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Al Qaeda Laughed at U.S. Soldiers in Fierce Battle
Friday, March 8, 2002
(11:18 AM ET)
By Jeff Mason
Reuters

Many of the Americans quickly realized the Afghan forces [someone should point out to Reuters that the al Qui’da and Taliban are NOT “the Afghan forces”] had the upper hand.

LANDSTUHL, Germany -- Reuters
The hills echoed with laughter as al Qaeda and Taliban fighters rained down fire on U.S. soldiers wounded in a fierce Afghan battle.

Helicopters brought teams of U.S. soldiers into enemy terrain a week ago, seeking to eliminate the Islamic militants from a remote corner of Afghanistan.

Determined resistance left wounded U.S. soldiers exposed on the hills and trying to stay alive as mortar and gun fire prevented the helicopters from returning until nightfall.

Three wounded U.S. soldiers at the U.S. military's medical facilities at Landstuhl, Germany, gave a graphic account Friday of their perilous March 2nd battle.

"We could hear them laugh at us," said Spc. Wayne Stanton, 20, from Rockwood, Tennessee, who was on crutches and had a cast on his leg. "They were laughing every time we shot at them."

"They were 2,000 feet above us. Our small arms could not reach them up there," he said. "Every time a fast mover (aircraft) or a helicopter came to attack them or engage them, they just ran into the caves."

The U.S. military said Friday al Qaeda's resistance was faltering after nearly a week of fierce fighting in freezing Afghan mountains, with coalition forces gaining the higher ground.

The U.S. says eight American and seven Afghan troops have died and about 100 soldiers have been wounded in the battle, the biggest U.S.-led ground offensive of the five-month Afghan war.

* ENEMY TERRAIN
* ORDEAL UNDER FIRE
* NIGHT RESCUE
(More: iWon.com News Source)
2002 © Reuters, Ltd.

I guess this is just something else about combat that goes over Mr. Mason’s and Reuters’ collective head. Yes, the guys had a rough time of it (you’re in the Army, Mr. Jones), but laughing at your enemy is basic, and something I encouraged (from a safe distance, of course) when working with the JOTC (Jungle Operations Training Center) in Panama. “Demoralize your opponent, but at the same time realize what you’re up against.”

Anyway, the laughter had nothing to do with guerilla tact, and everything to do with the torture of the enemy, our own Military Forces. It happens, and is to be expected. These are ruthless cutthoats who would stop at nothing to kill Westerners. They have not a trace of compassion for anything not Muslim -- and even very little in that respect. They are murderers and thieves, reminiscent of the Dark Ages, but these same fighters will likely be deathly silent years from now, once this global war is finally over.

Hmm-m... 15 dead, 100 wounded. That’s not bad.

I seem to recall that the caves power and water supplies were outside. I wonder what we’re doing to them...

...And I’m certain there are talks at the Pentagon today for the use of our neutron technologies to ferret out our little playmates. We’ve nuked one nation in our history, and it may be time to repeat that bit of history.

Dan