Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Afghanistan: Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics

An interpreter explains how an Afghan man was injured to U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Alan Boles in the Farah province of Afghanistan on Jan. 21, 2009. Boles splinted and rewrapped the manĂ­s ankle. U.S. Marines with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division assigned to Special Marine Air Ground Task Force are in the area conducting road improvements to Highway 515. DoD photo by Gunnery Sgt. James A. Burks, U.S. Marine Corps. (Released)

From The Captain's Journal:

Even when significant U.S. casualties have been sustained as in the Battle of Wanat, the anti-Afghan forces have suffered greater losses. In fact, in one recent engagement with the Marines, the Taliban suffered 50 losses as compared to none by the U.S. Marines. This lends prima facie credibility to the notion that the Taliban are reverting to standoff tactics such as IEDs. DoD data indicates that roadside bomb attacks are up sharply.

Afghan militants directed 3,276 roadside bomb attacks at Western troops last year, a 45 percent increase from 2007, U.S. Defense Department figures indicate.

The jump in the use of the bombs, or improvised explosive devices, highlights the more aggressive tactics being employed by militants against U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan, USA Today reported Monday.


Read more .....

My Comment: Another well written piece from the Captain's Journal. He is blunt in his assessment .... the war in Afghanistan is getting much worse.

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