Training is paying off in Afghanistan, says Kamiya (on spring offensive)

[Rose Siding]

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan — Three weeks after taking command of the majority of American forces in the country, Maj. Gen. Jason Kamiya says training undertaken in Germany before the deployment is paying off.

And he hinted at upcoming operations as the weather improves.

“If there is going to be a spring offensive, then let it be ours,” said Kamiya, commander of Combined/Joint Task Force-76. “We have very good intelligence. We know what doing. They will soon feel the effects of an offensive of our own.”

Temperatures have been climbing recently and some of the heavy snow the country received this winter has melted. Fighting traditionally picks up in country when the weather improves. Kamiya declined to provide specifics. But he said actions would not be limited to airborne troops from the 173rd Airborne Brigade and 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division.

“This is not an airborne fight,” he said. “This is a broad coalition fight.”

Other Army assets as well as contributions from the Air Force, Marines and coalition and Afghan allies would all be used “to achieve the desired affect on the battlefield.”

http://www.myafghan.com/news2.asp?id=-318793151

[spinbaby]

1. Wait...

I thought things were under control and all happiness and light and flowers over in Afghanistan.

[lebkuchen]

2. Wait. I thought a Chinook out of Germany recently went down

killing between 13-18 American soldiers.

Those in the Chinook trained in Germany, so how did that training "pay off," exactly. And what about the weather? The general says that when the weather gets better, his army will be involved in an "offensive" (no doubt) mission. Then why was this Chinook flying a "routine" mission in bad weather?

[Boo Boo]

3. Boy that Gen. Kamiya is

really filled-up with beans 'n' rarin' ta go! Go git 'em General! Git 'em boy! YeeeeeeHaaaaaaw!

Next comes the part where he tells us that the casualties they've sustained are militarily insignificant.

[daleo]

4. Casualties will go up drastically, once outside of Kabul

I imagine the Russians had pretty good success as long as they stayed in and around Kabul as well.