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Military


17 December 2001 Military News

Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Government Statements and Transcripts
US Domestic Responses
International Responses
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Operations

  • AFGHAN/PENTAGON VOA 17 Dec. 2001-- The Pentagon says there is still scattered fighting in Afghanistan's Tora Bora region, but a top defense official admits no one now knows where al-Qaida terrorist leader Osama bin Laden is
  • BRITAIN / AFGHAN VOA 17 Dec. 2001-- Britain says it could contribute up to 15-hundred troops to lead an international peacekeeping force in Afghanistan

    Video footage of airstrikes, used during DoD news briefing
    Click on the small image to view a larger version
    The four videos shown here are of airstrikes in the Tora Bora area conducted over the previous weekend. The strikes were on caves and bunkers and were conducted by Navy F-14s and F/A-18s. These were called in by U.S. Special Operating Forces who were operating with the opposition groups
    Movie showing F-14 airstrike on a cave complex in the Tora Bora area
    Footage showing F-14 airstrike on a cave complex in the Tora Bora area     		Movie showing Navy F/A-18 airstrike during which two JDAMs were used. According to DoD, it was later discovered that during this particular attack, several al Qaeda forces were killed, and the cave heavily damaged Footage showing Navy F/A-18 airstrike during which two JDAMs were used. According to DoD, it was later discovered that during this particular attack, several al Qaeda forces were killed, and the cave heavily damaged


Defense Policy / Programs

Government Statements and Transcripts

  • Transcript: DoD News Briefing - Rear Adm. Stufflebeem 17 Dec. 2001 -- "Tora Bora has continued to remain our top priority. While over the weekend we were attacking al Qaeda and hard-core Taliban still in caves there, there are still isolated pockets of al Qaeda fighting in this area, so we're not done yet. (...) We are obtaining custody of some of these al Qaeda and Taliban troops, but so far have a total of five currently in detention status with the U.S. forces. And currently all five of those are on board USS Peleliu. A very brief update of the Marines who were injured over the weekend while conducting de-mining operations at the airport in Kandahar: all three have been moved out of Afghanistan to treat their wounds and are in regional facilities. They are all considered to have been seriously injured, one of whom has had his leg amputated, injury to a hand of another individual, and a head wound to the third. Opposition groups that are searching caves and working to block possible exit routes for the Taliban/al Qaeda who have been trying to flee Afghanistan"
  • Transcript: Rumsfeld, Armenian Defense Minister Brief Press in Yerevan 17 Dec. 2001-- Rumsfeld: The situation in Afghanistan is essentially calm in areas such as Mazar-e Sharif and Herat and Kabul. The situation in Kandahar is still somewhat unsettled but the airport now is under the control of the U.S. Marines and is being prepared for use. The situation east of Kabul towards Jalalabad and towards the border continues to be an area where there is conflict. It is estimated that there are hundreds of al Qaeda and possibly Taliban forces filled up in the caves and tunnels and Afghan opposition forces and U.S. forces are pursuing them.
  • White House Report, 12/17: Arafat, Afghanistan, India/Pak, Cuba, Bush 17 Dec. 2001-- President Bush "is very satisfied with the progress of the war in Afghanistan," said Fleischer. "He's pleased with the results. He's pleased with the military successes and the victories, as well as the political progress in helping Afghanistan to have a government that will represent the people of that nation."
  • Transcript: Rumsfeld Briefing En Route to Caucasus, Uzbekistan, Belgium 17 Dec. 2001-- RUMSFELD: It has been tough fighting from the beginning of the engagement and it will continue to be tough fighting. There were a great number of pieces of ordnance dropped last evening -- a very large number on tunnels and caves and (inaudible) and concentrations.
  • Transcript: Rumsfeld Press Conference with Georgian President in Tbilisi 17 Dec. 2001-- Rumsfeld: The fighting continues and the forces on the ground are continuing making progress forward and that's being done with the help of heavy bombing. And the hope is that the al Qaeda fighters in those caves and tunnels will surrender.
  • Transcript: Rumsfeld Addresses U. S. Forces in Afghanistan 17 Dec. 2001-- Rumsfeld: The question is about peacekeeping troops in Afghanistan. And the answer is that when the Afghans met in Bonn, they agreed that they would like to have a -- they call it a security force -- and they want to have it in Kabul to start with. They may want a security force in some other portions of the country although that has not yet been decided. Their present hope is that there will be a security force put into Kabul sometime after December 22nd. It will be a coalition of the world. It will be four or five countries. Very likely the United Kingdom will be involved, possibly Turkey, possibly Germany and possibly one or two others. It should be a relatively small force -- I am thinking maybe three to five thousand at the most. The United States is not going to participate in the force as such.

US Domestic Responses

  • YEARENDER: CONGRESS/TERRORISM VOA 17 Dec. 2001-- The September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon spurred the U-S Congress to pass a series of measures aimed at tightening U-S security and cracking down on terrorism
  • BUSH AFGHANISTAN VOA 17 Dec. 2001-- President Bush is vowing to find Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice.

International Responses

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

News Reports

  • KENYA / TERROR PROFILE VOA 17 Dec. 2001-- A 31-year-old blind Kenyan man is on a mission to build a global support group for the victims of terrorism
  • AFGHANISTAN EMBASSY VOA 17 Dec. 2001-- The U-S Embassy in Kabul has officially reopened



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