Taliban deploy 10,000 fighters for attack: commander

[sabra]

http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2880337

Taliban deploy 10,000 fighters for attack: commander

Feb 16, 2007 — SPIN BOLDAK, Afghanistan (Reuters) - The Taliban have deployed 10,000 fighters for a spring offensive of "bloody attacks" against foreign troops in Afghanistan, a rebel commander said on Friday.

More than 4,000 people, a quarter of them civilians, were killed in fighting last year, the most violent year since the Taliban were ousted in 2001. NATO commanders and analysts warn this year could be just as bad or worse.

...

Mullah Abdul Rahim, the Taliban's operational commander for southern Helmand province — the opium center of the world's major producer — said militants would step up attacks in spring.

"As the weather becomes warm and leaves turn green, we will unleash bloody attacks on the U.S.-led foreign troops," Rahim told Reuters by satellite phone from a secret location.

"Our war preparations, especially in southern Afghanistan and in Helmand province, are complete and for this our 10,000 fighters are ready to take up arms the moment they are ordered."

[ohio2007]

1. Afghanistan vows to crush any Taliban offensive

<snip>
"Our war preparations, especially in southern Afghanistan and in Helmand province, are complete and for this our 10,000 fighters are ready to take up arms the moment they are ordered," he said, speaking to Reuters in Afghanistan from a secret location.

During a visit to Italy, which has sent 1,900 troops to Afghanistan, Karzai said no such offensive could take place without foreign support.

<snip>
"As for the so-called spring offensive by the Taliban, if there is no support for them from external sources, if they don't have the use of bases and sanctuaries outside Afghanistan not only will an offensive not be possible, but the activities terrorizing the population will not take place," Karzai said.
<snip>
Washington has contributed more than half of the roughly 45,000 foreign soldiers deployed in Afghanistan -- of which 33,000 are part of a NATO force.

Canadian military officials, who have long complained NATO did not have enough troops in the south of the country, said on Friday the force levels were now adequate.

"The United States is putting in more forces, Britain is putting in more forces. We have sufficient force structure on the ground in the south at this moment to do the job that we have to do," said General Rick Hillier, chief of Canada's defense staff.

Insurgents have already resumed attacks, mainly in the south, where they have captured a major town and threatened a key hydroelectric dam.

<snip>

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070216/ts_nm/afghan_taliban_dc


Karzai taking a swipe at Mushariff or the Paki ISI ?

[SoCalDem]

2. Seeing as how Karzai is only "mayor of Kabul", I wouldn't take him too seriously

Funny thing is... Didn't our *president tell us we DEFEATED the Taliban? :sarcasm:


*
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[sarcasmo]

3. The new Tet offensive happens in the Spring.

[ohio2007]

4. I'm guessing that'll be the "spring break"

for the madrassas along the border as their holy men have sent students into Afghanistan with little more than prayers and plastic bags wrapped around their feet.

http://web.uni-marburg.de/religionswissenschaft/journal/mjr/pdf/2006/lys2006.pdf

http://web.amnesty.org/library/pdf/ASA330082001ENGLISH/$File/ASA3300801.pdf

[sarcasmo]

6. Heading for spring break to claim their virgins.

FLAME AWAY.

[ohio2007]

7. The real story behind the news

warning; FLAMING graphic language guaranteed to piss some people off with it's raw logic

http://www.circusfantasticus.com/view_video.php?viewkey=fc522773286a895bc843

[ohio2007]

5. Attacking in the wrong direction ( soft targets ) as expected

Suicide blast kills 15 in southwest Pakistan
<snip>
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070217/ts_afp/pakistanattacksblast

Will details about the individual "suicide" bomber ever be released ?
ie
What are his/her motives,did they leave a last word video the way fellow the 'martyrs' do,will the family members be located and asked to comment ?

Are these ongoing attacks in Pakistan mere "field tests" by the leaders of this army of 10,000 martyrs ?
or is this Taliban army not to be confused with the Iranian presidents 10,000 martyr army ?


...or
is connecting various dots not a good thing to do before actions are taken ?
Best left to 'experts' and reported by the media of choice after the smoke settles ?