STFU.
The Queen of Battle..Artillery...gained an improved mantle with GPS guided rounds.
Also think 81's have some similar capabity in developement.
Forget TOT...GPS targeting is a whole new ball game.
No "come left 100 and fire for effect"...now it's just watch for my GPS or laser spotter.
Actually scary if you're on the ground. Did'nt know it was that much in service.
Luckily, no receiving experience.
It will be interesting to see where this goes or how long it lasts.
I thought the Army had retrained and converted many of the artillerymen into other MOSs, especially since the insurgency in Iraq started?
When needed every soldier is an 11B.
Having been an airborne para rigger during my 'line' duties in the miltary; I claim ignorance to arty. tactics. What I DO see now, is a slight shift in ROE, for the better. Whether it's because of Gates appointment, or an in theater change of command, I don't know?
I am aware, however, I do remember a move to make a bunch of the arty folks into MPs and some other MOSs.
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