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U.S. Special Forces on Afghan Soil
Friday, October 19, 2001
WASHINGTON - A handful of U.S. special
forces are operating in southern Afghanistan, a government
official said Friday, opening a significant new phase in
America's military response to terrorist attacks.
Members of the secretive forces were supporting efforts by the
intelligence community to undermine the Taliban regime, said the
official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The official said
military action could increase significantly in the coming days.
An unnamed Special Forces Officer was over heard as stating, “Make your peace with Allah, Binny.”
Vice President Dick Cheney said Thursday night that air
strikes since Oct. 7 against terrorist camps and military targets
have paved the way for this phase of the war.
``The success of our air campaign has cleared the way for
further action which the Taliban and terrorists can neither
predict nor escape,'' he said in a speech in New York.
``It is important to realize that the military aspect will not
always be so visible,'' Cheney said. ``There will be times when
we can watch a video tape of guided munitions finding their
targets. Other successes will come from covert operations that
are not seen or heard beyond a very small circle.