Quote Originally Posted by Ken White View Post
Afghanistan is four times larger than Viet Nam with about twice the population and has about one fourth the number of friendly troops that were serving in VN at the peak. Populace attitudes are antithetical and the enemy contrasts in many respects. If all that weren't difference enough, the terrain is almost diametric and is far more troublesome for military purposes. The altitude alone has a significant impact on operations for humans, vehicles and especially for aviation...

That said, many of the same TTP can still be and are being applied with environmental modifications.
Rhodesia is the size of Montana while Afghanistan is the size of Texas.

Afghanistan has over the 100,000 number of foreign troops while in Rhodesia while Rhodesia could put 1,500-2,500 properly trained soldiers in the field at any time.

In both countries there increasing numbers of private contractors, militias, guards, local half a**ed army guys etc etc. Terrain remains a challenge only in so far as there is a refusal to deploy troops in country long enough to get near a level of where they even near matching the Taliban in therms of terrain knowledge and comfort.

Altitude issues for aircraft is an issue 9 years into the war in Afghanistan that should have been resolved.