In a probable move to shore up their military situation in the on-going civil war prior to an expected attack by the United States, the Taliban militia launched an all-out attack on forces of the Northern Opposition.

See story at:
[url]http://www.hindustantimes.com/nonfram/180901/dlfor13.asp[/url]

The Northern Opposition, in my way of thinking, should be resupplied with weapons and munitions by the United States, during any buildup of American forces in that area of the world.

Eric The(LetThemKeepTheTalibanOccupiedTilWeGetThere!)Hun[[>]:)]

Only a couple of days after the Northern Alliance pledged 15,000 to helping to fight the Taliban.  Of course they would do that anyway.

Probably doesn't help the Talibans efforts having moved considerable assets to near the Pakistani border.

Resupply them... hell yes.  Keep the enemy fighting elsewhere during the buildup.  Then on several fronts during our guerilla ops.  Use up their manpower and munitions.

So, where does the Taliban forces get their resupplies from?  Iraq?

Wasn't the rebel leader (who was assasinated last week, hmmm...) one of the leaders of the resistance against the Soviets? I don't know about giving supplies or such to the rebels, but I doubt that much of the Taliban were part of the Soviet resistance movement. I think they're a part of a more local movement.

By looking at the map, I would probably say no. Iran and Iraq arent exactly friends, so I doubt they would get supplies through on the ground and Iraq certainly doesnt have the air capability to get them there. If Iraq helps, it's probably just with $$$.

They get their supplies from China most likely.  Last year they decided to make nice with Pakistan by offering up Pakistani nationals wanted by Islamabad.  That same day, the Afghan ambassadors guaranteed a Chinese government that no "groups" would be allowed to operate against China from Afghanistan in order to get China involved in their civil war and keep Russia out of it.

I guess they can play nice with other Muslim governments and superpowers when it benefits them, but not when we're about to exact revenge.  I would have thought self-preservation was a benefit to them, but I must be mistaken.

God Bless Texas

Lets hope Iraq gets into it.  Then we could finish what we failed to in the Golf War.  15,000 is a good number. But how can that even compare to our air power and armored Divisions?  [50]

Post from ipschoser1 -

Well, if we had enough time to let that little scenario play out....but we don't. Right now they are on the ground, they are motivated, they are the remnants of the true anti-Soviet resistance, and they are under attack!

Why not arm them with conventional weapons? And resupply them?

If they come back, after we've helped them in their war against the Taliban, how will we be any the worse off? That's, after all, what we're facing now!

Eric The(BesidesThatWouldBePlayingAgainstTypeForUS)Hun[>]:)]

I think Death_By_AR15 has it right:  Pakistan is one of the few nations that the Taliban have relations with, and Pakistan has been forced to buy from China since we embargoed them over the nuke tests.  The Iraqis are probably having difficulties supplying themselves since the Gulf War.

I bet the Afghans have a lot of stuff left over from the war with the Soviets though, including goods we supplied them, what the Russians left behind, what they stole from the Russians, and what the puppet regime had.  Kind of like how North Vietnamese ended up with more equipment than they knew what to do with after South Vietnam fell.

It's my understanding that the talaban gets their supplies and support from Pakistan.  I've also heard that they're currently in a holy war against Russia, Iran and Isreal at this time.  That's one reason why Iran has sided with the US against the talaban.  

Larry