[soapbox]Its been over 3 weeks now.. Does anyone think that military action will happen in the near future or atleast with the next 6 months??[uzi] [sniper]I'm thinking 4-6 months, to make sure alot of refugees are ok and to get enough military force..
Just curious on everyone's opinion on this..[flame]
-Andrea[newbie][bounce]

AHA!!!  She really is a man and is a Taliban spy!!!!!!!!![;D]

Seriously though, if anyone thinks they know, keep it to yourself.  "Loose lips sink ships"

For all we know there could be special forces units going at it with terrorists right now.

Ferdinand

I don't know but I would think the special forces have been at it for at leat a week. I retired in 74, so obviously this is a WAG.

Joe

[marines]

Capt. Obvandreusean ????

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the sky is red and the wind blows hot.......

clowns are gonna get me....

......consult your troll code book to get the message.......

[:K] [bounce] [:K]

I would guess they have to strike in October.
Ramadan starts in Novemeber, and for political/relgious purposes you don't want to piss off our Islamic allies.
One guess has them launching the majority of operations when the New Moon returns because we have the night vision advantage over them.

It would also seem prudent for the US to do stuff w/o admitting anything. I can also see why Osama would not want to admit to losing men in raids.

You guys really don't get it, do you?  This is not now, nor has it ever been about the Middle East.

Firstly, we have to decide who exactly this so called "war on terrorism" is going to be fought against. -- Is it against bin Laden?  How do you fight a war on one person?  Is it against his organization?  How do you decide which people who are associated with is organization will be targeted.  Is it against any soverign nations?  If so you'd better have good reason to attack another country.

There will be next to nothing done outside of this country.  Most of the "response" to this attack will actually be aimed at you and me.  Already there is a big push for more gun control.  There wasn't a single gun used in the attack.  Current legislation would change the definition of "terrorism" to include such trivial things as defacing a website and carry a life sentence for not only the offender, but also anyone who harbors the offender, even if they don't know that the person is a "terrorist".

Soon, I hope.[edsr-1]

Loose lips sink ships.

GunLvr

KFWB is one of the all news radio stations in L.A.
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[url]http://kfwb.com/news/nat/n100513.html[/url]

Officials Caution Not to Expect Big Military Strike Soon
(AP) 10.05.01, 6:32p -- Administration and European officials are signaling that a major military action may not come anytime soon, even as U.S. troops, warplanes and ships gather in the Gulf region.
Meanwhile, Taliban soldiers were reported Friday to be taking heavy weapons into the mountains of Afghanistan to await an assault.

There were growing signs that the coalition the United States is assembling for the anti-terrorism campaign is still struggling to decide exactly what to do. Some have even raised the possibility that the campaign can be waged with little or no fighting -- without the kind of military fireworks that Americans may expect.

"It will take time," Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld said at a press conference in Turkey. "And we need the cooperation of countries around the globe."

Rumsfeld met with Turkish officials in his last stop on a five-nation tour to build support for the campaign in the Middle East and Central Asia.

Earlier Friday, officials said 1,000 soldiers from the Army's 10th Mountain Division flew from Fort Drum, N.Y., on their way to Uzbekistan to provide security for Air Force fighters and combat search-and rescue teams. Rumsfeld's trip also included talks in that Central Asian nation as well as in Saudi Arabia and Oman, all of which are expected to allow some military activities on their soil.

While the United States is getting some cooperation from allies in the Middle East, it's also increasingly clear that those allies -- specifically the Saudis and Egypt -- lack enthusiasm for U.S. military action that could inflame Muslims at home and abroad.

Rumsfeld appeared to lean more heavily on the message that military action may be relatively small. The French defense minister also has said that he does not expect a retaliation for several weeks.

Rumsfeld did not rule out the possibility of taking military action to ensure that the air defense forces of the Taliban in Afghanistan do not pose a threat to the delivery of American food aid to parts of the country. He said Thursday he was certain U.S. military planes would make airdrops of food, but said the details were being worked out in Washington.

But Rumsfeld also hedged on whether military action is inevitable.

"In the Cold War it took 50 years, plus or minus. It did not involve major battles."

He seemed to indicate that the first purpose of that growing military might is to apply pressure -- as the freezing of terrorist groups' money is applying a financial squeeze -- rather than to launch a major attack.

Military action in the form America is used to seeing it may never come, said Hy Rothstein, a former special forces colonel now working toward a doctorate at Tufts University. A dearth of valuable targets in Afghanistan leaves communications systems, fighter training camps and other pieces of infrastructure in the poor and devastated nation as the main known targets for expensive bombs and missiles, he said.

"If use of forces is an extension of policy and our policy is to reduce terrorism, bombing a training camp is not going to make a difference," Rothstein said.

The United States has about 30,000 American military members are in the region, including two aircraft carrier battle groups and 350 planes.

The conventional buildup of forces for what many expect to be a war fought primarily by clandestine units has many other uses, analysts said. It positions troops to be ready for anything, it could deter Osama bin Laden from planning further attacks and it shows the American public that actions are being taken following the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington, said Retired Army Gen. Fred Woerner, chief of U.S. Southern Command when the United States was trying to capture Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega.

Analysts believe the Pentagon already has special forces advisory teams consulting with the anti-Taliban northern alliance, a group that could be trained and equipped for a larger effort among Afghan dissidents who may help overthrow the Taliban.

"It is feasible for the Afghans to do it themselves," Woerner said.

If that doesn't work, then the U.S. and its allies will "fall back to the sledgehammer," he said of the military buildup. "They're developing a range of options, the preferred being to get rid of bin Laden without any military action whatsoever."

"They've got it really well orchestrated," agreed retired Army Col. William Taylor of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "They're using military force as a backdrop for diplomacy ... the last resort if the diplomacy fails."

It'll take time, BB.  We can't rush this operation, when the time's right we're going to give the Taliban and Bin Laden a right kick in the teef.  You're probably right in your estimate of at least a few more months.
:D

Any operation by itself will take weeks to prepare. When carried out as a long term camapaign, the initial operations must fit into the longer term stategy which takes time to prepare as well. I believe that what may be delaying initial action is that law enforcement believes that there will be more domestic terrorism triggered by the onset of hostilities. The longer those are delayed, the more time they have to find any "sleepers" and the more time those sleepers have to tip their hand or screw up.

A lot of things may be done before we ever get notice of action. Thats what is so cool about Delta teams and the like. At the same time, it kinda sucks because we all want to know what is going on, when it happening.

I hate the suspense...

Tyler

[b] Original quoted by Blonde_Bombshell:
When do you think there will be action in MiddleE? [/b]

Don't you mean the middle "Y"?  And shouldn't you be asking your boyfriend LiquidSnake" instead of us?  Or is it because of the "Liquid" part that you [i]are[/i] asking us?[;)]

Either way, I suggest a small pocket tactical nuke....if ya know what I mean.[;)] Here's a link that may help, [url]www.pocketsnake.com[/url].

Soon.
Bombshell...the process works something like this:
We don't have forces all over the world ready at a hair trigger to jump off into combat at the drop of a hat...except for our strategic nuclear strike forces (missiles in subs and in silos).  We also don't keep instantaneous, up-to-the-minute strike packages ready to be pulled out and used, especially against some rathole like Afghanistan.  Intelligence packages are prepared and updated on a regular basis so files of 'potential' targets are maintained for future use by our armed forces.
Once the requirement to strike something or someone has been identified, the war machine revs up.  Deployable unit readiness is improved as quickly as possible (ships, aircraft squadrons, infantry regiments etc.) to bring them up to full combat capability (spare parts, bullets, training, etc.).  Deployment orders are sent so ships get underway, special forces guys load up onto planes and dissapear into the mist, fighter and bomber wings fly out to distant bases and logistics ships and land bases begin dragging thousands of tons of materiel out of long term storage in preparation of combat.  Surveillance satellites are re-programmed to fly over the potential enemies locations to begin snooping into his daily life.
Getting all of this into place takes some time...which is really a good thing, since it takes some time to go get the latest intelligence info and update the target files.  For example, even at full power, a carrier can only cover about 800 miles per day.  The North Arabian Sea is a LONG way off from Norfolk or San Diego.
Finally, once all the targets have been ID'ed and the forces put in place, the war planners will begin the process of matching weapons systems to targets.  This process also takes time.  Once that is all done and the forces all report on station and "ready for call for fire" the fun begins.
First will probably be the Tomahawks launched from Navy cruisers, destroyers and subs, followed by the strategic bombers  (B-52s, B-1Bs, & B-2s, each carrying maybe a 100 or so bombs) and then the Navy and Air Force fighter bombers, striking the individual targets of interest.  Once those attacks are done, the SPECOPS ground troops will probably go in and begin to root out the Taliban from their caves.
As the war progresses, we won't know much from day to day because the press has not been invited along with our forces this time.  Not much of this will be live and in color...since the services learned a hard lesson during Desert Storm:  Even as we were planning and striking Saddam, he was listening to CNN and using the info against us.  Press coverage in this war is going to be without the aid and assistance of our military.
Bottom line...we attack soon...so be patient.  This war will take time.  We won't see much of it...but our guys will win.
[soapbox]
[devil][rocket]

I am sure that the Talabans and Bin Laden are probably also sitting on pins & needles, not just us.  But be patient, the U.S. of A. is gonna kick some butt, and they are going to get an Excedirin headache number number 1, 2... big time.

Tuesday

Looks like you guys got your wish today.

Don't get me wrong; I'm all for stopping terrorism.  Just as long as we all agree exactly what terrorism is.

According to the UN, private ownership of firearms is terrorism.  And I don't wanna be locked up in the new internment (pronounced: ex TERM in AY shun) camps that are being constructed as we speak.

I did get my wish.[beer] Justice will prevail. [50]However, it is both a happy and sad day for me because I don't like war; noone does I guess.. Plus I am fearful of strikes against us.. Hopefully, our high alert wll remain in tact! May God Bless every servicemen and women and may they carry out their duty unscathed...[marines]
GOD BLESS AMERICA!!
STAND TALL AND STAND PROUD!
-Andrea[newbie][bounce]