Quote:
Originally Posted by Officer of Engineers
No, just a different enemy. The Taliban is just copying what the Iraqis have been doing with some success.
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And what have Iraqis been doing? (Sorry, the tone comes out as challenging, but I really am not following Iraq very closely).
The Talibunnies have been using a two-pronged strategy since 2004: Quantity in the South, Quality in the East. The gentle plateau in the south is easier for larger numbers of less-skilled fighters and low-investment suicide bombers to infiltrate; conversely it is also easier for NATO forces to patrol and stop the infiltration. The Hindu Kush in the East is, of course murderous terrain... but it skirts quite close to Kabul; the 'bunnies have been trying to push in their more skilled fighters into the East.
Once the 'bunny fighters arrive it becomes one of two questions: Are the allies forces going to hunt them? Or are they going to let the 'bunnies attack? Conversely, from a Talibunny's PoV, should it hide? Or should it attack? In this matter it all comes down to projection of a self-image and perception of the enemy's image: Are you a hard target who hunts, or a soft target who waits to be attacked? Do you see your enemy as prey, or as predator? Yes, it is all very primitive tribal-like... but with constraints imposed by terrain (in the East) and diplo-political considerations (everywhere), IMO it wouldn't be a waste of time figuring out what the 'bunnies think is the power equation.