The Hindu : U.S. seeks Russian help

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Mar 21, 2002

International

International

U.S. seeks Russian help

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW MARCH 20. The U. S. top commander in Afghanistan is in Moscow to seek Russian help and advice as the American operation against the Taliban has run into trouble. General Tommy Franks, commander of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan, met in Moscow Wednesday with the Russian Defence Minister, Sergei Ivanov, ``to review the military operation in Afghanistan,'' the Interfax news agency said. The Russian Armed Forces Chief of Staff, General Anatoly Kvashnin and the Deputy Defence Minister, General Nikolai Kormiltsev, were also present at the meeting. Defence analysts linked Gen. Frank's visit to the fierce resistance the U. S. forces encountered during the "Operation Anaconda" in Eastern Afghanistan.

`Operation Anaconda reminds me of the war the Soviet Army fought in Afghanistan,'' said Mr. Pavel Felgengauer, a military commentator. "They claim tactical success, but head for strategic impasse.'' Americans have fallen into the same trap in Afghanistan as Russians did in the 1980s, the Nezavisimaya Gazeta wrote on Wednesday. ``U. S. special troops went into attack without accurate information about the number of rebels in the mountains, the location of their strong points, the mine fields and the safe paths between them,'' the daily said.

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