http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/18/world/asia/18afghan.html?ref=world

"KABUL, Afghanistan — American forces have abandoned the outpost in northeastern Afghanistan where nine American soldiers were killed Sunday in a heavy attack by insurgents, NATO officials said Wednesday.

The withdrawal handed a propaganda victory to the Taliban, and insurgents were quick to move into the village of Wanat beside the abandoned outpost, Afghan officials said. Insurgents nearly overran the barely built outpost in a dawn raid on Sunday, the most deadly assault for United States forces in Afghanistan since 2005."

What battle?

That was nothing more than a good fire fight.

Our Airforce will have that Village leveled by next week.

What battle?

That was nothing more than a good fire fight.

When 2 different, otherwise adversial military groups trying to kill each other, that is called battle. When one gives up its location the other is usually called the winner...

When 2 different, otherwise adversial military groups trying to kill each other, that is called battle. When one gives up its location the other is usually called the winner...

A battle is a series of engaugements over a area, what took place was a small skirmish, in a extended action that is not over yet.

Having been in the military for 20 years I know the difference between a battle and a fire fight.

Now heres the rest of the story:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/07/17/afghan.probe/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

When the attack occurred, the U.S. and Afghan soldiers were scouting for a location in the remote area to set up a coalition observation point. The Taliban never breached the main coalition base near the village of Wanat in Kunar province, which borders Pakistan.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,381542,00.html

Sunday's attack by some 200 militants armed with machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and mortars was the deadliest for the U.S. military in Afghanistan in three years. Rebels fought their way into the newly established base, wounding another 15 Americans and suffering heavy casualties of their own before the defenders and warplanes drove them back.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080714/ap_on_re_as/afghanistan


By FISNIK ABRASHI, Associated Press Writer
Mon Jul 14, 3:38 PM ET

After the breach, U.S. troops pushed back against the invading militants, and attack helicopters swooped in. The second official said more than 40 insurgents were killed in the fighting. Fifteen U.S. soldiers also were wounded…

When 2 different, otherwise adversial military groups trying to kill each other, that is called battle. When one gives up its location the other is usually called the winner...


And just how big was the foot print that the Taliban established?

300 square yards? Now that isn't a battle, that's a fire fight.

When 2 different, otherwise adversial military groups trying to kill each other, that is called battle. When one gives up its location the other is usually called the winner...

It wasn't a retreat it was a "tactical withdrawal"

And just how big was the foot print that the Taliban established?

Do you think 20 years from now we will still be there? Because they will, happens to be their country...

By the way if it was Battle of Mogadishu, then this was a battle too...But just to make you happy, one can win a war one firefight at a time... :)

Do you think 20 years from now we will still be there? Because they will, happens to be their country...

By the way if it was Battle of Mogadishu, then this was a battle too...But just to make you happy, one can win a war one firefight at a time... :)

American Heritage Dictionary -

bat·tle:

A protracted struggle

skir·mish:

Military. a fight between small bodies of troops, esp. advanced or outlying detachments of opposing armies.

This was a small unit action, a fire fight, a skirmish, not a Battle.

The withdrawal handed a propaganda victory to the Taliban
That sums it up. For some reason, they like to immolate themselves en masse against a superior force and count the expected disastrous consequences as "victory". However, in this case, it will probably be remembered as one for a lot of them.

When 2 different, otherwise adversial military groups trying to kill each other, that is called battle. When one gives up its location the other is usually called the winner...

Here's a little military science 101. As the following graphic shows, battles and skirmishes (engagements) both occur at the tactical level, but there is a huge difference in the size of units involved. In this instance, if this outpost is anything like the others in the area, it is manned by a relatively small number of people (~150 or so) yet it is still operating as an independent field unit. This is like a company operating like a brigade. The Taliban force was reportedly significantly larger, but still filled the same bracket.

http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/1539/strategerygn4.gif

..one can win a war one firefight at a time... :)

Also, let me quote the general Afghan attitude:

Be fore the Russians, we fought the Britts. Then we fought the Russians. Now we are figthing the Americans. And when everyone leaves we will figth with each other...