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MILITARY: U.S. Afghan Raid Takes Some Sniping at Home
Friday, November 9, 2001
By Paul Richter, staff writer
LA Times

An Army special operations officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, compared the purpose of the raid to the token bombing of Tokyo at the outset of World War II -- "just to show we can do it," he said.

*War: Military experts say elite forces were unduly risked on targets of limited value. But others contend the mission gave a needed boost to morale.



WASHINGTON


Three weeks after it took place, the only ground attack known to have been mounted by U.S. forces in Afghanistan is coming under criticism from some former special forces officers and military experts.

Some of the critics contend that the Oct. 19 raid, which struck an airfield and a residence of the Taliban's leader in southern Afghanistan, misused stealthy special operations troops by deploying them as part of a noisy assault that also included a sizable force of U.S Army Rangers.

Others charge that U.S. commanders shouldn't have risked the troops in an effort that -- with news leaks the night it happened and film footage afterward -- was primarily a show for the world news media. But other experts and special forces veterans contend that although the mission captured neither Taliban leaders nor key documents, it was well executed -- and that the more important question is why there apparently have not been more like it.

Pentagon officials continue to strongly defend the operation.
(More: LATimes.com News Source)
2001 © Los Angeles Times.

Dan