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http://sg.news.yahoo.com/020930/1/339zd.html Agence France-Presse Monday September 30, 1:21 PM US operation in Afghanistan may not have been so successful The most important US-led campaign in Afghanistan in recent months was marred by overeager, inexperienced troops who alienated local residents, according to a report in Newsweek magazine. In August, US troops launched a week-long campaign known as "Operation Mountain Sweep" in the Shahi Kot valley of eastern Afghanistan, scene of heavy fighting in March. Reports following the mission said it yielded 10 arrests, and the discovery of five weapons caches. Newsweek quoted US special forces troops operating in the area prior to the 600-man sweep as saying the operation was, perhaps, counter-productive. The work done since March by the special forces in gaining local trust unravelled in the face of 600 action-hungry US soldiers, the newsweekly said. "We just couldn't believe they were acting that way. Every time we turned around they were doing something stupid," one special forces officer, who declined to be named, told the weekly. "They were acting like (Osama) bin Laden was hiding behind every door. That just wasn't the way to be acting with civilians," said another, also speaking on condition of anonymity. Newsweek, quoting sources, said the steady stream of friendly intelligence from locals has nearly dried up since the operation ended, and incidents of harassment of US troops has increased. Newsweek said the soldier's allegations were backed up by local Afghani villagers. Army public-affairs officers defended the operation, telling the weekly the special forces troops active in that area of Afghanistan "prima donnas." __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? New DSL Internet Access from SBC & Yahoo! http://sbc.yahoo.com --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bacIlu Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
