Bill Roggio's State of Jihad:2008

Bill Roggio from The Long War Journal has put out his annual "State of Jihad" report for 2008 - it's a must read here at The Long War Journal. As is usually the case, Bill had no problem finding plenty to update from last year. Since the report is broken down by country, I decided to pick Pakistan for excerpting here as that country probably was in the news the most during 2008:

Pakistan

Pakistan remains the central front in the war against al Qaeda, the Taliban, and allied movements such as and Lashkar-e-Taiba. The Pakistani Taliban, led by South Waziristan chieftan Baitullah Mehsud, is in full control of the tribal areas and has gained more ground in Pakistan's Northwest Frontier province. The districts of of Swat, Shangla, Bannu, Tank, Dir, and Malakand are under Taliban control, while the Taliban has a strong presence in every other district.

The US has attempted to counter al Qaeda's growth in Pakistan’s tribal areas by ramping up airstrikes against camps and safe houses that are believed to facilitate al Qaeda external operations against the West and in Afghanistan. There were 36 recorded airstrikes and cross-border raids in 2008, compared to 10 in 2006 and 2007 combined. Five senior al Qaeda leaders, including Abu Laith al Libi and Abu Khabab al Masri, were killed during the 2008 strikes.

One thing that I'd encourage you to do when you are over looking at this report is to go to the bottom of the article and look back at the State of Jihad reports for 2007 and 2006 - it's fascinating to see how thing have changed from year to year. As always seems to be the case with islamic jihad, the news never improves. Actually, there IS one country that has seen significant improvement from the 2007 and 2006 reports and that is Iraq - that's because the U.S. kicked jihadist ass ...course many on the Left in the U.S. don't think that's been a good thing, right?

The State of Jihad: 2008
By Bill Roggio
January 2, 2009 12:15 AM

The past year has seen significant developments in the Long War. Pakistan teeters on a civil war and a potential war with India after Taliban gains and an attack launched on Mumbai from within Pakistan. India has emerged as a central battlefield in the war. Iraq has dealt major defeats to al Qaeda and the Mahdi Army, and is moving towards reconciliation. Afghanistan experienced the worst year since the US invasion to oust the Taliban in 2001. A “surge” in Afghanistan will take place this year. Iran is close to developing a nuclear weapon, and the West has no plan to avert the crisis. Al Qaeda is poised to retake control of Somalia. Yemen remains an al Qaeda sanctuary.
The battles continue in lesser known theaters. The US struck a senior al Qaeda leader in Syria while Imad Mugniyah was assassinated in Damascus. The Philippines made progress against its Islamic insurgency and dealt blows to Abu Sayyaf and the radical Rajah Solaiman Movement. Indonesia has driven Jemaah Islamiyah underground. Algeria fought a low-intensity terror insurgency with al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

Pakistani Taliban: We Will Destroy America and Britain - But Not With Nukes

The latest rantings from the emir of Pakistan's Taliban, By'atullah Mahsoud:

"We want to eradicate Britain and America, and to shatter the arrogance and tyranny of the infidels. We pray that Allah will enable us to destroy the White House, New York, and London. We place our trust in Allah. Soon, we will witness the miracles of jihad."

This is from an interview with Mahsoud that simply has to be read. The full interview is here from MEMRI.

Two other telling quotes and then I'll excerpt more from the interview:

"Our response will be more bitter than his deeds. We will teach him a lesson that will be recorded in the pages of history in letters of gold. The crimes of these murderers, who were acting at Bush's command, are unforgivable. Soon, we will take vengeance upon them for destroying the mosques. The pure land of Pakistan does not tolerate traitors. They must flee to America and live there. Here, Musharraf will live to regret his injustice towards the students of the Red Mosque. Allah willing, Musharraf will suffer great pain, along with all his aides. The Muslims will never forgive Musharraf for the sin he committed."

"Before Al-Zarqawi left for Iraq, he was in our region with us. We had strong relations with him. After America began committing injustice in Iraq, he went over there, and he had an extraordinary role. With regard to Osama and Al-Zawahiri, I never met them, but I have the utmost love and respect for them, because of their enmity towards the Jews and the Christians."


Pakistani Taliban Emir By'atullah Mahsoud: We Will Destroy America and Britain, But Won't Use Nuclear Bombs

Interviewer: "Did you send your fighters to Afghanistan to participate in battle alongside the Taliban?"
By'atullah Mahsoud: "We fought alongside the Taliban, and we will continue to do so full force. The enemies have come from distant places. They have come from many Western countries, for the sake of money, and they kill for the sake of money. We, on the other hand, are Muslims. Our goal is to please our God and to raise the banner of monotheism. Yes, we send and will continue to send young men to the battlefronts in Afghanistan."
[...]

Interviewer: "What do you hope to achieve by this coalition? What are your goals? What are your plans for the future?"
By'atullah Mahsoud:"The goal of our coalition is to conduct defensive jihad. The Pakistani army is induced by Bush to send its forces here, and it bombs our homes and fights us. Therefore, we established this coalition in order to provide security to Muslim individuals and Muslim society. The Pakistani army employs tactics of deceit. It wages war in South Waziristan, while it maintains a truce in North Waziristan. Then it wages war in North Waziristan, and maintains a truce in Bajaur. Then it wages war in Bajaur, and maintains a truce in Swat. This is a policy of deceit. We established this coalition in order to confront the deceit of the army and its soldiers’ attacks.
[...]

British Soldier Killed In Afghan Blast

A British soldier was killed today as his vehicle was hit by a mine near the newly taken over village of Musa Qala. This is probably one of a few remnants of mines that were placed around that hot spot and just wasn't cleared as opposed to a fresh mine that was just planted.

Full story is here.

Jan 21, 5:04 AM EST
British Soldier Killed in Afghan Blast
By FISNIK ABRASHI
Associated Press Writer

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- An explosion struck a NATO patrol vehicle outside a former Taliban town in southern Afghanistan, killing one British soldier and wounding five others, officials said Monday.
The British Ministry of Defense said the soldiers' vehicle was hit by a mine Sunday northeast of Musa Qala, a town in northern Helmand province that had been held by the Taliban for 10 months until U.S., British and Afghan forces retook it last month.
One soldier died at the scene and the five others were airlifted to NATO bases for medical treatment, the ministry said in a statement. The wounded soldiers were not in a life-threatening condition.
A total of 87 British forces personnel have been killed in Afghanistan since the start of operations in October 2001.

Musharraf: The Taliban Should Be Recognized

This shows just what year after year after year of terror and assasination attempts will do to a person. Pakistan's leader, Musharraf, told a German magazine that the Taliban should be recognized by the West and that the group should be changed from within.
I can understand Musharraf's frustration but I have several reasons to dissent here:

1. We have a proven history of the way that the Taliban ruled Afghanistan and how they harbored the world's worst terrorism in that country during that time.
2. The Taliban have shown no regard for human, civilian life.
3. The Taliban represent the harshest, most extreme form of islam and violence is a mainstay of that ideology.
Sure, the Taliban are threatening to Pakistan but at the same time, Musharraf has fought a concerted effort against them. Sure, he has seen them strike further and further into the heart of Pakistan but whose fault is that? And finally, there is no love lost between the nations of Pakistan and Afghanistan, thus Musharraf's call for pacifying the Taliban basically, in his mind, would mean a Taliban return to Afghanistan and a departure from Pakistan - his "olive branch" is one of selfish desire to rid his land of the scourge.

Full story is here.

Taliban should be recognised: Musharraf

ISLAMABAD (Agencies) - President Pervez Musharraf has said the best strategy against the Taliban is to recognise them and try to change them from within. He sought a change of strategy in Afghanistan, favouring ‘political overtures’ to win over the majority Pashtun. President Musharraf said this in an interview with German magazine Der Spiegel on Tuesday.“When I came on the scene in 1999, I told everyone, including President Bill Clinton that the best strategy against the Taliban is to recognise them and try to change them from within. Nobody agreed.”“Then they came the problems with Osama bin Laden. Everybody asked me to help the West to get him arrested or deported, but by then it was too late. I sent four or five missions to Mullah Omar to resolve the problem,” he added. He referred to Democratic Presidential front-runners Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama who have vowed to take a tougher stance towards Pakistan and said “all these politicians you have mentioned do not have access to intelligence information that could provide them with an accurate view of the situation.” “When these people get access to that kind of intelligence, I am sure they will not take a different approach than their predecessor.” Musharraf, who described US President George W Bush as a ‘friend’ he will ‘miss very much’ after his tenure ends, said he would never allow US forces to operate on Pakistan’s soil. He also said Pakistan’s nuclear assets are ‘safe’, terming as totally baseless the concerns of IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei.

Musharraf said Pakistan and the US fully shared coordination on anti-terrorism, and mentioned his recent meeting with US intelligence officials who conveyed him that President Bush considered President Musharraf 'a most sincere friend'.

Taliban Vows to Bomb Kabul Restaurants

The Taliban have communicated a threat to target Kabul, Afghanistan restaurants that cater to Western customers. The Taliban is obviously very confident and pleased after the bombing of the hotel in Kabul and are strutting their stuff now that they've gotten this amount of attention.
Well, let 'em say what they want...but what the world needs to do is simple. The Americans have just committed 3,200 additional Marines to join the battle against the Taliban in Afghanistan. If Britain, France, Germany, Canada, Australia and the Netherlands would match a similar type of increase, let's say a total of 10,000 from those countries, the Taliban would find themselves under such duress that the LAST thing they would have time for would be getting a suicide bomber into Kabul. They wouldn't get within 100 miles of Kabul.
It's way past time to stop pussy-footing around with the Taliban. It's way past time to simply eradicate this group from the planet. A major offensive will bottle them up again in the mountains of Pakistan and this time, it's imperative that those mountains be reduced to ash and rubble (and if Musharraf objects, screw him).

Full story on the Taliban threat is here.

Taliban Plan to Attack Kabul Restaurants
Jan 15 04:18 PM US/Eastern
By JASON STRAZIUSO
Associated Press Writer

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - The Taliban said Tuesday that its suicide bombers would attack restaurants where Westerners eat in Kabul, an ominous new threat that forced American and European workers to restrict outings in the Afghan capital.
The country's intelligence chief linked Monday's deadly attack on the Serena Hotel—a well-guarded, high-profile property in Kabul frequented by Westerners—to a Pakistani militant. Afghan officials arrested four people, and said they included one of the three attackers, who was disguised in a police uniform for the assault.
The death toll in the bombing and shooting attack on the hotel rose to eight. An American, a Norwegian journalist and a Filipina who died of her wounds Tuesday were among those killed.
"We will target all these restaurants in Kabul where foreigners are eating," Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told The Associated Press by telephone. "We have jihadists in Kabul right now and soon we will carry out more attacks against military personnel and foreigners."
Taliban spokesmen often boast that militants plan to step up attacks. Suicide bombings have increased in the last two years, and the hotel attack was the first against a facility favored by Westerners.
Security companies that protect international workers in Afghanistan restricted Westerners' movements Tuesday, placing restaurants and stores frequented by foreigners off-limits for some.
Kabul has about a half dozen restaurants popular with Westerners. The establishments—run by ex-pats with themed menus such as French or Mexican—do not allow Afghans entry because they serve alcohol, which is illegal for Muslims here. The restaurants sit behind nondescript walls and do little advertising, relying on word-of-mouth to bring in customers.

Suicide Bombin In Afghanistan Kills 7

A suicide bomber in southwestern Afghanistan killed seven road construction workers and their police escorts today. Now, usually here at Holger Awakens, I don't post these more isolated kinds of attacks, whether they be in Iraq, Afghanistan or Pakistan.
However, I wanted to make a point here. And that is that the Taliban have apparently bought into the al Qaeda strategy of the suicide bomber...lock, stock and barrel. It was about 1 year ago that the Taliban announced that they would start using these tactics and we are seeing them more and more frequently. Also note that this attack came in southwestern Afghanistan - far from the more violent and hard fought southeast and east.
The peril that Afghanistan faces is a nationwide assault of these suicide bombings. We have seen the effects of this in Iraq in highly populated areas and in a country the size of Afghanistan, the chances of defending against this are almost nil. Finally, with Afghanistan's proximity to the madness of many Pakistani extremists, it appears that the gravy train of jihadists in suicide vests would be limitless.

Here's the full story of the attack.

7 Killed in Afghanistan Suicide Attack
Jan 3 08:21 AM US/Eastern
By NOOR KHAN
Associated Press Writer

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) - A suicide bomber attacked Indian road construction workers and their Afghan police escorts Thursday in southwestern Afghanistan, killing seven and wounding 12, an official said.
The convoy had been traveling on a main road toward the city of Khash Rod in Nimroz province when it was first hit by a remote-controlled bomb that was planted on a motorcycle, wounding one policeman, said Nimroz Gov. Ghulam Dastagir Azad.
The convoy stopped after the primary explosion, and a suicide bomber set off a secondary attack, killing six policemen and an Indian worker, Azad said. Ten policemen and two Indian workers were wounded.

At Least 16 Taliban Killed in Afghanistan

What a wonderful way to start 2008! U.S. and Afghan forces put some real hurt on the Taliban to start the New Year with at least 16 Taliban killed across Afghanistan.

A Taliban suicide bomber, all dressed up in his New Year's Eve best (suicide bomb belt) didn't quite make it to the "Party" and is one of the 16 noted above. :wicked smile:

Full story here.

At least 16 Taliban killed in Afghanistan: officials

HERAT, Afghanistan (AFP) - At least 16 Taliban rebels including a suspected would-be suicide bomber were killed in US-led and Afghan operations across insurgency-plagued Afghanistan, officials said Tuesday.

A man wearing a bomb-filled waistcoat was shot dead near a police checkpost in the eastern province of Khost on Tuesday, a police official said.
"He wanted to target our police but our guys shot him dead before he succeeded in exploding his bombs," the police official, Mohammad Yaqoub, told AFP.
Meanwhile, the US-led coalition said its troops and Afghan forces killed "several" Islamic guerrillas in an operation in the southern province of Helmand on Tuesday. It did not give an exact figure

In a separate incident linked to the Taliban insurgency, 10 Taliban rebels were killed after attacking an Afghan police checkpost in the western province of Badghis on the Iranian border, the interior ministry said.
One police officer was also killed in the attack late Monday in the province's Balmurghab district, the ministry's spokesman, Zemarai Bashary, told AFP. Two other police were wounded, he added.
Elswhere, in Zabul province, another Taliban-dominated region in the south, two rebels were killed when a bomb they were trying to plant on a road to target security forces exploded prematurely, police official Mohammad Zaman said.

Bill Roggio's State of the Jihad -2007

You are totally missing the boat if you do not read over Bill Roggio's "State of the Jihad" over at The Long War Journal. I am only going to excerpt one piece of that but strongly encourage you all to go view this incredible compilation of a country by country evaluation of jihad in 2007. Make it a New Year's resolution to read the entire piece from Bill. You can find State of the Jihad here in its entirety.

One example of the excellent reporting from Bill:

Coalition and Afghan forces have scored significant victories in dismantling the Taliban’s leadership. Mullah Dadullah Akhund, a member of the Taliban’s Shura Majlis and the Taliban’s senior military commander, was killed, as was Mullah Berader. Dadullah was replaced by his brother Mansoor, who has been relieved of his command by Mullah Omar. Also, Siraj Haqqani has assumed significant status as a joint Taliban and al Qaeda leader in the eastern and southern province. The Taliban and al Qaeda are operating from their bases in Pakistan.

23 Afghan Police, Troops Killed By Taliban

One of the worst days for Afghan security forces in a very long time. The bulk of the killings happened at one check point where Taliban jihadists attacked the checkpoint and killed 16 Afghan police officers. The other casualties came from a mine explosion and sporadic attacks.

Full story here.

23 Afghan police, soldiers killed

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- Taliban militants attacked a police checkpoint in southern Afghanistan and killed 16 officers, the Interior Ministry said Monday.
The policemen were manning a checkpoint in the Maywand district of Kandahar province on Saturday when a large group of militants attacked them, said Zemerai Bashary, the Interior Ministry spokesman.

A Taliban spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, said the militant group was responsible for the killings.

Elsewhere, four Afghan soldiers were killed in a mine explosion Sunday in Uruzgan province, while one soldier was killed in Paktia province in another blast, the Ministry of Defense said.
In Helmand province, a roadside bomb exploded Monday as a police vehicle drove through Musa Qala, killing two officers, said district chief Haji Bir Mohammad.

Taliban's Mullah Omar Taunts NATO, U.S. Forces

Get this. Mullah Omar, leader of the Taliban, fresh off losing between 200 and 300 fighters at Musa Qala and surrendering that stronghold of his, has now said that NATO and U.S. forces should leave Afghanistan. This guy should be doing a warm up act for Jerry Seinfeld at the Improv.

You really need to read the whole article as he whines and whines and tries to minimize NATO wins. But two things I'd like to say to old Omar:

1. If things are so good for you and NATO/U.S. troops are making such a small impact, why are you still hiding in a cave and eating beetles for breakfast?
2. Keep sending these interviews, Omar, in fact...send out one a day since with each communication you make, the closer we can get to where you are hiding your fat hairy ass.

Here's the sob story of Mullah Omar.

Taliban leader taunts NATO and calls for Afghan pullout

KABUL (Reuters) - Taliban leader Mullah Omar on Tuesday called on foreign forces to withdraw from Afghanistan and taunted NATO about its capture of the southern town of Musa Qala, saying celebrating such a small victory only showed its weakness.
This year has seen a steady escalation of violence in Afghanistan with attacks up around 25 percent since 2006, but neither the hardline Taliban nor Afghan government and international forces have gained any significant advantage.
"The aggression by the Americans and their allies against Afghanistan and Iraq brought with it economic and financial losses that affected not just occupied states, but the aggressors are also suffering," Omar said in a message to mark the Eid al-Adha Muslim holiday beginning in Afghanistan on Wednesday.
"Therefore, international institutions and all countries, especially Muslim states, should find ways for the evacuation of aggressor forces, and along with occupied nations help form a permanent and independent government," the Pakistan-based Afghanistan International Press (AIP) quoted a statement as saying.

The Taliban, he said, "have troubled them so much that they are propagating and celebrating a partial occupation of the small district of Musa Qala, the way they did six years ago over occupation of Afghanistan."

New Aussie Defense Minister: Afghan War is Being Lost - We Need To Consult Moderate Taliban

The new government in Australia is making a big splash. Oh yeah, first they decide to pull out all troops from Iraq in 2008 and now, they have declared that the Afghanistan War against the Taliban is failing and that the Coalition has to reach out to "moderate" Taliban and seek a peaceful solution.

Yeah, you read that right.

First off, when you can find a "moderate" Taliban, let me know because that will rank up there with a Pink Elephant with Wings. This Aussie government is turning out to make Chirac's French government look like a amored division!

Perhaps the new Defense Minister of Australia would like to review the negotiations held with the Taliban in the past - South Korea and Italy ring a bell?

The Taliban don't want negotiated peace, chump. They want Afghanistan back under their rule like before and it's idiots like this guy that will hand it back to them.

Here's the full story of B.S.

Allies losing Afghanistan war, Australian minister warns: report

SYDNEY (AFP) - Australia's new government has warned NATO and its allies they will lose the war against hardline Taliban forces in Afghanistan unless they urgently change tactics, a report said.

The country's new Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon issued the stark warning at a meeting in Edinburgh last week of eight nations engaged in the conflict, including the United States, The Australian newspaper said.
The coalition of NATO and allied forces engaged in the conflict since 2001 must overhaul military and civil programmes aimed at fostering stability in the troubled country if they are to win the conflict, he cautioned.
The minister's comments to the closed-door gathering were based on classified intelligence assessments prepared for the previous Australian government of John Howard which painted a bleak picture of the Afghan conflict.
"The previous government would have us believe that good progress is being made in Afghanistan. The reality is quite a different one," Fitzgibbon told The Australian after returning from the meeting in Britain.
"We are winning the battles and not the war, in my view. We have been very successful in clearing areas of the Taliban but it's having no real strategic effect," he said.

"We need much more than a military response," he said. "This is largely about winning the hearts and minds of the more moderate of the Taliban and other sections of the Afghan community," he said.

Sweet! Taliban Commander Killed By U.S./Afghan Forces

The U.S., NATO and Afghan forces got one of their main targets in eastern Afghanistan - Mullah Sangeen.

This was the 2nd in command for the Taliban in eastern Afghanistan and will be a huge blow to the Taliban. If I had one wish at this point, it would be that several of the NATO countries would commit some fresh new troops to Afghanistan as the success lately has been considerable but there simply is a need for more troops.

Here's the full story of the end of one worthless Mullah Sangeen.

December 13, 2007
US, Afghan Troops Kill Militant Commander

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -
U.S.-led coalition and Afghan forces killed a senior militant commander responsible for roadside bombings and other attacks in eastern Afghanistan, the coalition said Friday.
The joint forces killed Mullah Sangeen during an operation Tuesday, the statement said. The coalition did not disclose the exact location of the operation.
Sangeen was second-in-comand to Siraj Haqqani, a militant leader in eastern Afghanistan.

The U.S. government had offered $20,000 for information leading to Sangeen's capture or killing. It was not immediately clear whether the reward helped in locating and killing him.

The Case To Eradicate The Taliban From Earth

We have all seen the epitome of The Long War on Terror being played out in Afghanistan. We have seen that country ruled ruthlessly by the Taliban up until they refused President Bush's request for the turnover of Osama bin Laden and how Coalition forces pushed the Taliban out and dispersed them into the hinterlands and Pakistan. And with the erosion of world support of the War in Afghanistan with countries like Canada, Britain, Germany, and Australia all either backing out of commitments of more troops or simply not authorizing more, the Taliban have regained more and more of Afghanistan.

Here at Holger Awakens, this story was run just yesterday about the campaign of Afghan and NATO forces to retake a key town under Taliban control. I have excerpted below the details of the first actions in that battle. But what you will notice is that in the first day of NATO operations, two Afghan children were killed. No, they weren't the victims of a Coalition air strike gone awry. No, this is how those children died.

The Taliban, traveling in a convoy in or out of Musa Qala (the targeted town), tried to ensure their safe passage by including human civilian "shields" in that convoy. That convoy confronted NATO and Afghan patrols and in the end, two children...forced to accompany the Taliban in their convoy, were killed. Two innocent lives lost because these "holy warriors of allah" are too chicken to fight their own battles. It's time to simply eradicate every member of the Taliban from the face of the Earth.

These are the same Taliban who murdered members of the South Korean missionary group that were taken hostage. These are the same Taliban that held a sword to the throats of female South Korean hostages forcing them to convert to islam. These are the same Taliban that raped female hostages. Yes, these are the actions of the "mighty" Taliban.

It is time for every NATO country to triple and quadruple their force levels in Afghanistan. It is time to simply destroy the last remants of this misfit group of human beings. The toll on the Afghanistan people would be high, unfortunately, especially due to the cowardly operational tactics of the Taliban but as with the eradication of cancer, sometimes a radical attack on healthy areas must be sacrificed to rid the disease.

And that is the perfect word to describe the Taliban. They are a disease upon this planet. When authorities in Asia have found evidence of the bird flu, they undergo an immediate "culling" of the flock. Yes, my friends, it is time to cull the Taliban. We cannot settle for defeating the Taliban in Afghanistan. We cannot suffice with pushing them back to the mountains of NW Pakistan. Every last Taliban simply needs to be eradicated. When the last one, the very last member of this troop of misery is standing, a final round through his forehead will bring an end to this plague upon the Earth. It is time.

Here is the story of the first battles of Musa Qala.

Afghan, NATO Operation Leaves 14 Dead
By NOOR KHAN
Associated Press Writer

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) -
A NATO and Afghan operation to retake a Taliban-controlled town in southern Afghanistan has killed at least 12 Taliban fighters and two children, the Afghan Defense Ministry said Saturday

Taliban militants overran Musa Qala in February, four months after British troops left the town following a contentious peace agreement that gave security responsibilities to Afghan elders. Taliban fighters have been in control of the town ever since.
A string of battles around Musa Qala in recent months have signaled a renewed focus by U.S. forces to take on the Taliban stronghold in Afghanistans's poppy-growing south. Saturday's violence is the latest in a series of deadly engagements in Helmand province - the world's largest poppy-growing region and the front line of Afghanistan's bloodiest fighting this year.
Defense Ministry spokesman Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi said elders in the area had asked the Taliban to leave, but when they refused, the elders sought help from government troops.

Twelve Taliban have been killed in fighting since the operation began Friday afternoon. Separately, two children were killed when security forces clashed with Taliban traveling in a convoy with civilians, Azimi said.
"The enemy always tries to use human shields ... and our demand from them is that they stop putting civilian lives in danger," said Azimi.
The Afghan and NATO troops conducting the operation were positioned to the east, west and south of it, he said.

It's On: NATO, Brit Forces To Challenge Taliban Stronghold

This could be real bloody. The town of Musa Qala in Helmand province in Afghanistan is a prized possession of the Taliban and now, NATO forces (mostly British) and Afghan troops are on the door's edge of an all out assault to take the prize out of Taliban hands.

The Taliban are not unaware of the imminent attack and siege, and although they might decide to cut and run, this could still be a very deadly affair.

It's my hope that the NATO forces and Afghan troops have identified all of the escape routes so if there is the retreat of the Taliban, they can be "surprised" on their way up into the mountains.

Prayers goes out here at Holger Awakens to all the Brit, Afghan and NATO forces soon to look the enemy in the eye.

Full story from The Telegraph here.

Allies prepare to seize Taliban stronghold
By Tom Coghlan, Kabul Correspondent
Last Updated: 2:53am GMT 07/12/2007

A key Taliban-held town in southern Afghanistan is expected to fall to British troops and the national army within a matter of days. Residents report that Nato aircraft have dropped leaflets warning of an imminent assault on Musa Qala in the north of Helmand province.

The town is of huge symbolic value to the Taliban. It has been in its hands for 10 months and is the only urban centre that the Islamist group has been able to take and hold.
Western sources have told The Daily Telegraph that it is planned that Afghan forces will lead the assault - the first time that the fledgling national army has undertaken an operation on such a scale.

After advancing from the base at Sangin, the British and Afghan troops are now said to be just two miles from the town. Local people have now begun to flee into the surrounding desert.

Contacted by satellite telephone, Taliban commanders stated that they had already mined routes to the town, which is about the size of Cambridge. They also claimed to have captured and destroyed a British tank.
"I have 300 Mujahideen with me," said Mullah Ahmad Muslim. "We have brought our best artillery. We have ZSU anti-aircraft guns in place to attack the helicopters."

Senior Taliban Commander Bites It

Great, great news! A senior Taliban commander is on his way to Hell's gates as of December 2nd. Mullah Ikhalas was terminated in a munitions strike in the Musa Qaleh district of Helmand Province in Afghanistan.

We've seen the effects in Iraq of taking out the al Qaeda leaders and this could prove just as fruitful in Aghanistan. The problem in Afghanistan is there are just a LOT more of these senior commanders throughout the provinces. But taking out Ikhalas, is big. Way big!

But, one less Taliban is always good news and one less Taliban commander is fantastic news!

Read the whole release here from Combined Joint Task Force

Taliban commander killed in precision strike positively identified

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Coalition forces positively identified one of the militants killed in a Dec. 2 precision munitions strike in the Musa Qaleh district of Helmand Province as former Taliban senior commander Mullah Ikhalas.
Mullah Ikhalas was a senior Taliban commander active in the Musa Qaleh district. He is reported to be responsible for the March 5 kidnapping of Italian journalist, Daniele Mastrogiacomo, his interpreter, and his driver. Mastrogiacomo’s interpreter and driver were executed by Taliban insurgents. Reports also indicated Ikhalas was responsible for a number of mortar attacks on coalition bases as well as several IED attacks.

“The death of Mullah Ikhalas is a significant blow to the Taliban command structure in Afghanistan,” said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokesperson

Iran Tells EU: Get Lost

Oh boy, this is a HUGE surprise! Iran actually told the European Union negotiators to sod off and that they won't stop enriching uranium??!! I'm so shocked I might just faint at the keyboard here!

Anytime you want to return to the real world, EU, just let us know. The Iranians know you won't do anything to stop their nuclear weapon program. Hell, there's a5 yr old kindergartner in Peoria that knows you wouldn't do anything to halt Iran.

Same old, same old. If the World is gonna be saved from the mad mullahs nuking the planet, it's up to the Sheriff of the Cowboy Diplomacy. Let's hope it happens soon.

Here's the info on the pitiful European attempt.

Iran Talks End With No Compromise on Nukes

LONDON — EU-Iranian talks broke up Friday without compromise on Tehran's refusal to freeze uranium enrichment, and the top European Union foreign policy envoy said he was disappointed at Tehran's refusal to budge on the issue.

"I expected more and therefore I am disappointed," EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana told reporters after a five-hour meeting with the Iranian nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili.

Throughout the 18 months of EU-Iran talks, Tehran has publicly insisted it will never suspend enrichment

Pakistan's NW Frontier is NOT Anbar

This is a must read by one of the true geniuses of the Pakistan conflict. Read it here, by Bill Roggio as posted in The Daily Standard.

An excerpt:

Under these conditions, arming anti-al Qaeda and anti-Taliban tribes and bolstering the Frontier Corps without solid support from both the Pakistani and the American military would be a death sentence for any tribe foolish enough to join the fight. The United States must get its counterinsurgency strategy in Pakistan right the first time, lest it risk the annihilation of any potential allies that remain in the region. But Pakistan's Northwest Frontier Province isn't Anbar. More, not less, direct support from the United States military will be necessary for such a strategy to have any chance of success.

Say It Isn't So, Israel

The latest in the Palestinian "Give Them A State" debaucle. Israel turns over Pali prisoners in exchange for what? More rockets? More suicide bombers? More soldier kidnappings?

Give me one example of a negotiation or trade with the Palestinians where the Palis actually GAVE UP something (notice I didn't say "returned" someone or agreed to "stop doing something").

Mon Nov 19, 6:47 AM ET
JERUSALEM (AFP) - The Israeli cabinet on Monday approved the release of more than 450 Palestinian prisoners as a goodwill gesture to president Mahmud Abbas ahead of a US peace meet, a senior official told AFP.

"The government approved the proposal by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to release up to 500 palestinian prisoners as a gesture of goodwill toward Abbas ahead of the summit," the official said on condition of anonymity.
The justice ministry has so far drawn up a list of some 450 prisoners who fit the criteria for release set by Olmert, he said.

Oh! Canada!

The Canadians kicked some serious ass here. We salute the valor and the effectiveness of the Canadian warriors, as we mourn their losses.

SANGISAR, AFGHANISTAN — Canadian troops pushed the Taliban out of their birthplace in a storm of artillery shells and rockets on the weekend, during a major operation that killed two Canadian soldiers and an interpreter.
The smoke and dust of explosions hung over the dry fields of Sangisar, a stubborn enclave of insurgents where the Taliban's supreme leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, founded the armed movement in 1994.

The gunfire started at sunrise Saturday and continued until noon. It was a bitter fight on both sides. The Taliban resorted to using children as human shields, according to soldiers who witnessed the tactic, and the encircled Canadians called in artillery and air strikes so close to their own positions that a soldier suffered shrapnel wounds from friendly fire.
“I feel like I aged 40 years,” said Corporal Philippe Lemieux, a member of a reconnaissance team, after two nights on the battlefield with little sleep.
A roadside bomb exploded under an armoured vehicle carrying troops toward the battle in the earliest hours of Saturday morning, killing Corporal Nicolas Raymond Beauchamp, 28, and Private Michel Lévesque, 25, and injuring three others.
A military interpreter also died in the explosion.

Estimates of the number of Taliban killed varied widely but most officials guessed at numbers in the double digits; Kandahar's police chief said 20 Taliban died, while another provincial official put the figure at 40.