Bombing of Kandahar (2001): Difference between revisions

On October 7, 2001, at 9:00 pm [[UTC+04:30|local time]], [[United States Navy]] (USN), [[United States Air Force]] (USAF), and [[Royal Navy]] (RN) forces launched several salvos of [[Tomahawk (missile)|Tomahawk]] [[cruise missile]]s against Taliban military and communications facilities, as well as suspected terrorist training camps.<ref name=Lambeth_p80>Lambeth 2005, p. 80.</ref> According to in-country sources reporting to [[CNN]], targets within Kandahar included Taliban strongholds, as well as the houses of [[Arab]] foreigners who worked with the Taliban regime. One of the primary targets for the airstrike in Kandahar was [[Mohammed Omar|Mullah Omar]].<ref name="CNNOct7">{{cite news|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/10/07/ret.attack.pentagon/|accessdate=16 January 2011|newspaper=CNN.com|date=7 October 2001|title=Defense officials: Air operation to last 'several days'}}</ref> The United States considered the attack, conducted against the cities of [[Kabul]], [[Jalalabad]], and [[Herat]], was considered to be a military success by the United States. USAF general [[Richard Myers]], chairman of the U.S. [[Joint Chiefs of Staff]], stated that approximately 50fifty Tomahawk cruise missiles were launched by British and U.S. naval units.<ref name=Lambeth_p80/>

In the first wave of attack, five [[Rockwell B-1 Lancer|B-1 Lancers]] and ten [[Boeing B-52 Stratofortress|B-52 Stratofortresses]] (both from the USAF) were launched from [[Diego Garcia]] in the Indian Ocean; these were complemented by twnety-five F-14 and F/A-18 Strike aircraft from U.S. [[aircraft carrierscarrier]]s {{USS|Carl Vinson|CVN-70|6}} and {{USS|Enterprise|CVN-65|6}} in the North Arabian Sea.<ref>Lambeth 2005, p. 78–79.</ref> Two [[Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit|B-2 Spirits]], flown in from [[Whiteman Air Force Base]], [[Missouri]], also participated in the attack, so did the [[Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler|EA-6B Prowler]] [[electronic warfare aircraft]].<ref>Lambeth 2005, p. 79–80.</ref>

To court and provide relief for the Afghan people, food and supplies were dropped into the region. Two [[C-17 Globemaster]] [[Cargo aircraft|transport]] jets delivered 37,500 daily rations by airdrop to [[refugee]]s inside Afghanistan on the first day of the attack. Relief efforts faced setback, however, from Taliban interference. [[World Food Program]] storehouses in Kandahar were raided and surrendered to Taliban soldiers, who "seized about 7,000 tons of food."<ref name=Kaufman>{{cite news|last=Kaufman|first=Marc|title=Taliban Seizes Relief Food, Two Main U.N. Warehouses; Groups Call for Bombing Pause to Deliver Aid|url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/84764918.html?dids=84764918:84764918&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+18,+2001&author=Marc+Kaufman&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=Taliban+Seizes+Relief+Food,+Two+Main+U.N.+Warehouses;+Groups+Call+for+Bombing+Pause+to+Deliver+Aid&pqatl=google|accessdate=11 February 2011|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=Oct 18, 2001}}</ref> Hoping to avoid a backlash by civilians, the US sent at least one Air Force EC-130E Commando Solo propeller aircraft for the purpose of broadcasting a message that the Taliban and its allies were the only targets of the attacks, not civilians.<ref name=Sisk>{{cite news|last=Sisk|first=Richard|title=U.S. drops bombs, food Relief supplies mixed with attacks in new kind of war|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/2001/10/08/2001-10-08_u_s__drops_bombs__food_relie.html|accessdate=11 February 2011|newspaper=New York Daily News|date=October 8, 2001}}</ref>