Posted on 12/23/2008 11:19:35 AM PST by NormsRevenge
Washington – The Pentagon is likely to send up to 20 Special Forces teams to Afghanistan this spring, part of a new long-term strategy to boost the Afghan security forces' ability to counter the insurgency there themselves.
The "surge" of elite Special Forces units would represent a multiyear effort aimed at strengthening the Afghan National Army and police units that the US sees as key to building up Afghanistan's security independence, say defense officials who asked to remain anonymous because the controversial decision has not yet been announced. The US already plans to send thousands of additional conventional forces to Afghanistan sometime next year. But it is hamstrung by limited availability since so many of those forces are still in Iraq.
The deployment of the Green Berets, the independent, multifaceted force skilled at training indigenous forces, could fill critical gaps in Afghanistan almost immediately, defense officials say.
--snip--
On Monday, the Pentagon formally announced that about 2,800 members of the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division will be sent to Afghanistan this spring as part of the conventional forces deployed there. Once he assumes office, Barack Obama is expected to receive recommendations about how fast a drawdown can occur in Iraq – and how many forces can be sent to Afghanistan.
The deployment of the additional Green Berets has not yet been approved, but a senior defense official indicated it was very likely and would be finalized next month.
The deployment would be relatively small, probably only a few hundred individuals at first. Ultimately, other special operations forces, such as marines from Special Operations Command, Air Force special operators, and Navy Seals could be deployed under the plan.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
It is nice and a plus, but who thinks 240 men (even if they are highly trained, motivated, equipped and lead) are going to win the war in a country bigger than Texas with terrian worse than the Rockies...?
http://www.goarmy.com/special_forces/index.jsp?fl=false
Army’s Special Forces also known as Green Berets
The Green Berets’ job is not to actually do the bulk of the fighting but to make alliances with local villagers and train THEM to fight. It worked well in late 2001 and early 2002, but apparently those guys were pulled out of Afghanistan and sent to Iraq when the insurgency broke out there in 2003. Good news that they’re going back to take on the revived Taliban.
Who do you think got the Northern Alliance on-track, back in 2002? The Special Forces guys played a huge role in winning that war.
Each SF Group is tasked to a particular region of the world so that they may learn the language & culture that they will be dealing with. The problem is that the 5th SF Group normally tasked to cover Afghanistan is the same one that covers the Mid-East (Iraq). These troops have been on a deployment merry go-round since 2001. Other Groups have tried to cover, but they lack the language skills for the most part.
It’s one thing to piss off the neighbors, but can ya imagine getting a bunch of Green Berets mad and after ya?
Exactly.
Those 240 SF troops will become several thousand strong once they begin to intermingle with sympathetic locals. They'll get the best toys and be used in key operations where they'll exploit the most bang for the buck.
The Afghan theater is a prime use of these troops.
So now that Zero will be putting them there, Will code pink be happy?
code pink and its members should be duct tapped to pine trees in the Everglades for a night or two.
They’re Special Forces, they can fight, but that’s not their real job. They Liberate the Oppressed.
They’re not going to win the fight it themselves - they going to make friends with some of the less hostile locals, bring ‘em over to our side, train ‘em up, then send them into battle against Al Qaeda and the Talibunnies. When they kick terrorist butt and come back with a lot of loot, a bunch more will be clamoring to join.
Don’t think of it as 240 SF troops, think of it as somewhere between 5000-25000 local militia. If it goes right...
Afghanistan is a mistake!!! We should be getting out of there instead of increasing troop levels. That nation has never been conquered and it certainly appears the majority have no favor for democracy. Other than the poppy plant it has no other natural resources. Russia tried and failed. It could prove to be Obama’s Viet Nam.
We’re not the Russians.
We’re not the Russians.
Nope
Remember RAMBO was a fake Hollynerd short guy but SF knows all the real moves...the Taliban better learn how to rock and roll or their going to be just another rock in a hole. HOOOOO AHHHH!!
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