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Equipment Failures Hindered Battle
Friday, May 24, 2002
The Associated Press

"As in most human endeavors, plans are never executed exactly the way they're developed," Rumsfeld said.

WASHINGTON -- AP
The deadliest firefight for the United States in the Afghan war -- a mountain battle that killed seven Americans -- was beset by communications problems, the Pentagon said Friday.

The war commander, Army Gen. Tommy Franks, attributed the problems to the harsh weather and equipment failures, such as broken radios and shot-up helicopters, rather than to human error.

In a leadup to Memorial Day, he praised the bravery of the troops and the success, though costly, of the operation in recounting the battle on the frigid mountaintop against dug-in al-Qaida fighters. A commando who fell out of a helicopter and six soldiers who tried to rescue him were killed.

"That battle showed heroism," Franks said. "It showed fog, uncertainty, it showed friction, elements common to every war I think we've fought."

"In the end the bravery and the audacity and certainly the tenacity of the people involved in that operation carried the day."

During the battle, in March in an area of eastern Afghanistan the locals call Takur Ghar, U.S. commanders watched helplessly as a Predator drone relayed live video of some of the fighting.
(More: Military.com News Source)
2002 © The Associated Press.

Dan