U.S. commandos ready for action

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, OCT. 18. With the Bush administration making it plain that the campaign against Afghanistan would continue for the next several weeks, the Pentagon has split that country into ``engagement zones'' and is assigning jet fighters and planes to destroy them.

The Defence Department is making no bones of the fact that American and British warplanes can just about strike anything in Afghanistan round the clock.

The United States is keen on ratcheting up the firepower by deploying low-flying AC-130s, which are known for their rapid and intense firepower.

As many as four aircraft carriers are on the scene, and the Pentagon is using large and heavy bombers such as the B-1 and the B-52 as well. That elite commandos are ready for search and destroy missions is evident from the fact that the USS Kitty Hawk is all geared up.

According to one report, the U.S. had also started using its pilotless Predator plane for attack missions.

For the last several days, the U.S. has been softening the ground for the Northern Alliance troops to start their offensive. Areas in and around Mazar-e-Sharief are being pounded continuously much to the delight of the Opposition. But the Taliban maintained that it was the Northern Alliance which was on the run.

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Section  : International
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