U.S. Launches New Afghanistan Operation; Why???

I am not familiar with military operations, but why do they keep coming up with new names for the same operation? I mean isn't that rooting out Taliban and Al-Qaeda what we were supposed to be doing all along?
And could this be related to all the recent Bin Laden chatter?

U.S. Launches New Afghanistan Operation
The U.S. military has launched a new offensive in Afghanistan called "Operation Mountain Storm" aimed at rooting out elements of the Taliban and Al Qaeda, Pentagon officials said Friday.

Though Mountain Storm is a new operation, it is also a continuation of a series of efforts that began last summer and fall. Those operations, including one called Mountain Resolve, aimed to drive terrorist elements out of the south of Afghanistan and some areas of the north, and back toward the border with Pakistan

Six words:
Osama Bin Ladin and the Taliban.

Or, as the article indicates:

Four words:
Taliban and Al-Qaeda.

The difference worldwatcher is that the Pakistani's are involved.


regards
seekerof

I still don't get it, you mean they changed the name because the pakistani's are involved?

weren't they involved for a while now? and yes I know the reasons but weren't that always the reason? I am just trying to figure why they military keeps changing the name of the same operation? it makes no sense to me.

A military operation is a limited set of mission objectives and parameters. Once those objectives are met (or not) the operation is over.

An infinite operation would entail an infinite plan. And those don't work very well.

Straight outta G-1
DeltaChaos

I guess the decision makers for the names of operations are pretty indecisive! lol.

thanks for clarifying that, I think. so what exactly is going on there? a new mission for each new area? something like that?

The US should make opium legal so afghanistan can legitimently have a cash crop.

Even though the aim is the same, after regrouping, making operational changes and change to orders the military will rename the mission. The more apt name would be operation sqeeze play. Its also a way to motivate soldiers after time has gone by and the old mission requirments were not met.
IE:its a new day, a new mission.

okay makes more sense now.. motivate the troops, re-organize that kind of thing. thanks for not making me feel too stupid

Perhaps these will help clarify?

"US to mount 'Mountain Storm' offensive in Afghanistan"
timesofindia.indiatimes.com...

"Troops in Afghanistan preparing spring offensive in pursuit of insurgents"
www.stripes.com...


regards
seekerof

Originally posted by worldwatcher
thanks for clarifying that, I think. so what exactly is going on there? a new mission for each new area? something like that?

I wouldn't think so. I think Mountain Storm is the name of the entire operation. Military planning is full of all kinds of different names.

For example:

Objectives Budwieser, Sarah, or Bluebird
Phase Lines Utah, Nevada, or Kentucky
Assembly Areas Bravo, Kilo, Lima

and so on.

An operation simply denotes the entire planned sequence of events required to meet a defined objective or goal.

The name has changed from the last operation because the objectives that were contained in that plan have been met, therefore the operation is complete.

Of course, they didn't meet their objective, so in a way, I guess keeping the same operation designation would be logical.

I'm sitting on my Kevlar...
Which is still on my head!

DeltaChaos

gee thanks seekeroff you just confused me even more

one article, I think the indian one, makes it sound like this the is "capture" bin laden mission.

and the other article make it seem "routine", not too out of the ordinary mission.

worldwatcher........
As I have mentioned already...this is to rroot out two things:

Whats left of the Taliban in that region, and
to find Osama Bin Laden.....

No confusion.


seekerof

This is still ongoing in the Northwest Region of Afghanistan and Pakistan. This is where I believe Osama capture will be announced. Keep watch of the Election Polls and Stock Market. Again alot of information over the last month about the 'capture' of Osama, to me, is leaked propaganda. Due to the criticism from Husseins capture, with the Date Plants and timing(Christmas), it came as a huge surprise. Play it up in the media, keep people aware, and then Boom--> we have captured Osama Bin Laden. I'm still leaning to the side that he was captured in Iran in Jan. of this year. I think we all know the rumors, and conspiracies will be flying off the handle even more when his capture is announced, and the circumstances surrounding it.

Trick

The gas pipeline is not yet complete.

You have to consider the purpose behind invading Afghanistan and Iraq, and the interconnection, to have an appreciation of the whole picture.

[Edited on 13-3-2004 by IAmHeWhoIsMeYes]