Operation Anaconda: American Troops DEAD

[faded glory]

Why did they name it anaconda? I would of called it Stinging Scorpion, Paralyzed Camel, Boxcutter, Possum, Hot Sand...anything. Just no Anacanda. It sounds dumb

[H Tower]

so how many israeli's died today too? i believe they've lost more men since the operation enduring freedom began than the US has. And the israelis have it harder too, they're fighint among their homes and families. So we lost a few more men, i'm sorry, but did anyone really expect that this would be a casualty free conflict for america.?

[Comrade Tribune]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
... but even sadder is this war is going exactly the way some of us predicted it would from the start i.e. guerilla war, escalating casualties and no end in sight.

Why is that sad?

[MichaeltheGreat]

It's sad because some people have such a loose grip on reality, they believe that.

[Ramo]

Wiggy's just pissed that none of the people dead are Europeans.

[KrazyHorse]

There are now (though not in Anaconda). 3 Danes and 2 Germans while disposing of unexploded SAMs

[Faeelin]

Well, this is different from Vietnam in that the nation which would supply weapons (Pakistan) can't do so on a large scale, or the US support swings to India.

I'm picturing something more like the balkan peacekeeping duties than vietnam.

[Wiglaf]

Originally posted by Ramo
Wiggy's just pissed that none of the people dead are Europeans.

I'm just curious as to why exactly no coalition troops were involved in any of last week's rather intense battles, actually.

There are now (though not in Anaconda). 3 Danes and 2 Germans while disposing of unexploded SAMs

Hm, that actually is extremely tragic. However, you're correct in that a) the deaths were in no way related to Anaconda, and b) the deaths were not really all that combat related either. There was no "hot zone" so to speak, it was an unrelated accident. Those go into their own separate category.

What I want to know is, why are all the major battles and operations in Afghanistan that involve massive and terrible losses of life America's problem? This is supposed to be a coalition!

[KrazyHorse]

What I want to know is, why are all the major battles and operations in Afghanistan that involve massive and terrible losses of life America's problem? This is supposed to be a coalition!

8 dead is a massive loss of life? Way to reinforce the view that Americans don't have the belly for actually fighting a war. They were also lost in just two seperate incidents. Given that my country actually has more troops per capita in Afghanistan (in a combat role and under American command, BTW) than yours does, do you mind explaining how we're not fighting as allies?

[Wiglaf]

Given that my country actually has more troops per capita in Afghanistan (in a combat role and under American command, BTW) than yours does, do you mind explaining how we're not fighting as allies?

Easy. You aren't fighting.

[KrazyHorse]

Then that's the American commander's fault.

[Wiglaf]

Really? Why isn't your country's Secretary of Snobisity or whatever complaining that all those Canadian troops in Afghanistan aren't doing anything important under America's commmand, and are instead costing the country millions in pointless support fees then?

Maybe because they're there to look nice on camera, win Bush's approval, and of course to avoid the massive political hit of ignoring the whole operation entirely in front of the world.

[KrazyHorse]

Check the command structure. Elements of the Princess Pat's LI are under a Canadian Lt Col, who is directly responsible to an American Col. As well, there are small contingents of troops under more local American command (including snipers involved in Anaconda). The Canadians go exactly where they're told. Maybe the US feels they're too valuable to endanger more than necessary?

[Wiglaf]

So we have control over the Canadian military now? This just keeps getting better and better.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Wiglaf
So we have control over the Canadian military now? This just keeps getting better and better.

You just NOW figured out that the US is leading the operation?

You don't have control over the whole Canadian military, just the ones in Afghanistan that we contributed.

BTW, there's 20 Canadian snipers and commandos working in this operation right now. That's all the US asked for.

The other hundreds of Canadian troops are defending Kandahar airport.