Taliban Take District - Or Not
Curiously, the Taliban are running rampant, everywhere but where Coalition troops can see them. I wonder who is telling the truth?
Is the Taliban Making a Comeback? - Time
Hundreds of Taliban insurgents swarmed through a key district just outside the southern Afghan city of Kandahar on Monday, sending residents fleeing in anticipation of retaliation by NATO troops. This latest Taliban assault in the Argandab district caps several weeks of increased fighting in the country’s southern districts along the border with Pakistan, followed by a spectacular raid on a Kandahar prison, in which some 400 Taliban fighters were freed, according to officials. “My men have seen a few of the escaped Taliban prisoners among the fighters in Argandab,” says district chief Ghulam Farouq.
Text of statement by Canadian officer on situation around Kandahar - Canadian Press
This show of force, which includes Canadian soldiers, involves increased security patrolling and checkpoints throughout the provincial capital and the Arghandab district to ensure stability and public safety.
The movement of troops has taken place without significant incident thus far, and it is clear that Kandahar city remains firmly under the control of the Afghan government and its people. Indeed, having just returned from the Arghandab district centre, I can tell you that there were no obvious signs of insurgent activity. While this does not mean the Taliban are not there, they just do not appear to have the foothold that they have apparently claimed.
The strong insurgent claims, however, have intimidated some people in the region. This may have caused the local population to exaggerate accounts of insurgent activity and given what citizens have experienced in past years, we understand their concerns.
Taliban fighters infiltrate area near Kandahar - International Herald Tribune
Afghan families continued to flee the Argandab District in southern Afghanistan on Tuesday as Taliban fighters and NATO and Afghan forces prepared to battle over the strategic region.
The Taliban have taken control of 18 villages west of the Argandab River and started digging trenches and laying mines, a tribal elder from the region said. NATO and Afghan forces moved into the region and dropped leaflets warning civilians to stay inside if fighting erupted nearby.
ANP, Coalition Forces Patrol Arghandab, Reports of Militant Control Unfounded - CJTF-101
Afghan national police and coalition forces completed a patrol in the Arghandab District of Kandahar province today and found no evidence that militants control the area.
While in the area, coalition forces moved freely and met no resistance. Recent reports of militant control in the area appear to be unfounded.
The threat of militant activity still exists throughout the province, but the patrol found no indication that militants have overwhelming strength in the Arghandab area.
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[...] American North Shore Journal has a hilarious story of the mighty Taliban swarming into Kandahar. Or not. [...]
What we need is a next generation real time public access satellite and surveillance system so individuals can take a look for themselves.
Nothing like being able to verify information yourself to hold the media’s feet to the fire.
I think we are witnessing the beginning of the “set up” by the media for the election/post election declaration of victory to facilitate rapid drawdown.
This line of media presentation promotes the “Afghanistan is a total disaster; Iraq was the wrong war” meme relied on by the Democrats; truth be damned. These reports will continue or grow in intensity until at least November, after which they will taper off and the reportage of how things are now “quiet” and settled throughout the two theatres will replace them. Thus will President Obama be able to declare victory and rapidly withdraw our forces from Iraq and Afghanistan.
The foregoing is just a prediction, but I feel like I’ve seen this show before…
[...] America’s North Shore Journal, via [...]
Satellites don’t display real-time images like in “Enemy of the State”. Satellite picture coords have to be put in long before the satellite reaches that position over the earth. Depending on the orbit of the satellite, it could be traveling at speeds up to 17,000 miles per hour, orbiting once every 90 minutes. Try taking a real time photo of the side of the road with a telephoto lens and you’ll have some idea of the complexity of the problem. The satellite would have to wait until the appropriate time in it’s orbit. A geostationary satellite would only be able to cover so much of the earth and would be impractical.
If you want public access sat photos, try Google Earth or just Google Maps and turn on “Sat View”.
I meant “a real time photo of the side of the road from a car going 60mph.”