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Taliban Scarier Than Iraq Enemy

By Mat Probasco, Newser Staff

Posted Jul 26, 2009 4:52 AM CDT

(Newser) – Taliban forces in Afghanistan are bolder, better organized, and more tenacious than the deadliest Iraqi insurgents, a war-hardened Marine told the New York Times. “In Iraq, they’d hit you and run,” said Sgt. Jacob Tambunga, who spent three tours fighting in Anbar Province. “But these guys stick around and maneuver on you.”

In less than a month in Afghanistan, Tambunga has repelled three ambushes that lasted longer than the most intense Iraq battles, he said. More worrisome is the enemy's mature battle planning: retreating when out numbered, and regrouping to strike later. A recent 4,000-Marine offensive has met less resistance than expected, meaning fierce battles could lie ahead in Taliban strongholds, he warned.

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (1)]

US Marines push ahead to drive Taliban fighters out in Herati, Afghanistan. (Getty Images)

A Marine yells to fellow fighters during a confrontation with the Taliban in Afghanistan last week. (Getty Images)

A US Marine yells for other Marines after an explosion while they were under enemy fire last week. (Getty Images)

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“One force will put enough fire down so you have to keep your heads down, then another force will maneuver around to your side to try to kill you ... That’s the same thing we do.” - Sgt. Brandon Tritle

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 6 comments

jagerhans

Jul 27, 2009 12:36 PM CDT

talibans may be murdering, millenary-temples-bashing, women-killing intolerant fanatic assholes but after all it is their country, their laws and their private business. getting rid of those lunatics is exclusively an Afghani affair and the US troops will retreat from there without getting any good. I am severely pissed out because the government of my country, Italy, led by the notorious sex offender and mafia boy, is squandering our tax money and spitting on our Constitution (that explicitly FORBIDS WAR except home defense) to fight another one of YOUR DAMNED YANKEE WARS and SHOW THE ITALIAN VASSAL FEALTY TO THE EMPEROR. all this while we are two steps beyond national bankruptcy , only we didn't figure out yet. while we barely have money to pay the police. so i dont give a crap about the claims of terrorists being there , the poor Afghani herdsmen and farmers weren't asked their opinion before the suicidal attack of sept.11 so why should they get the bombs? and wonder why the taliban movement is not collapsing? imagine the anger of YOU arrogant yankee assholes being bombed and buttraped by Afghani forces in response to the bombing of a small village. Sure you have more responsibility in that than Afghani people, because you actually voted your representatives. They are not going to surrender and I wish those ignorant lousy oddball goat fuckers total victory over you pirates of the modern world.

Shannonals

Jul 27, 2009 3:02 AM CDT

Sauerkraut, you haven't studied world history have you? The Afghanistan people more than held the Soviets at bay because the Soviets could not adapt to their type of warfare. The arms shipments sent by the states simply tipped the scales.

northeast

Jul 26, 2009 12:48 PM CDT

Okay.....NOW it's starting to sound like Vietnam.

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