Ze Frank: The History of Afghanistan in 3 Minutes

[kelvin070]

I'm pretty sure those numbers include non-combat troops. The numbers nova is referring to are strictly for the ratio of combatants to combatants. Air bases are a good example of what I'm talking about: it takes hundreds of people to run a large one around the clock, and those people aren't actively engaging the enemy. They get counted as troops in theater, but they aren't participating in combat so it skews the numbers.

So how many additional troops you envisage for 10:1?

 

[dt3]

So how many additional troops you envisage for 10:1?

I don't know, I don't have the information to even make a guess. I don't know how many enemy combatants are over there, and I don't know how many combat troops we have over there. But, here's a good article about how it takes approximately 1 support person for every 2 combat troops:

washingtonpost.com

 

[nova]

Like I said earlier this is not a numbers game.
Allied troops already outnumber Taliban 12-1

But NATO advantage in Afghanistan hasn't led to anything close to victory

Newsweek

Its not JUST a numbers game. You have to follow the strategy to win. Right now in a lot of areas we're not doing that. We're running patrols and the like without really controlling the territory.

I'm pretty sure those numbers include non-combat troops. The numbers nova is referring to are strictly for the ratio of combatants to combatants. Air bases are a good example of what I'm talking about: it takes hundreds of people to run a large one around the clock, and those people aren't actively engaging the enemy. They get counted as troops in theater, but they aren't participating in combat so it skews the numbers.

You got it. Supply and maintenance guys sitting back at base aren't taking and holding territory.

I don't know, I don't have the information to even make a guess. I don't know how many enemy combatants are over there, and I don't know how many combat troops we have over there. But, here's a good article about how it takes approximately 1 support person for every 2 combat troops:

washingtonpost.com - nation, world, technology and Washington area news and headlines

IIRC from my ROTC days its more than that for the US Army given our structure and doctrine. 2-3 is what I remember but that could be wrong....

 

[kelvin070]

Bring the troops home
washingtonpost.com

 

[nova]

Well, it looks like Dear Leader Obama is gonna take the "lets fuck things up" option...

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/28/world/asia/28policy.html?_r=1

President Obama’s advisers are focusing on a strategy for Afghanistan aimed at protecting about 10 top population centers, administration officials said Tuesday, describing an approach that would stop short of an all-out assault on the Taliban while still seeking to nurture long-term stability.

Yeah, we tried that once before in a little place in SE Asia and it didn't work out so well.

Then the Russians tried that in Afghanistan a few years later and it worked even worse for them.

JFC what an incompetent boob.....

 

[Pabst]

an approach that would stop short of an all-out assault

yeah heaven forbid we'd be "in it to win it"

 

[Accountable]

Loster than a goat in a phone booth.

 

[kelvin070]

I guess some concialatory deals are in the pipeline.


Support Grows for Pursuit of Peace Deals With the Taliban - WSJ.com

 

[kelvin070]

Taliban leader rejects U.S. attempts to lure away fighters with money - CNN.com