The war that I know- 150 Taliban KIA

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07-04-2010
MikeF

The war that I know- 150 Taliban KIA

My old boss is now a BCT Commander in RC-East. After the first month and suffering 20 American KIA's, he's gone on the offensive. He'll force his fight to gain freedom of maneuver in order to gain control.

This will be an ongoing thread update. His company commanders were my platoon leaders. His S3's were my fellow commanders. I have full faith that he will force the peace as our small recon squadron did a while back in Iraq.

I used to be the main effort. This time around, I will simply blog.

Quote:

"Once the battle began, others from the area tried to maneuver into the area," Colonel Andrew Poppas, the US Army commander of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, told The Washington Post. "This was a tough fight."

Afghan, US forces launch offensive in Kunar
Bill Roggio

Quote:

The Afghan Army and US military launched a major air assault yesterday in a remote district in eastern Afghanistan that borders Pakistan.

More than 700 US and Afghan troops were inserted by US Black Hawk helicopters into the Marawara district in Kunar province on Sunday and immediately came under fire from a large force of Taliban fighters, estimated at more than 200 men. Soon more Taliban fighters poured into the area to battle the battalion-sized assault force.

Stay frosty boys. Our prayers are with you.
07-04-2010
JMA

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeF

My old boss is now a BCT Commander in RC-East. After the first month and suffering 20 American KIA's, he's gone on the offensive. He'll force his fight to gain freedom of maneuver in order to gain control.

This will be an ongoing thread update. His company commanders were my platoon leaders. His S3's were my fellow commanders. I have full faith that he will force the peace as our small recon squadron did a while back in Iraq.

I used to be the main effort. This time around, I will simply blog.

Afghan, US forces launch offensive in Kunar
Bill Roggio

Stay frosty boys. Our prayers are with you.

Mike, this is very good news.
07-04-2010
Valin

MikeF

I look forward to these post.
07-07-2010
MikeF

Phase One: Initial Infiltration into Denied Area

If I'm reading COL Poppas correctly, this attack is the endstate of Phase One of our playbook on retaking denied areas/enemy safehavens. The preparation and planning involved heavy reconnaissance and surveillance collection, psychological and deception operations, and shaping efforts to force the enemy away from the noncombatants into an engagement area in order to kill them.

In game theory, this move is known as a first strike.

I don't want to comment too much more right now until this operation has passed by a bit. The next phase is much bloodier, and COL P has some serious decisions to make right now.

This is a fight between Andrew Poppas and the Taliban Commander. My money is on COL Poppas. The winner wins the populace.
07-07-2010
JMA

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeF

If I'm reading COL Poppas correctly, this attack is the endstate of Phase One of our playbook on retaking denied areas/enemy safehavens. The preparation and planning involved heavy reconnaissance and surveillance collection, psychological and deception operations, and shaping efforts to force the enemy away from the noncombatants into an engagement area in order to kill them.

In game theory, this move is known as a first strike.

I don't want to comment too much more right now until this operation has passed by a bit. The next phase is much bloodier, and COL P has some serious decisions to make right now.

This is a fight between Andrew Poppas and the Taliban Commander. My money is on COL Poppas. The winner wins the populace.

The TB commander is a priority HVT target for Delta Force? Should be.
07-07-2010
MikeF

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMA

The TB commander is a priority HVT target for Delta Force? Should be.

That's worlds above my knowledge and level, but I would assume so.

Now, I know what it's like to be a deployed military wife. This sucks sitting at home watching the war from afar and worrying about your boys. I'm gonna have to join an FRG.
07-07-2010
bourbon

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeF

This is a fight between Andrew Poppas and the Taliban Commander. My money is on COL Poppas. The winner wins the populace.

I don’t know if this comment is in jest because you are cheering on your boys, or if it really shapes your perspective. If it is the latter:

Does the populace know this? Do they care? Can they even be ‘won’?
Is it really this zero-sum? Obviously, a combat operation is zero-sum; but is counterinsurgency a zero-sum or nonzero activity?
07-07-2010
MikeF

Very astute observation

Quote:

Originally Posted by bourbon

I don’t know if this comment is in jest because you are cheering on your boys, or if it really shapes your perspective. If it is the latter:

Does the populace know this? Do they care? Can they even be ‘won’?
Is it really this zero-sum? Obviously, a combat operation is zero-sum; but is counterinsurgency a zero-sum or nonzero activity?

It's a combination and compilation of your questions.

In the simplest of terms, I'm cheering on my boys. They're in a tough fight, I know how they fight, and I want to will them to win. In a broader context, the beginning of this tactical fight, zero-sum as it is, sets the conditions for COL Poppas to destroy the resistance, and then transfer and build back the A'stan gov't and security forces.

At least that is the hope and the theory.

As I've stated before, I was not a supporter of this surge. I preferred more FID, SFA, and Karzai rather than us doing it on our own. What I didn't state was my worst fear last summer was that COL Poppas's brigade would end up where they're at. They're now there so that point is moot.

My own hope is that they and the rest of the surge forces give GEN Patraeus breathing room to help get Karzai a better position against the Taliban at the bargaining table. This is just a minor fight in the big picture, albeit a very personal one for me.

And, I have no illusions that there's ever a "win" in a small war. Rather, one can control the populace for a short amount of time. After that, it's all governance as COL Jones is getting at. But, as Schmedlap better articulates, in this moment, in that place, all of that is irrelevant. It's time to kill.
07-08-2010
bmp

Mike-
You have no idea.
07-08-2010
MikeF

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmp

Mike-
You have no idea.

While I'm not adverse to that thought, please feel free to expand and enlighten me on what I don't know.
07-10-2010
davidbfpo

Same action, different angle?

I am reasonably sure this report also refers:http://freerangeinternational.com/blog/?p=3289 and has some nice photos too.
07-24-2010
JMA

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeF

It's a combination and compilation of your questions.

In the simplest of terms, I'm cheering on my boys. They're in a tough fight, I know how they fight, and I want to will them to win. In a broader context, the beginning of this tactical fight, zero-sum as it is, sets the conditions for COL Poppas to destroy the resistance, and then transfer and build back the A'stan gov't and security forces.

What's the latest on COL Poppas's brigade?
07-24-2010
Rebecca White

MikeF, does this article describe some the same ongoing operation in Konar?

http://www.cjtf82.com/press-releases...re-chenar.html
07-25-2010
MikeF

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rebecca White

MikeF, does this article describe some the same ongoing operation in Konar?

Rebecca,

Yes, that's Col P's brigade. I'm not sure of the location though.

From JMA

Quote:

What's the latest on COL Poppas's brigade?

Honesely, I don't know. I'm watching the news like everyone else right now :wry:.