"Insurgents strike on 10th anniversary of Afghan war" October 08, 2011|By C.J. Chivers, New York Times
FORWARD OPERATING BASE TILLMAN, Afghanistan - Insurgents attacked four US outposts simultaneously near the border with Pakistan yesterday, striking the positions with multiple rockets and, at one base, a suicide bomber who exploded his vehicle near one of the base’s walls.
The coordinated attack, apparently timed to mark the 10th anniversary of the start of the Afghan war, caused minimal damage and wounded only one US soldier, whose injuries, officers said, were not life-threatening.
But it underscored the frustrating complexities of a war entering its second decade. Most of the high-explosive 107-millimeter rockets striking the outposts were fired from just inside Afghanistan, suggesting that the attack had been prepared and launched from Pakistan, and the rocket crews withdrew there as the Americans fired back.
In Washington, President Obama noted the anniversary in a quiet style, offering a written statement and holding no public events to mark the moment. He said the United States is safer thanks to the sacrifice of troops, diplomats, and intelligence analysts during the war.
Obama saluted the more than 1,700 US troops who have died, along with the coalition and Afghan forces killed. He said that because of the effort, “our citizens are safer and our nation is more secure.’’
Wow, has it reached that many now.
:-(
Yesterday’s attacks highlighted the relative weakness of Afghan soldiers and police officers at the US-built bases. As the attacks escalated, only the US military possessed the firepower and communications to fight back in what developed into a long-range, artillery-and-rocket duel....
The platoon had fired more than any day since arriving in Afghanistan in the summer - 142 in all, half of them air-bursting high-explosive rounds and half white phosphorus (“Willie Pete’’ to soldiers) with point-detonating fuses, which cause the rounds to explode upon striking the ground.
Related: Memory Hole: Willie Pete
White phosphorus is not forbidden in Afghanistan, though US and NATO rules restrict its use to when its burning effects are deemed necessary and cannot be replicated by other munitions. In this case, soldiers said, the white phosphorus rounds were intended to burn any Taliban rockets at the firing positions, to prevent their being fired on the US outposts.
“You know where it all comes from,’’ said one officer, nodding to a nearby ridge. “Pakistan.’’
He swore, and went back to the business of making sure the return barrages landed within the Afghan side. He asked that his name be withheld.
--more--"
Also see:
U.S. Wages Chemical Warfare on Afghanistan
U.S. Pushes For More Chemical Warfare on Afghanistan
U.S. to Cease Chemical Warfare on Afghans
Apparently not.
