'When Fighting Season Begins Again" In Afghannystan

What is there some type of R&R going on for everybody we ain't heard about or what? Excerpts out of a very telling article that there are some major problems with our troops equipment.

In Iraq, armored vehicles could travel on both the roads and the desert. Here, the paved roads are mostly for outsiders - travelers, truckers and foreign troops; to reach the populace, American forces must find unmapped caravan routes that run through treacherous terrain, routes not designed for their modern military vehicles.

Fighting is significantly different than in Iraq.
In Iraq, a half-hour firefight was considered a long engagement; here, Marines have fought battles that have lasted as long as eight hours against an enemy whose attacking forces have grown from platoon-size to company-size.

And when they do decide to fight it's a totally different breed of cat.
When the Taliban does take on the Marines, it's a different kind of fight, Marines said. For one, the Taliban'll wait until they're ready, not just when an opportunity appears. They'll clear the area of women and children, not use them as shields. And when the attack comes, it's often a full-scale attack, with flanks, trenches and a plan, said one Marine captain and Iraq veteran who asked not to be identified because he wasn't sure he was allowed to discuss tactics.

With the escalation just beginning it appears problems are developing that were not seen beforehand. Equipment that worked in Iraq is not suited for the environment and terrain of Afghanistan plus these guys fight much differently.

Ask the Russians how well things went for them. Make a determination on Bin Laden and get us the fuck out of there!!