AFGHAN ARMY REPULSES ATTACK, KILLS 10 TALIBAN, WOUNDS FOUR OTHERS

AFGHAN NEWS /AFP: 10 Taliban said killed in base attack

Dozens of Taliban fighters attacked an Afghan military base in restive southern Afghanistan but pulled out after losing 10 of their fighters, an official said Monday.

The rebels left their dead comrades on the battlefield and "escaped after tough resistance" Sunday night at the base in the Taliban-dominated Sangin district of southern Helmand province, district chief Ezatullah Khan said.

"After two hours of intense fighting, 10 Taliban were killed and the rest of them escaped," Khan said. Four militants were injured, he said.

The troops from the newly-trained internationally-sponsored Afghan national army did not suffer any casualties, he said.

This comes on the heels of this news from Iraq (CENTCOM):

BAQOUBA, Iraq - In an unprecedented combined action in Diyala Province, Iraqi police and citizen volunteers defeated a coordinated attack of approximately 40-60 al-Qaeda terrorists in the southern Burhitz area of Baqouba, Wednesday, and killed an estimated 21 insurgents, wounding more.

As the terrorists entered the city of Burhitz, a group of concerned local citizens, called 'Baqouba Guardians,' and IPs stationed in Burhitz engaged the first wave of attackers, killing seven. At least two suicide bombers were killed before they reached their intended targets, with the bomb vests detonating prematurely.

The IP notified the Provincial Joint Coordination Center and requested Coalition Force attack helicopter support after the first engagement. Attack helicopters arrived and engaged another large group of heavily armed fighters staging near the first attack site, killing or wounding an estimated 14 terrorists.

Approximately six citizens were killed and up to 20 more wounded during this attack. Iraqi Security Forces are continuing to secure the scene, pursue al-Qaeda, and move wounded to the Baqouba General Hospital.

"Baqouba should be proud of their security forces and their citizen guardians today," said Col. Steve Townsend, commander, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. "All fought side-by-side and soundly defeated a complex attack from a determined enemy. This thing could have been much worse had those suicide bombers reached their targets," said Townsend.

It's plain to see: THE ONLY WAY WE LOSE AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ IS IF THE DEMS HAVE US RETREAT, OR IF THEY CUT OFF FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR OUR ALLIES - THE NASCENT CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACIES OF AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ.

THESE DEMOCRAT "DOVES" HAVE DONE IT BEFORE. - IN 1975: VIETNAM.

(COMRADES TEDDY AND KERRY WERE PART OF THE "CELL" THEN, TOO.)

WE MUST SUPPORT THE AFGHAN'S AND THE IRAQI'S UNTIL THEY CAN DEFEND THEMSELVES.

AND THAT MIGHT COME SOONER THAN THE DEFEATISTS THINK...

BTW: The White House laid out the strategy on 11/30/05. The tactics have changed but not the strategy or the goal. In fact, we are achieving more each day.

As the date for the Petraeus Report approaches, the enemy will try harder and harder to inflict horrifying casualties on us and our allies to attempt to diminish our will to see it through, our resolve.



We mustn't let al Qaeda and Iran and the Dems win.

HERE'S WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE SAID TWO YEARS AGO: WHY OUR STRATEGY IS (AND MUST BE) CONDITIONS-BASED

• * Success in the short, medium, and long run will depend on progress in overcoming these challenges and on the conditions on the ground in Iraq. Our strategy -- along the political, security, and economic tracks -- is establishing the conditions for victory. These conditions include:
• Progress in the Iraqi political process and the increasing willingness of Iraqis to forge political compromises;
• Consolidation of gains in the training of Iraqi Security Forces (ISF);
• Commitment to and implementation of economic reforms by Iraqi leaders;
• Increased cooperation of Iraq's neighbors;
• Expanded support from the international community;
• Continued support of the American people.
• * Although we are confident of victory in Iraq, we will not put a date certain on when each stage of success will be reached -- because the timing of success depends upon meeting certain conditions, not arbitrary timetables.
• Arbitrary deadlines or timetables for withdrawal of Coalition forces -- divorced from conditions on the ground -- would be irresponsible and deadly, as they would suggest to the terrorists, Saddamists, and rejectionists that they can simply wait to win.
• No war has ever been won on a timetable -- and neither will this one.

THOUGH VICTORY MAY NOT BE AT HAND, THE TIME WHEN THE AFGHANS AND THE IRAQIS CAN DEFEND THEMSELVES IS NEARER THAN EVER.

THAT'S WHY WE MUST PREVENT AL QAEDA AND IRAN AND THE DEMS FROM GETTING US TO WITHDRAW PREMATURELY.