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Introduction
Operation Anaconda is one of the most critical aspects of military operations in Afghanistan. Conducted in early March 2002, it brought a tremendous dimension to the global fight against terrorism. It is a consequence of the terrorist attack on America in 2001. It is essential to understand that Operation Anankonda has been highly successful and has brought tremendous progress in the fight against terrorism. Many historians still praise its thoughtfulness and strategy because the threat of terrorist attacks was minimized after it. This paper will present an analysis of the events that led to this operation, its participants and course of action, and the aftermath of Afghanistan and the world.
Operation Background
According to the participants of the events, the temperature was about 15-20 degrees Fahrenheit (Hastert, 2018). It is necessary to consider the fact that the fighting was taking place in mountainous terrain, where the tactics of combat were quite different from the usual American military of the time. The snowy weather and elements of the landscape had a significant impact on the tactics and planning of battles that took place in small villages. The enemy forces mainly consisted of al-Qaeda and Taliban, as well as a small number of Arabs and Chechens. An essential aspect was that the enemy knew the terrain and could use it skillfully. This happened when the terrorist organizations occupied the hidden tunnel networks and asked the villagers to leave the area. The terrorists used bribery and intimidation to make the public feel friendly.
Intelligence received by U.S. intelligence showed considerable congestion. Although the recommendations called for an immediate strike against the armed forces, U.S. forces decided to wait to allow the enemy to bring as much equipment and manpower as possible to the operation site. Although the enemy knew the terrain well, U.S. forces had the support of local village leaders, who were able to inform them of the areas details and aid in the form of soldiers and equipment.
The Beginning of the Operation
The plan called for a synchronized attack on enemy forces from different directions, east, and southeast. A force of Afghan collaborators under the supervision of U.S. specialists was to take the four main points with the help of professional soldiers and repulse the enemy attack by capturing defensive positions. The American forces included Americans themselves and troops from European countries such as Germany, Denmark, and France and others, such as Canada, and New Zealand (Hastert, 2018). This team greatly outnumbered the enemy in quantity and quality. Still, al-Qaidas combat tactics were dangerous, as they included vast numbers of casualties among their soldiers to achieve the goal.
Once they were in the position to attack strategic points, the waiting for the day of the attack began. The initial plan was to begin Operation Anaconda on February 27, but weather conditions prevented the order from effect. Thus, after two days of waiting, U.S. forces and the allies began attacking enemy positions from the directions indicated above.
Immediately after the operation began, General Ziks men came under fire and were forced to retreat deeper into their positions. This greatly affected the start of the operation but did not affect the actual course of events. As the Allied forces were pushed back, it became necessary to compensate for the advancing troops. Thus, those troops who were supposed to be patrolling the terrain for enemy undercurrents and attempts to flee the battlefield were put in place of the Allied forces. This did not significantly affect the fighting itself, but at the time, there was a risk that the enemy might resort to requests for help from neighboring villages where al-Qaida forces were present. Despite this problem, the campaign was still gaining momentum, and despite solid enemy resistance, U.S. troops and their allies needed to get to the planned territory.
Despite all the problems that plagued the troops at the beginning of the operation, the military teams were prepared for such a development. First of all, the excellent work of the sniper squads, who excelled in killing enemies and providing intelligence. Thus, with the help of the intelligence received, it became known that the enemy was entrenched among the mountains, in the canyons area (Naylor, 2017). The downside was that not only did the terrorists occupy the main points, but they were also able to organize their defense by putting up two defensive points. An assault was impossible because there would have been too many casualties in this situation. The American command in this situation was clever, organizing a landing near the occupied positions.
Strategic Points Conquering
Two planes landed the soldiers about 400 meters apart. This allowed them to communicate with one another in a more coordinated manner. Immediately after the landing, the continuous fire began, and the terrorist troops were forced to retreat from their positions. Despite this reasonably significant progress, there was still the possibility of mortar fire. Immediately after the retreat, shells began flying at the positions, causing significant casualties to the U.S. military. This was because the terrorist forces knew the area well and could fortify their nearby positions with guns, which allowed them to cover the enemy combat force reasonably quickly (Grau, 2017). After some time of shelling the positions, it became known that the enemy forces were not planning to take back their fortifications, but were only increasingly shelling their former positions. Despite the losses, this part of the military campaign was successful, as it enabled enemy forces to push back a considerable distance.
In the course of the action of the battles, after a couple of days, it became evident that the enemy equipment was running out, just as well as human resources. The weaponry seen by the U.S. Army scouts was described as outdated, unable to inflict significant damage, and even to reach fortified enemy positions. Regarding human resources, it was noted that people from local settlements were being recruited to the side of the terrorists, who had not been appropriately trained for the operation. This gave a positive attitude toward a quick end to the particular operation and victory in the next few days.
Conclusion
Despite numerous mortar attacks on positions and strong resistance from al-Qaida soldiers, the operation was a success. The battle went down in history as one of the biggest battles involving U.S. forces. It is estimated that the American side lost eight people, while the terrorists suffered more casualties, as many as 1,000. Although considered a success, the campaign has been criticized for its improper handling of the air battle. The biggest drawback was the underestimation of enemy forces and the involvement of small aircraft amount. It should have provided both defensive and offensive air support and correct maneuvering during the actual combat. On the whole, Operation Anaconda is considered one of the most successful United States combat strength displays. In many ways, it was a combat operation that helped cement the success of Americas military campaign in the Middle East.
References
Grau, L. W. (2017). Operation Anaconda: Americas first major battle in Afghanistan. Choice Reviews Online, 49(10), 495928495928.
Hastert, P. (2018). Operation Anaconda: Perception meets reality in the Hills of Afghanistan. Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 28(1), 1120.
Naylor, S. (2017). Not a good day to die :Tthe untold story of Operation Anaconda. Penguin.
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