MikeF
I look forward to these post.
MikeF
I look forward to these post.
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.
The TB commander is a priority HVT target for Delta Force? Should be.Originally Posted by MikeF
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.
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.
Last edited by davidbfpo; 07-08-2010 at 07:55 AM. Reason: Sentence removed & PM to author to explain
Same action, different angle?
I am reasonably sure this report also refers:http://freerangeinternational.com/blog/?p=3289 and has some nice photos too.
davidbfpo
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?
Very astute observation
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.
Last edited by MikeF; 07-07-2010 at 08:04 PM.
What's the latest on COL Poppas's brigade?
MikeF, does this article describe some the same ongoing operation in Konar?
http://www.cjtf82.com/press-releases...re-chenar.html
Rebecca,
Yes, that's Col P's brigade. I'm not sure of the location though.
From JMA
Honesely, I don't know. I'm watching the news like everyone else right nowWhat's the latest on COL Poppas's brigade?.
Posting Permissions
Bookmarks