Afghanistani Warfare.

[Jacob E Boucher <jbuchr@xxxxxx>]

On Thu, 13 Sep 2001, Shawn Mulock wrote:
> Wherever may be the hill and vale of Afghanistan... nasty ground. If the
> Taliban can chase out the Spetznaz, they will at the very least do serious
> harm to Western Special Forces Groups. It would be rough, even sending in
> the new "Specialist" Mountain Brigades/Regiments (did they ever decide how
> that was going to be org'd out?) would see a very large Casualty Rate.

I'll preface this by saying I'm no expert on the Soviet/Afghanistani war,
so I will no doubt make errors here.

While I have tremendous respect for the Spetznaz, and equal respect for
the Afghan freedom fighters they opposed, were the US to engage in warfare
with a terrorist organization or hostile government in Afghanistan, I feel
the outcome would be rather different.

* Soviet military technology back in the early/mid 80's was what, ten
years behind that of the US at that time?  We will have an effective 30+
year technology advantage over what the Soviets were forced to use.
Imaging Infra-red, milimetric-wave radar, and very powerful satellite
technology will be backing up our troops all the way.  This is in
combination with guided munitions and fire control tech that go a long way
to making each shot count.

* The military doctrine of the Soviet army was *much* different than that
of the US military today.  We are more cautious, more careful, less
willing to just pour troops into deathtraps out of egotistical frenzy than
Russian leaders were.  I.E., we will fight smarter.  

* Please correct me if I'm wrong, but the Soviets were *invading*
Afghanistan.  They were aiming to take it over.  They wanted territory.
American military goals will be different than the Soviet's goals, and
their actions will show the difference.  There will be less need to take
and hold territory, more need to go after and eliminate specific military
targets, then move on.

* Finally, the US military will know that the media will be sitting over
them like hawks, just looking for any mistreatment of innocents (just like
in the Gulf War).  They will be taking great pains to insure that their
troops' morale remains high, that the locals are treated well, and that
they make their military goals clear ans specific.   I doubt most of the
Soviet *conscripts* had any desire to be in the army at all, never mind
invading a foreign country that was universally opposed to their presence.
The Spetsnaz might have been the most dangerous Soviet force in
Afghanistan, but they weren't the only ones there.

Again, I no doubt overlooked some points.  Feel free to correct me.

Jacob.


-- 
Jacob E. Boucher
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