'Winter may hinder U.S. operations in Afghanistan'

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 27. The onset of the bitter Afghan winter by early next month will blunt the chances of any significant military offensive by the United States against the Taliban regime in Kabul, the Janes Defence Review has warned.

``Weather conditions may also limit the U.S. military operations designed to apprehend Osama bin Laden or strike at key Taliban positions,'' the report said.

Quoting military experts, it said the Afghan winter ``renders all major military campaigns across the country a logistical nightmare as the snow blocks all the main passes, especially in northern Afghanistan, while blizzards and sleet considerably reduce visibility''.

The report said the Taliban army was conditioned to fighting in extreme cold and its battle hardened cadres were familiar with the bleak countryside.

Operating helicopters and light combat aircraft in such harsh weather would also be perilous as blizzards significantly reduced visibility. Ground snow induced ``white outs'', impairing pilots' ability to identify locations and targets.

``Even Soviet pilots, used to operating under such conditions in their own country, found it impossible to operate in Afghani winter during their decade-long occupation of Afghanistan that ended in 1989,'' it said.

``U.S. Special Operation Forces (SOF) personnel and aircraft crews will not, of course, have any experience of the very difficult conditions in Afghanistan,'' the report said adding that Indian troops were among those who have fought in bleak conditions comparable to an Afghani winter.

``During their 11-week-long border war with Pakistan two summers ago in Kashmir's mountainous Kargil region, they faced grave hardship and suffered heavy casualties,'' it said.

The one advantage U.S. soldiers may have - apart from superior equipment - is the fact that they will not necessarily have to take and hold ground for prolonged periods but ``are more likely to be inserted for an operation and then extracted as soon as the mission concluded.

``History has demonstrated that short-term punitive actions into Afghanistan, with specific objectives and a sound exit strategy, have been successful,'' it said. The Janes report said that the large-scale campaigners of invasion and occupation, on the other hand, such as the ill- fated Soviet intervention of 1979-89, had met with a more ignominious fate.

- PTI

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