Bemusing press release. Leaving aside the painful way these things are written...
Huh. 21st Century Warfare.
Medical personnel on site provided immediate care to the wounded female militant and evacuated her to a Coalition forces’ hospital for further care. Respecting cultural sensitivities, the combined force allowed the female militant’s husband to accompany her to the hospital. She is expected to recover.KABUL, Afghanistan – Afghan National Police and Coalition forces killed three armed militants and detained five suspected militants, including the targeted individual during an operation to disrupt the al-Qaeda terrorist network in Khost province, Tuesday.
The combined operation in Khost District, located approximately 150 km southeast of Kabul, netted an al-Qaeda liaison believed to facilitate the movement of foreign fighters into Afghanistan to conduct terrorist activities. The detained al-Qaeda liaison is believed to be in direct contact with al-Qaeda leaders, outside of Afghanistan, coordinating activities aimed at destabilizing the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and harming innocent civilians and Coalition forces.
During the operation, the combined force encountered one militant armed with an AK-47 assault rifle who attempted to engage the force. The combined force engaged the militant with small-arms and killed him.
Additionally, three militants, two armed with AK-47s and one with a shotgun, attempted to maneuver on and engaged the combined force as they searched the compound. The combined force returned fire killing two militants and wounding the third, which was later revealed to be a female.
Medical personnel on site provided immediate care to the wounded female militant and evacuated her to a Coalition forces’ hospital for further care. Respecting cultural sensitivities, the combined force allowed the female militant’s husband to accompany her to the hospital. She is expected to recover.
A search of the compound revealed multiple AK-47s, hand grenades, pistols, one shotgun and other military equipment.
“The ANP and coalition elements had cordoned off the area and the militants were asked to surrender, but refused and a gun fight erupted,” said Col. Gregory Julian, U.S. Forces Afghanistan spokesperson.
Huh. 21st Century Warfare.
You're killing ideas and propaganda as much as you are the fighters. This isn't going up against the Russian Bear---where killing every mother's son is appropriate given the ratehr conventional nature.
During preparation for deployment, the DCG-Operations (who sports a Ranger combat patch) is getting excited about Agribusiness Development Teams.
Yes, you read that correctly.
Heck, he should ask for SWWBO, she's going through it right now in Kansas!
Though I'd say it's not so much 21st Century warfare so much as doing something a little different. A bruhaha with CHina, Russia, or Venezuela won't look anything like what we're seeing in 'Stan or Iraq. War just got a little bit more inclusive definition in doctrinal books, it hasn't really changed.
http://usacac.army.mil/
Take a look at the new Army Field Manuals, especially "COIN" or FM 3-24, "Stability Operations" or FM 3-07 and FM 7-0 "Full Spectrum Operations". I often hear our young warriors talking about feeling like their heads were on a swivel. Well, now they won't need to be concerned about the swivel. They better pull their heads out, smell the coffee, even have a cup, because it will be a whole new war for them. They will need to be able to rotate their head on any axis at any moment. This will mean fighting offensively, defensively and in a civil support mode simultaneously. I wish the warriors my best!
Grumpy
http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/
The homefront is becoming as much a threat as the active enemy in our "modern wars".
Of course, supporters of the Lost Cause will assert the entire war as an extra-legal effort to diminish dissent, but lay that one aside on focus on Lincoln's actions with the Press in the North.
Wilson did the same sorts of things, as well as enlisting the populace to rat out people who didn't support the war, a not insignificant number of whom went to jail for the failure to be supportive enough, leave aside actually agitating against. Just do a quick search in Google or your favorite search engine for "Palmer Raids."
The American Legion, in one of its less stellar acts, actually signed up as an organization to engage in that kind of suppression.
The history of WWI and its immediate aftermatch are one reason I just shake my head at the earnest, shaking-with-righteous-rage-at-the-injustice-of-Chimpy-McBushitler and his suppression of dissent.
People have little sense of history, and even less sense of proportion.