Quote Originally Posted by pinzgauer View Post
To understand the bad siting you have to understand their mission. This was the whole reconstruction era and they were supposed to be helping locals rebuild infrastructure etc.

The sites were selected due to being on crossroads, valley junctions or similar and not for any defensive tactical value. This was very common in that era.

Both the Battle of Kamdesh (COP Keating 10th mtn) and the Battle of Wanat (173rd ABN) in the Korengal suffered greatly from being too spread out and thus ended up being greatly outnumbered.

Both involved platoon size infantry elements of about 45 to 50 soldiers up against 250-300 seasoned Taliban fighters. (Some estimates are as high as 500, and the enemy death toll backs up these larger figures)

The army has tried to learn from these, both battles are majorly studied by officer candidates, but you have to point very large fingers at the Commander-in-Chief, questionable mission and unrealistic ROE.

Would really recommend three books and a documentary:

10th mtn @ Kamdesh:
Outlaw Platoon

173rd @ Wanat:
To quell the Koringal
Chosen Few
RESTREPO

Wanat was the bloodiest engagement in a'stan, made worse as the US kia were all out of one platoon.

All three books are good but tough reads, partially because you know the outcome, but also partially because you shake your head at why we would ever put soldiers into those positions.

RESTREPO is a must see documentary, closely followed by Hornet's Nest
I kind of knew that having seen Restrepo, but it still was a shitty deal. Have also seen the Medal of Honor episode about Romesha.