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Politics : Idea Of The Day -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: BubbaFred who wrote (40694)	9/29/2001 1:23:08 PM
From: BubbaFred	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 50167

If there is to be American military activity in Afghanistan, it will run into a problem that has always plagued armies there - the winter weather. The Taleban's winter ally news.bbc.co.uk Afghanistan's ongoing civil war usually stops from November to April. Snow is the norm over much of the centre and north of the country, arriving in blizzards. In the mountains, temperatures can fall to -40C (-40F). The snow drifts to two or three metres (10ft) deep. The wind chill makes matters even worse. At -40F a wind of just 15mph can take the temperature down to -85F - in which exposed flesh freezes in less than 30 seconds. Effect on troops Troops slow down - everything takes longer and requires more energy. The cold regions research laboratory of the US Army Corps of Engineers estimates that it takes 80% longer for even a motivated team to repair a damaged runway, for example, on a snowy, windy day, than it would in summer. Snow makes movement heavy going "The effects on soldiers include increased time to perform tasks, reduced dexterity and accuracy, reduced grip strength, and failure to achieve adequate concentration on the task at hand," it says. Well-equipped modern armies have clothing "systems" based on the principle of insulation, layering, and ventilation. Inner layers are made of fabrics which retain heat but draw perspiration away from the skin, and an outer layer which lets perspiration evaporate, while repelling water on the outside. When the Russians were fighting in Afghanistan in the 1980s, soldiers found their cotton sleeping bags were a liability - it is said their prize trophy was a light, waterproof and warm Western-made bag captured from mujahideen fighters. Food intake But cold-weather clothing is cumbersome, so it greatly increases the energy needed to do anything. Soldiers must eat - and drink - more than usual The US Army's Research Institute of Environmental Medicine says soldiers need to eat 4,500 calories a day - the average in normal circumstances would be 2,000 to 2,500. And they need to drink three to six litres - more water in the bloodstream improves circulation, sending more blood to the hands and feet. Caffeine dehydrates the body. A better choice is something warm, sweet and non-caffeinated, such as hot cocoa. "Soldiers must drink even when they are not thirsty," the institute warns, noting that below -10F their standard-issue canteens and five-gallon metal water containers can freeze. Natural defences Snow can be thawed to provide water - but cold also drastically reduces the effectiveness of chlorine or iodine water purification. The human body's way of keeping warm includes shivering and vasoconstriction. Shivering burns energy - hence the need to consume more calories than normal. Vasoconstriction is the tightening of blood vessels in the skin. This reduces blood flow and conserves heat - but can lead to numbness, loss of dexterity in hands and fingers and eventually frostbite. People do not acclimatise to cold as well as they do to heat, so the best way to cope is to adjust mentally and emotionally, through training. Equipment problems The armies of Indian and Pakistan are very adept at fighting at high altitudes and in very cold weather as a result of their conflict in Kashmir, yet many of their casualties have been as a result of cold injury. Soldiers also have to take greater care of their equipment. The action of a weapon can jam. The British Army's Standard combat rifle, the SA80, is being modified because its complexity meant it was prone to jamming in extreme climates - hot or cold. This would be unlikely to trouble American troops whose M16 ArmaLite is more reliable - which is why the British SAS special forces use it in preference. Snow-covered or wet ground presents obvious difficulties for heavy military vehicles. And in extreme cold, fuel and hydraulic fluids can freeze. Icing on aircraft Icing is always a problem for aircraft. Frost, snow and freezing rain can affect aerodynamic surfaces, engine inlets and windscreens. It can take up to four hours to prepare a single aircraft for flight. The composite materials on newer aircraft can be damaged by scraping and the use of heat to get rid of ice. The usual approach is to use glycol-based solutions. But glycol is potentially damaging to some parts as well environmentally unfriendly and expensive. Flying restrictions Once airborne the problem does not go away. If melted ice freezes again it can jam control lines. Aircraft are at risk in extreme cold Aircraft which fly at relatively low altitudes and speeds, such as helicopters and turboprops, are most at risk. Because weather forecasters cannot predict precisely where icing might occur - only in general terms - some aircraft simply cannot take off, just in case. Experiments are being carried out to try to develop detection systems - with a view to getting a ground-based system within five years and an airborne one within 10 years. Disorientation of the pilots in a blanket of whiteness is also a danger. During the Falklands War, two of the Wessex helicopters sent to recover SAS troopers from South Georgia crashed in a "whiteout". Radar problems David Jordan of the Centre for Defence Studies at King's College, London, said snow could also cause ground mapping radars to malfunction. It presents what is known as a "high clutter" environment, scattering the reflected signals by which radar works. The saviour for modern aircraft is GPS - satellite positioning systems are not affected. But the targeting radars of "smart" weapons could be, and infra-red targeting suffered major problems in winter, he said. "Some of the likely targets, such as training camps, are 'area targets' - there's very low risk of collateral damage. "So the Americans might use conventional, 'dumb' or iron bombs." Long-range bombers flying from bases such as Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean could deliver a heavy load of these - the B-1B could carry 84, 500-lb bombs. "The problem then really is only getting to the target area and shovelling large amounts of unguided ordnance onto it. "Whether that's what they would do is another matter. They might prefer to use special operations forces on the ground." Key stories Latest report Troop capture denied Fears for UK reporter Empire State reopens Correspondent reports Muslim feelings run high On the front line End of US innocence? US war rhetoric cools New York despatches A taste for revenge? Accepting the death Economic impact US stock markets rally IMF warns of slowdown Shoppers are spooked Background Military strength guide Afghanistan's future Descent into chaos Osama Bin Laden CLICKABLE GUIDES The military picture America's day of terror TALKING POINT Military strikes: Are we right to be cautious? FORUM Quiz UNHCR's man in Islamabad AUDIO VIDEO Coverage on demand Internet links: US DefenseLINK King's College Centre for Defence Studies US Army Corps of Engineers Cold Regions Research Lab Virtual Naval Hospital: Cold weather The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Top South Asia stories now: Aid stepped up for Afghan refugees Afghan opposition backs former king Taleban deny capture of US troops Kabul aid workers trial delayed Diplomats seek to free reporter Asylum seekers found in van Pakistan Taleban talks fail Low key protests across Pakistan Links to more South Asia stories are at the foot of the page.

To: BubbaFred who wrote (40694)	9/29/2001 1:27:21 PM
From: BubbaFred	Respond to of 50167

"The president still has got some tough tactical calls to make, but I think they're clearly handling this in a very careful and deliberate and strong way." Clinton ordered Bin Laden killing news.bbc.co.uk Former US President Bill Clinton has admitted his administration tried to assassinate Osama Bin Laden in 1998 - but failed because it could not find him. The move followed the bombing of two US embassies in East Africa which Bin Laden - the chief suspect in the US terrorist attacks - was suspected of masterminding. "I authorised the arrest, and, if necessary, the killing of Osama Bin Laden, and we actually made contact with a group in Afghanistan to do it - and they were unsuccessful," Mr Clinton told a news conference in New York. Bin Laden: Could not be found He added that special forces had been trained for a ground assault. However, he said the US lacked the necessary intelligence at the time to make this a viable option. But Mr Clinton was more optimistic of President George W Bush's chances of success in capturing Bin Laden in Afghanistan. He said support from countries bordering Afghanistan, such as Pakistan, as well as key members of the United Nations, gave the US more tactical options to carry out such a mission. He said: "There are a lot of operational issues about putting ground troops in there, that I think will be still not easy. "The president still has got some tough tactical calls to make, but I think they're clearly handling this in a very careful and deliberate and strong way." And he said he was optimistic that a global coalition could beat an international terrorist network. "Can this big international movement be defeated? Absolutely it can. If the world will stay together, we can."

To: BubbaFred who wrote (40694)	9/29/2001 1:37:38 PM
From: BubbaFred	Respond to of 50167

"The Pentagon will act only when it believes that it as built up a sufficient intelligence picture of potential targets and the forces ranged against it. The work of special forces is shrouded in secrecy; ongoing operations are simply not discussed. " Wednesday, 26 September, 2001, 14:50 GMT 15:50 UK When will military action begin? news.bbc.co.uk US pilots are preparing for action By defence correspondent Jonathan Marcus More than two weeks after the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, the waiting goes on. Nobody knows exactly where or when the US will strike back, but some form of military action is inevitable. It's not necessarily going to be what people expect and it may last for a lot longer than some are predicting. Donald Rumsfeld has warned of more casualties The US Defense Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, has already cautioned that this war could take years to win, and that there will be more casualties in the struggle against what the Americans call global terrorism. Many are already asking what "victory" means in this new kind of struggle - it clearly isn't a well-defined end-state like the eviction of Iraqi forces from Kuwait or the forced withdrawal of Serbian security forces from Kosovo. But wherever this campaign may lead it has to begin somewhere. All the attention at the moment is on Afghanistan's ruling Taleban regime and the shadowy forces that may lurk in the wild Afghan uplands. Preconditions So when is it all going to start? What are the preconditions for President Bush to give the Pentagon the green light? Indeed how relevant are such questions to what is going on? Giant C-5 Galaxy planes are deploying men and equipment The answer can be summarised in three words; diplomacy, readiness and information. Huge efforts have been invested in building as broad an international coalition as possible to back US military action. At the moment this is focused very much on the immediate response to those either responsible for the US attacks or the people who harbour them. The coalition is less concerned with the wider long-term US aims; though here too - once they are defined - coalition-building will be a key element of success. Central to welding the coalition together is the need to provide evidence linking Osama Bin Laden's organisation to the US attacks. Secretary of State Colin Powell has made it clear that evidence will be forthcoming. And its on the basis of this evidence that the US will mount its attacks. Military in place Readiness in military terms is obvious. Key pieces of equipment, supplies and command facilities must be put into place. Colin Powell has orchestrated efforts to build a coalition The US has been moving around forces to cover a variety of military options both in the short and medium-term. By the end of this week much of the critical hardware will be in place. The actual order to begin military operations may depend upon local factors like the weather or the state of the moon. But clearly information is key. The Pentagon will act only when it believes that it as built up a sufficient intelligence picture of potential targets and the forces ranged against it. The work of special forces is shrouded in secrecy; ongoing operations are simply not discussed. Much of the comment in newspapers and the media about gunbattles in Afghanistan between elite Western units and local fighters may be speculation at best and fiction at worst. But they could contain

To: BubbaFred who wrote (40694)	9/29/2001 1:54:33 PM
From: BubbaFred	Respond to of 50167

Donkey trail news.bbc.co.uk Unicef spokesman Eric Laroche said the aid shipment that left Peshawar for Afghanistan on Saturday would have to be reloaded into smaller trucks and then carried by 4,000 donkeys - the only means of transport over the high mountain passes into Afghanistan. The UN says many children will not survive the winter without urgent aid Its delivery was urgent because the passes would soon be closed by snow. Once over the mountains, the aid will be put back on trucks and taken to Faizabad for distribution within the territory controlled by the opposition Northern Alliance.