Shutting down mobile networks is a hearts and minds own goal. Besides which, do you really think they're going to pack up and go home because their phones don't work any more? They have radios, and there's plenty of ways to trigger an IED.

Because it's good to talk

Originally Posted by smudge67

Because it's good to talk

Boom boom :D

What right do we have to close down any infrastructure ? We went in through a revolving door, well leave as quick as we came and the place will remain no better no worse.

Lets start bugging Mosques and chairing municipal meetings if thats how you want it to go..

From a ground perspective, its the same as Iraq, if someone is on his roof mid mortars/rockets with his phone in his ear dancing a jihadi jig then drop the c*nt, for the majority of situations you have limited choice, namely tighten your gear, open your eyes and expect the worse

Some interesting replies...some not so interesting ;)

I understand the "Hearts and Minds" bit..but I wonder just how many "normal" Afghans actually have mobile phones? Maybe I misread the programme???

It was amusing that they managed to just about screw up every attack...I do wonder if there was not some "higher power" at work in the background miss directing these attacks??

What I found disturbing though was that they initiated a failed attack when women and children would clearly be caught in the cross fire. As it was the back blast from an RPG nearly had a small group of them...

Originally Posted by 2/51

but..why the hell are the phone networks still operating?

Free trade? You can't let our Soldiers being killed get in the way of good business, sadly. At least, that was GW Bush's policy with his own troops lives balanced against oil revenue in 2003-forever.

Originally Posted by 2/51

Some interesting replies...some not so interesting ;)

I understand the "Hearts and Minds" bit..but I wonder just how many "normal" Afghans actually have mobile phones? Maybe I misread the programme???

It was amusing that they managed to just about screw up every attack...I do wonder if there was not some "higher power" at work in the background miss directing these attacks??

What I found disturbing though was that they initiated a failed attack when women and children would clearly be caught in the cross fire. As it was the back blast from an RPG nearly had a small group of them...

Everyone who can afford one. Big spenders have sat phone for when they are out of area. As has already been pointed out mobile phones are the only option as landlines do not exist.

Back in 2008. there was a phase where the Taliban were blowing up mobile phone masts, until the local CIVPOP told them to stop.

http://intellibriefs.blogspot.com/20...le-phones.html

After a while, the Taliban realised it wasn't just the evil Westerners listening in to their mobile phones that was causing their attacks to fail. Then they too discovered the joys of mobiles, so the masts have been largely left alone since.

As someone said above, you can't expect fanatics to be consistent, but sometimes they can adapt where their own interests benefit.

I'm not well up on this but aren't there units for signals intelligence and ECM in both US and British armies who have the skills and kit to monitor any mobile phone traffic? In real time? Or am I missing something?

Can you remmber what channel it was on I am trying to track it down. What it was called would also be useful.