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U.S. General Maps New Tactic to Pursue Taliban and Qaeda

(New York Times) The commander of American-led forces in Afghanistan said Tuesday that the military had adopted new tactics to combat Taliban and al-Qaeda militants. Lt. Gen. David Barno said that in the past three months, American units down to the level of 40-soldier platoons had been dispatched to live in villages where they can forge ties with tribal elders and glean better information about the location and activities of guerrillas. The new strategy had already paid dividends: Afghan civilians have reported more insurgents' weapons caches in the past month than had been turned in during the past half year. General Barno said cooperation with Pakistani forces on the Afghan border had increased, especially in the past six to eight weeks. Using a harsh, century-old British method, Pakistani forces have handed local tribal leaders a list of villages suspected of sheltering members of al-Qaeda. If the tribe refuses to hand over the suspects, the Pakistani army threatens to punish the group as a whole, withdrawing funds or demolishing houses.
2004-02-18 00:00:00
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