War reports you won't hear elsewhere

Via Army News Service comes this report on how our forces are taking it to the Taliban:

QALAT, Afghanistan (Army News Service, May 9, 2005) – Paratroopers engaged a Taliban force last week in a remote valley of southeastern Afghanistan after an outnumbered scout patrol held out for 2.5 hours against heavy insurgent attack. The May 3 battle in the Arghandab Valley, about 175 miles northeast of Kandahar, was part of the Coalition’s spring offensive, dubbed “Operation Determined Resolve,” with the aim of denying sanctuary to insurgents in preparation for fall elections, said a spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force 76. Initial reports indicate about 20 insurgents were killed and one wounded in the battle. One Afghan National Police officer was killed and five wounded, and six U.S. service members were wounded.

The story includes a full battle report - who arrived when and what they did. Some scary stuff in here:

As much as the scouts laid down cover fire the landing zone was taking too much fire for the reinforcements to land. The scouts, who had been engaged in the firefight for more than two and a half hours, watched as the CH-47 Chinook aborted the landing and flew away. “You can’t imagine how scary it is to be in a fire fight like this and after two and a half hours of fighting, to see the support leave,” Ortiz said.

Later, paratroopers were able to join in the firefight, and attack the enemy from an unexpected direction. At least 17 enemy combatants killed, nine captured.

Enemy ferocity surprised some “I expected there to be stiff resistance but not as severe as this,” said Riggenberg. Chosen Company’s first sergeant, though, said he wasn’t surprised by the enemies’ dedication. “They’ve been fighting for so many years,” said 1st Sgt. Scott Brzak. “They have nothing to lose and everything to gain.” The effect the battle has had on his Soldiers is a positive one, said Brzak. “The Soldiers now know that they can depend on and trust the buddy to the left and right of them,” Brzak said. “They know their buddy will lay down their life for them. They also now know how the enemy operates and can pass this experience on to the rest of the company and the battalion.” After-action report positive All wounded ANP and U.S. Soldiers were evacuated to Kandahar Airfield for medical treatment. They were reported in stable condition. Two U.S. wounded Soldiers were treated and returned to duty. The other four Soldiers were transported to Landstuhl Medical Center in Germany for further treatment and are reportedly in stable condition. Six insurgents were detained and questioned. The village leader was also detained after villagers reported him as a Taliban member. Coalition forces are also meeting with local leaders to coordinate assistance to the village. A number of questions have been raised as to the significance of the battle. The ferocity with which the insurgent fighters defended their position is atypical of the hit and run and improvised explosive device tactics the Taliban had been using since being removed from power. “This is going to force them to rethink their strategy,” Riggenberg said. “I think our tactics will force them to fight and die or surrender. I think we put them on their heels. They now know that the American Army still has the energy to hunt them down.”

So the next time you hear someone saying how we're not really searching for Bin Laden and the Taliban, you'll know they don't know what they're talking about. And yes, it is still a war, and we are winning it.