Mr Basil Fawlty
02-08-2004, 21:21
US Forces Take Tips From Indian Army
by Siddhartha D. Kashyap/TNN
Srinagar : You are a US soldier on routine patrol investigating an Iraqi village. Suddenly, your column comes under fire. What do you do?
Take some tips from the Indian Army for starters. Crippled by the US combat troops' lack of expertise in 'Low Intenstiy Counter Operations' (LICO) in Iraq, a senior team lead by a General from the US Army visited the 15 Corps Battle School (CBS) at Khreul, 20 kms from Srinagar; early this month to replicate a similar model for it's troops.
A dedicated institution to impart counter-terrorism (CT) training to all security forces operating in terrorist-infested Jammu and Kashmir; the CBS has within its setup, a life-size mock Kahmiri village complete with dummy hideouts, which are typically used by militants to either take refuge or launch an offensive against security forces.
Deputy commandant and chief instructor at CBS, Lt. Col. Kulwant Singh, while confirming the visit by the US Army contingent, headed by commanding general Chris Kevin, told Times of India News Service that the team had specifically come to replicate a similar model in the US for fighting in Iraq. "The idea was to acquaint their troops with anti-militancy and unconventional operations" he added.
"The US Army is fighting under similar conditions. A proxy war where they come under attack from unsuspected quarters," Singh said, adding that the team, besides witnessing training activities and interacting with instructors, also made a detailed study of the kinds of situations faced by security forces fighting a proxy war.
Instructors at the school said that despite being equipped with the latest surveillence systems and weaponry, the US Army was facing a major challenge in Iraq. "It has only exposed their vulnerability and inexperience in handling low intensity conflicts," an instructor said.
The model village, named Takribal, was conceptualised and setup in July 2003, after a young army officer lost his life in the Valley during an offensiveagainst militants who were holed up inside a house. A local Kashmiri who designed it, said that the village, with 38 houses, represent s a typical village in the valley, but has more than 18 hide-outs of different kinds. The plan was finalised after gathering information from villages and intelligence sources about the various hideouts used by the millitants. "For instance, one of the hideouts is a water tank with an underground opening. Few can imagine that somebody can actually remain beneath it with with water filled up at the top." Noor said.
This is the second such instance this year when the US Army has sought assistance from its Indian counterparts to equip themselves in low intensity conflicts.
This is good news :)
by Siddhartha D. Kashyap/TNN
Srinagar : You are a US soldier on routine patrol investigating an Iraqi village. Suddenly, your column comes under fire. What do you do?
Take some tips from the Indian Army for starters. Crippled by the US combat troops' lack of expertise in 'Low Intenstiy Counter Operations' (LICO) in Iraq, a senior team lead by a General from the US Army visited the 15 Corps Battle School (CBS) at Khreul, 20 kms from Srinagar; early this month to replicate a similar model for it's troops.
A dedicated institution to impart counter-terrorism (CT) training to all security forces operating in terrorist-infested Jammu and Kashmir; the CBS has within its setup, a life-size mock Kahmiri village complete with dummy hideouts, which are typically used by militants to either take refuge or launch an offensive against security forces.
Deputy commandant and chief instructor at CBS, Lt. Col. Kulwant Singh, while confirming the visit by the US Army contingent, headed by commanding general Chris Kevin, told Times of India News Service that the team had specifically come to replicate a similar model in the US for fighting in Iraq. "The idea was to acquaint their troops with anti-militancy and unconventional operations" he added.
"The US Army is fighting under similar conditions. A proxy war where they come under attack from unsuspected quarters," Singh said, adding that the team, besides witnessing training activities and interacting with instructors, also made a detailed study of the kinds of situations faced by security forces fighting a proxy war.
Instructors at the school said that despite being equipped with the latest surveillence systems and weaponry, the US Army was facing a major challenge in Iraq. "It has only exposed their vulnerability and inexperience in handling low intensity conflicts," an instructor said.
The model village, named Takribal, was conceptualised and setup in July 2003, after a young army officer lost his life in the Valley during an offensiveagainst militants who were holed up inside a house. A local Kashmiri who designed it, said that the village, with 38 houses, represent s a typical village in the valley, but has more than 18 hide-outs of different kinds. The plan was finalised after gathering information from villages and intelligence sources about the various hideouts used by the millitants. "For instance, one of the hideouts is a water tank with an underground opening. Few can imagine that somebody can actually remain beneath it with with water filled up at the top." Noor said.
This is the second such instance this year when the US Army has sought assistance from its Indian counterparts to equip themselves in low intensity conflicts.
This is good news :)