Obviously, the commander must have been catching flak for supposedly having such a "lightly manned" "out post" in the middle of hostile territory. He also says that the fighters probably numbered closer to a little over 100 and the damage inflicted is unknown. Finally, it doesn't portend anything bigger and badder coming from Pakistan because that's the fight they've been having all summer long.The Army did not "abandon" the base after the attack, as many media reporters have suggested, Preysler said.
He said the decision to move from the location following the attack was to reposition, which his men have done countless times throughout their tour, and to move closer to the local seat of government.
"If there’s no combat outpost to abandon, there’s no position to abandon," he said. "It’s a bunch of vehicles like we do on patrol anywhere and we hold up for a night and pick up any tactical positions that we have with vehicle patrol bases.
"We do that routinely.... We’re always doing that when go out and stay in an area for longer then a few hours, and that’s what it is. So there is nothing to abandon. There was no structures, there was no COP or FOB or anything like that to even abandon. So, from the get-go, that is just [expletive], and it’s not right."
Mullen, though, last Thursday said that the fight was picking up in Afghanistan and it might need re-newed attention.
But, I have already used too many electrons on it. I am spent.