This week, not one but two Taliban statements hit the Voice of Jihad English-language site on the same day referring to ISAF’s latest push in Helmand: an unsigned weekly comment “Cobra’s Anger Will Lead to Great Regrets,” (PDF version at non-terrorist site here); and a signed op-ed attributed to spokesperson Qari Muhammad Yousuf Ahmadi, “Enemy Will Face an Exemplary Strike once More” (PDF version at non-terrorist site here).
The funny thing is that while the weekly statement (time stamped as being posted before the signed op-ed) says “move along, nothing to see here” in Helmand when posted at 12:41 Thursday….
According to recent reports from the province, the invaders have not gained any remarkable success, nor they have been able to destroy any stronghold of the Mujahideen as yet. Similarly, the foreign forces have not taken any area of vital importance to Mujahideen militarily. So far, they have been roaming in empty deserts. Despite that, they constantly claim of having captured kilometers of areas from the Opposition.
… the signed op-ed posted at 16:11 Thursday says something different:
Local Mujahideen say, though the enemy has come out of its military garrison but have lost tanks as a result of mine blasts upon entering areas under the control of Mujahideen. In Kushk and Jazi area, many tanks of the enemy have been destroyed by mines explosions and as a result of attacks of Mujahideen. The enemy also had soul and material loss in Alizai and Sheikhzai areas. Last Saturday, heavy fighting was continuiing between Mujahideen and the invaders which resulted in the killing of tens of enemy soldiers. Mujahideen from the area say, the movements of the enemy forces have been halted now and they have made no advancement in the last few days.
So which is it? Nothing happening, or invaders (allegedly) getting blown to smithereens?
What a difference about three and a half hours can make.
Other than that, the Taliban’s propaganda consists of the usual “we will win, the invaders will lose” messaging, with this message to media outlets:
We call on international and local media to avoid publishing empty analysis, predictions, judgments and spreading rumors about the operation. Such attitudes on the part of the media will only damage its reputation but practically will have no impact on the results of the operations.
If the Taliban Info-Machine thinks like political info-machines in the West, does the repeated messaging about the “invaders” losing in Helmand mean it’s something they think about a lot? Maybe even worry about?
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The Canadian Leopards are still in the AO and I’ve already seen at least one video of them operating alongside of the USMC.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXT-WcLQxnQ
But there aren’t all that many of them in country (20+ at last count) and there are no reports of any of those Leopard II’s being lost or damaged in combat.
There have been numerous APC’s, MRAP’s, and Hummer’s lost, mostly to mine and IED damage. I get the impression that anything and everything that has armor on it is a “tank” in the Talib style book.
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