US Soldiers Fired on as They Survey Battle Site Where 24 Suspected Taliban

[NNN0LHI]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAKBCUHEID.html

U.S. Soldiers Fired on as They Survey Battle Site Where 24 Suspected Taliban Killed

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) - Attackers fired on U.S. and Afghan troops surveying the scene of a weekend battle in southern Afghanistan in which some two dozen insurgents were killed, the U.S. military said Monday.

No casualties were reported in the incident Sunday in Spinboldak, a town on the Pakistan border in Kandahar province, said U.S. Col. Rodney Davis, a spokesman for coalition forces.

"The special operations forces pursued the enemy, who broke contact," Davis said.

The joint patrol was assessing the scene of a battle on Saturday in Spinboldak in which U.S. forces, backed by helicopter gunships, killed up to 24 suspected Taliban insurgents after their convoy came under attack.

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[IndianaGreen]

1. Were the special ops guys looking for Osama or Mullah Omar?

What other reason would they have to go back on a forensic expedition in a combat zone?

[NNN0LHI]

4. Recovering our own dead would be my guess n/t

[htuttle]

2. Wonder if this is the same battle?

So, either 'No Reported Casualties', or something like 16 US casualties. Take your pick from the Reality Buffet. Fixin's are free.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=25513&mesg_id=25513&page=

[TahitiNut]

3. "No casualties were reported"???

What does this mean? Was there a report of "no casualties"? Was there "no report" at all? Or were there casualties that were not reported? People who make a profession of language should know better -- and I suspect they do and are intentionally misleading. Use of passive voice covers a multitude of sins.