US homes in on militants in Pakistan

Asia Times Online ^ | Jan 30, 2008 | Syed Saleem Shahzad

[gandalftb]

KARACHI - Another piece of the United States' regional jigsaw is in place with the completion of a military base in Afghanistan's Kunar province, just three kilometers from Bajaur Agency in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

Pakistani intelligence has confirmed that the base, on a mountain top in Ghakhi Pass overlooking Pakistan, is now operational.

The new US base is expected to serve as the center of clandestine special forces' operations in the border region.

A senior Pakistani security official explained, "American special forces have carried out clandestine operations in the past, and Pakistan was not informed. The Taliban and al-Qaeda also did not realize what was happening with the quick-as-a-wink hit-and-run operations in the tribal areas.

"However, with the new Kunar base, American special forces will carry out extended operations, which means a limited war against Taliban and al-Qaeda assets in the tribal areas. These clandestine operations can be done with or without Pakistan's consent."

US intelligence spotted bin Laden's deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, twice in Bajaur Agency and attacked the area with Predator drones. Taliban sources tell that Zawahiri had been moving in the area for more than 30 hours before he was spotted and targeted. Apparently, he was to meet with bin Laden.

The militants, linked to a particular branch of al-Qaeda called the Tafkiris, are preparing for an Iraq-style guerrilla battle against Pakistan. The Tafkiris include Tahir Yuldashev, leader of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Sheikh Essa, Pakistani Baitullah Mehsud and some factions of banned Pakistani militant organizations.

[ilgipper]

“The new US base is expected to serve as the center of clandestine special forces’ operations in the border region.”

With everyone bitching and compaining about Bush and Rumsfeld and the like, I think items like this show that both men deserve lots of credit for taking it to the enemy and reformulating our global strategy to meet today's challenges. Bases in Afghanistan and Iraq - two things thought impossible by conventional wisdom 10 years ago. Now we are close to most of the nations hotspots.

[freema]

The article has a few very interesting paragraphs at the end.

[Marine_Uncle]

Over the next few years the Taliban, al Qaeda and other radical Islamic groups will be systematically neutralized in Pakistan as well as Afghanistan. Neither government can afford to not allow us to continue to help them rid their countries of these people. The western world has to come to the point where it realizes the GWOT is a long process.
Meanwhile, most likely the Iraqi nation will continue to move ahead in a general right direction and become very stable. The repercussions are being felt across the ME. ME countries are being forced to face the radical Islamic issues of this time. Fundamental concepts GWB has enumerated time in again, will slowly sink into the minds of the Arab and other Muslim dominated states.
Freedom of choice, the right to fair and effective government, etc., shall continue to build. Slowly, the old world's mental makeup will accept the new world's concepts of freedom and equality. But it shall take time.

[Chgogal]

In case you missed this article. It is interesting. Syed Saleem Shahzad of Asia Times interviews Ismail July 17, 2007. Ismail says the following:

“The Bajaur area has been hit twice by Central Intelligence Agency predator drones, one specifically after Zawahiri. However, at a time when al-Qaeda is reactivated and the Taliban’s main focus is to lay siege of Kabul, via adjacent Nooristan province in Afghanistan, aerial surveillance is considered insufficient.

As a result, a large US base is under construction on a mountaintop at Ghakhi Pass on the Pakistan-Afghanistan (Bajaur) border.

Militants believe this is in preparation for an operation inside Pakistan to clamp down on them as well as to renew the hunt for bin Laden and his associates. As a result, the militants have attacked the new base in an attempt to delay its construction.

“This is a matter of life and death for the mujahideen. We will shed our blood, but we will never let this base be completed,” Dr Ismail told Asia Times Online while standing at the grave of his son, who was killed a few weeks ago by US forces while attacking the base.

The tall and well-built Ismail is the leader of the TNSM and a main source of inspiration for the jihadis in Bajaur. “My son sacrificed his life against American designs to build this base over our heads. I shall never allow them to complete it, I will fight till my last.”

This article is very interesting in light of gandalftb’s post.
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/IG17Df03.html

Well, it looks like by just building the base we won a battle! You may want to take a gander. The pictures in the article are supposed to be about 3 clicks from the base.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

I have been hunting for this place on Google Earth and not finding it.

Nothing stays a secret in that country. If this "base" was just a one night stand laager the locals would know and gossip about it for weeks. Everybody out there has known about this place for six months.

My Dad was sent to a hill top overlooking Injun Country.

[Chgogal]

I have spent 2 hours doing the same thing! And I have failed. :(

You father was at Nui Ba Den? Amazing! What did he tell you?

[Marine_Uncle]

This base is indicative we have no plans on retreating from the GWOT in Afghanistan and by default Pakistan. Things are really only starting to heat up.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

He was there several times to repair the "communications" equipment, which I suspect was navigational aids for aircraft interdicting the Ho Chi Minh Trail. They got hit a lot up there. Mr. Charles was not a good neighbor.

High ground is always key terrain. With quality optics and long range weapons you can play King of the Mountain over a big area.

[PGalt]

Thanks for the link. Interesting article. We are on offense. The 7th century cave-dwellers are struggling with it.

[DoughtyOne]

Very good. Thanks for the link.

It’s Iraq all over again. Draw them in, mow ‘em down.