Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Afghanistan Is Like Nothing You've Ever Seen, Soviet Vets Say
LA Times ^ | 19 Sep 2001 | MAURA REYNOLDS

Posted on 09/23/2001 2:31:04 PM PDT by sourcery

Edited on 09/03/2002 4:49:20 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]

MOSCOW -- When Igor Lisinenko entered what he was told was an Afghan rebel base in 1982, ...All he saw was a handful of crumbly clay huts. And two old men carrying a little girl, no more than 3 years old.

Her foot had been blown off. She was white from the loss of blood. The patrol loaded her into a helicopter to take her to a hospital. In those few minutes, Lisinenko said Tuesday, he understood two things: The girl was doomed to die and the Soviet military campaign was doomed to fail.


(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-104 next last
Click here for full article which cannot be posted in full for legal reasons.
1 posted on 09/23/2001 2:31:04 PM PDT by sourcery
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: sourcery
When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains, And the women come out to cut up what remains, Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains An' go to your Gawd like a soldier. Go, go, go like a soldier, Go, go, go like a soldier, Go, go, go like a soldier, So-oldier ~of~ the Queen!
2 posted on 09/23/2001 2:40:27 PM PDT by arielb
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sourcery

3 posted on 09/23/2001 2:41:07 PM PDT by Diogenesis
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sourcery
The Soviets had poor leadership, bad logistical support, low morale, were pursuing a different mission than we are, and were opposed by an enemy funded by the US.

Those are important differences. Also, weapons technology is a full generation ahead of what the Soviets had, while the Taliban is still using the same old stuff the Mujahadin was in the 80s.

I don't think the Taliban army is as formidable as everybody is saying. The mission isn't easy, but it is a long way from impossible.

4 posted on 09/23/2001 2:41:52 PM PDT by clintonh8r
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sourcery
We'll need to learn to think and fight like they do. We need to remember how the Revelutionary War was fought. Let's not be like the British and march in formations, being led by a drummer. Fight dirty, because you know they will.
5 posted on 09/23/2001 2:44:14 PM PDT by Bella_Bru
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sourcery
The LAT does its famous Toyko Rose impersonation.

"Go home, American soldiers. How will you succeed where others has failed? What are your cities compared to one little girl's foot?"

6 posted on 09/23/2001 2:44:19 PM PDT by Bonaparte
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sourcery
This HAS been posted before ya know.
7 posted on 09/23/2001 2:44:36 PM PDT by tet68
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sourcery
The US military, owns the night. Some the infrared operated weapons systems make this a totally different situation than what Soviets faced.
8 posted on 09/23/2001 2:46:43 PM PDT by WILLIALAL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #9 Removed by Moderator

To: arielb
When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,


Tnank G-d in heaven when the laser-guided bomb
lightly splatters you with your enemies' brains...



Leave it to The Los Angeles Times and some college kids from Berkeley, McAlester College,
and other academic outposts protected by the armed forces of the USA to
dredge up all the concerns voiced (even by me) on the eve on Desert Storm.

If (and heavens, I do pray) Dubya and his advisors decide it is time to attack
maybe Osama's fifth column on our college campuses and major TV newsrooms
won't have scared us all to death.

This "conflict" may go on for 5, 10 years...but at least as Dubya is running the show,
I suspect that we won't be wasting rounds, cruise missles, or bombs without solid kills.

Oh, and if Osama has nuclear weapons...does anyone really expect him to NOT use them?
If he does possess them, no time like the present to take care of the problem.
If these suitcase bombs were sitting in New York, London, or Los Angeles...you'd
think he'd have set one off by now.
Best to take care of the b@stard and his punks NOW, not years from now.

Unlike the conduct under folks like LBJ, etc.
10 posted on 09/23/2001 2:55:52 PM PDT by VOA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: tet68
This HAS been posted before ya know.

Not under the correct title: it didn't show up when I searched for the title. I don't give a *##)(&U how many times it's been posted before, if it's not posted under the correct title, it doesn't count.

11 posted on 09/23/2001 2:59:13 PM PDT by sourcery
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: tet68 sourcery
He's right; if someone posts something under anything other than the original title, it can't count. That's what I search on, too, when posting. As does anyone who halfway knows what they're doing. If you want your own title on a post, add it in parentheses after the original title.
12 posted on 09/23/2001 3:03:50 PM PDT by FreedomPoster
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: sourcery
Nuke'em
13 posted on 09/23/2001 3:11:28 PM PDT by eclectic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sourcery
Further proof that this war needs to be fought by our special forces and not involve strategic air raids. That's so obvious, the only people who might not be able to understand the concept are the US military leadership.

Remember, General Clarke thought the Kosovo air raids were effective even after it was shown that they had only lightly damaged a couple of tanks.

14 posted on 09/23/2001 3:21:46 PM PDT by FormerLib
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FormerLib
Kosovo air strikes were VERY effective. A formidable army was quickly defeated without losing a single American soldier. You cannot get much more effective than that
15 posted on 09/23/2001 3:25:37 PM PDT by eclectic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: sourcery
This is the same lame line we heard in '91. "The Republican Guard is the greatest army ever. You'll be entering the Mother of all battles."

Yeah, right, and they surrendered like kids swarming a popcicle cart.

16 posted on 09/23/2001 3:32:26 PM PDT by good1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FormerLib
It always amuses me to read where every hollywood starlet and twenty-something graduate from Columbia J-school tells the military command how to do its job.

Forget the political gestures under Billyboy--they were not real military actions in any normal sense. Nor were the pukey clintonoid appointments to the pentagon real miltary leaders in any normal sense.

This is a different government than the smartass bright-boys got used to over the last 8 years.

17 posted on 09/23/2001 3:33:12 PM PDT by hinckley buzzard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: eclectic
>>>A formidable army was quickly defeated without losing a single American soldier.<<<

Yes, because the military strikes inflicted so many civilian casualties that their government was willing to withdraw from the province. The army you mention sustained virtually no damage.

In short, it was a war of terrorists on civilians.

I bet you and bin Laden are drinkin' buddies.

18 posted on 09/23/2001 3:34:04 PM PDT by FormerLib
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: WILLIALAL
That's what I think too. With the open terrain of Afganistan, both satelite and infra-red technology should be very effective. Dust from travelling groups will be seen for miles. Cooking fires will be seen. It won't be like the jungle canopy of View Nam.
19 posted on 09/23/2001 3:35:08 PM PDT by good1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: hinckley buzzard
>>>This is a different government than the smartass bright-boys got used to over the last 8 years.<<<

Let's hope so because a replay of the Kosovo bombing campaign will never will this war. Hell, it didn't even win the Kosovo campaign, it just helped the people who bombed the WTC get a bigger foothold in Europe. Some success!!

20 posted on 09/23/2001 3:36:06 PM PDT by FormerLib
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-104 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson