Ngu: Andrew deGrandpre noShawn Snow, I-Military Times.
Umbutho wezempi waseMelika uhlulekile ukudalula esidlangalaleni izinkulungwane zezigameko zokuhlasela zezindiza eziyingozi ezenzeke eminyakeni eminingana e-Iraq, Syria nase-Afghanistan, kusho uphenyo lweMilitary Times. Igebe elikhulu ledatha liphakamisa ukungabaza okukhulu mayelana nokungafihli kwenqubekela phambili ebikiwe ngokumelene ne-Islamic State, al-Qaida kanye ne-Taliban, futhi lingabaza ukunemba kokudalulwa kolunye uMnyango Wezokuvikela obhala yonke into kusukela ezindlekweni kuya ezibalweni zabalimele.
Ngo-2016 kuphela, izindiza zokulwa zase-US zenza okungenani iziteleka zezindiza ze-456 e-Afghanistan ezingabhalwanga njengengxenye isizindalwazi esinomthombo ovulekile egcinwe yi-US Air Force, ulwazi oluthenjelwe yiCongress, abalingani baseMelika, abahlaziyi bezempi, abacwaningi bezemfundo, abezindaba kanye namaqembu abaqaphi abazimele ukuze bahlole izindleko zempi ngayinye, izidingo zabasebenzi kanye nenani labantu. Lezo zokuhlasela zezindiza zenziwa izindiza ezinophephela emhlane kanye nama-drones ahlomile asetshenziswa yi-US Army, amamethrikhi akhishwe buthule ekufingqweni okubanzi kwanyanga zonke, okushicilelwe ku-inthanethi iminyaka, echaza imisebenzi yamasosha aseMelika kuzo zontathu izinkundla zemidlalo yaseshashalazini.
Okwethusa kakhulu ukuthi le datha ibingakapheleli selokhu kwaqala impi yobuphekula ngo-Okthoba 2001. Uma kunjalo, kuzokwehlisa kakhulu ukuzethemba kokuningi kwalokho iPentagon ekudalule mayelana nokushushiswa kwayo kwalezi zimpi, abagxeki ngokushesha babize. ukungabaza ukuthi ngabe amasosha afuna ukudukisa umphakathi waseMelika, futhi enze ukungabaza mayelana nekhono okunye ukuqoqwa kwedatha ebalulekile okwenziwa futhi kumenyezelwe ngawo. Lawo amanye amamethrikhi abalulekile ahlanganisa abalimala bezempi baseMelika, izindleko zabakhokhi bentela kanye nenqubekelaphambili yamasosha ekwehliseni isithunzi amandla ezitha.
I-US Central Command, eyengamele umsebenzi wezempi kuzo zonke izindawo ezintathu zempi, iveze ukuthi ayikwazi ukucacisa ukuthi izinombolo zebutho lezempi zikhishwe kude kangakanani kulezi zifinyezo ze-airpower. Izikhulu lapho azizange ziphendule imibuzo eminingi enemininingwane ethunyelwe yi-Military Times, futhi azikwazanga ukuhlinzeka ngohlu olugcwele lwezigameko zezindiza zaminyaka yonke ezenziwa yibutho ngalinye lezempi loMnyango Wezokuvikela.
“Kuyaxaka impela. Asilandeli isibalo seziteleka zama-Apache, isibonelo” kusho isikhulu sezempi sase-US esinolwazi lokuqoqwa kwedatha yangaphakathi ye-CENTCOM nokubika. Lesi sikhulu, esikhulume ne-Military Times ngesimo sokudalulwa ukuze kuxoxwe ngokukhululeka ngezinqubo zangaphakathi, besikhuluma ngezindiza ezinophephela emhlane ze-AH-64 Apache, iButho lezempi elizisebenzise kakhulu ekulweni kule minyaka engu-15 edlule, muva nje lisekela abalingani baseMelika. ukulwa ne-Islamic State.
“Ngingakutshela ngokungananazi ukuthi asizami ukufihla isibalo seziteleka,” kusho lesi sikhulu. “Yileyo ndlela nje obekulandelwa ngayo phambilini. Kunjalo nje.”
Kungumehluko omkhulu, nokho, futhi okugcwele okungakacaci ngawo. Ama-Airstrikes, ngokwezincazelo esungulwe futhi ilandelwe amalungu emifelandawonye eholwa yi-US, ingabandakanya ama-fighters nezinye izindiza, izindiza ezinophephela emhlane nama-drones, futhi zingabandakanya noma iyiphi inhlanganisela yezikhali.
Ukuhlasela kwendiza okukodwa kungenziwa yizindiza eziningi ezindaweni ezihlosiwe eziningi, futhi kusetshenziswe amabhomu amaningi, imicibisholo, amarokhethi kanye nemizuliswano yezibhamu zemishini. Kungabandakanya ukulwa okuhloswe kusengaphambili kanye nokuhlasela okwenziwa ngesikhathi sokusebenza kosekelo lomoya.
Nokho, i-Army ibheka izinto ngendlela ehlukile.
"Kimina kubonakala sengathi ukuqoqwa noma ukusatshalaliswa kwedatha ye-airstrike akuyona isibopho se-Army Title 10," isikhulu sezempi sitshele i-Military Times ngesimo sokungaziwa. Isihloko 10 seKhodi yase-US sibeka imithetho elawula izindima, izibopho kanye nemishini yamasevisi ezempi. “Lolu mthwalo wemfanelo kufanele lube semkhunjini osebenzayo noma wezempi. Ukwengeza, ama-Apache ngokwesibonelo, aqhuba ukuhlasela okusondelene kwempi njengento eqondisayo esekela ibutho elingaphansi lapho lithintana nesitha. Lokhu ngeke ngikucabangele esigabeni 'sokushaya umoya.' ”
Muva nje ngoDisemba, isikhulu se-Air Force sitshele i-Military Times ukuthi isifinyezo sanyanga zonke se-airpower e-Iraq naseSyria simelela wonke umfelandawonye oholwa yi-US "yonke, okuyizizwe ezingama-20 namagatsha ase-US." Akukacaci ukuthi lesi sitatimende besidukisa ngamabomu yini, noma sikhombisa ukungazi okusabalele kwangaphakathi, ukudideka noma ukungabi nandaba mayelana nokuthi yini equkethwe kule datha. Noma ngabe yikuphi, kufaka phakathi ukuhlasela kwezindiza okwenziwa yi-US Air Force, Navy kanye ne-Marine Corps - kodwa hhayi i-Army.
Imithelela yezezimali, uma ikhona, ayicacile. I-Pentagon idalula izindleko zayo eziphezulu kakhulu kulokhu kusebenza kwezempi okuqhubekayo, kodwa leyo datha ayihlukaniswa kalula ngenani lezindiza eziqhutshwa yizindiza ezithile zase-US kanye nenani lezikhali ezizisebenzisayo. Nokho, cabanga ukuthi izindiza ezinophephela emhlane ze-Apache zingathwala izikhali ezihlukahlukene, kuhlanganise nemicibisholo ye-Hellfire enezindleko zeyunithi ngayinye engu-$99,600, ngokwezibalo ezigcinwe yi-AeroWeb, inkampani yezobunhloli kwezokukhangisa elandelela eduze ukutholwa kwezokuvikela zamazwe ngamazwe.
Ukugcinwa kwamarekhodi okunjalo akuyona into encane. Ngisho nama-ejensi kahulumeni abhekisela njalo kulezi zibalo ze-airstrike emibikweni eklanyelwe ukuthonya iCongress. Uphenyo lwe-Military Times luthole izikhathi eziningi lapho umhloli-jikelele afinyelela khona iziphetho ezibalulekile, watshelwa izikhulu zikahulumeni ezisezingeni eliphezulu ezisebenza eMnyangweni Wezwe kanye namalungu aholayo eCongress, kusukela kudatha yesiteleka sezindiza esivulekile.
Ukweqiwa kwedatha yesiteleka samasosha kungenye yamaphutha amaningi, ukungezwani kanye nokushiyeka, okuphakamisa imibuzo mayelana nokuba semthethweni kwezinqubomgomo nezindlela ezisetshenziswa amasosha ase-US ukuhlanganisa nokusabalalisa ulwazi mayelana nokusebenza kwawo emhlabeni wonke.
Ngokwesibonelo, umbiko we-2015 kuCongress ngabahloli jikelele boMnyango Wezokuvikela, uMnyango Wezwe kanye ne-US Agency for International Development bagqamise izibalo zomthombo ovulekile wemithombo yomoya yokusebenza ngokumelene ne-Islamic State. Ngesinye isikhathi ngemva kokushicilelwa kombiko futhi watshelwa abenzi bomthetho eCapitol Hill, Umbutho Wasemoyeni wabuyekeza idatha lapho umsebenzi wama-IG wawusekelwe khona, kwezinye izimo wengeza ukukhishwa kwezikhali ezingaphezu kwe-100 ngenyanga ethile. Futhi ngenkathi i-Air Force iphawula ukuthi ukubuyekezwa kwenzeka ngezikhathi ezithile, kulokhu bekubalulekile - futhi kwenzeka ngemuva kokuthi ulwazi lunikezwe iCongress.
Okunye ukungezwani: Yize ithi isebenzisa idatha ye-Air Force ye-airstrike, isifinyezo somphakathi soMnyango Wezokuvikela wokusebenza e-Iraq naseSyria, okwamanje kusukela ngo-Jan. 31, yehluleka ukulandisa cishe ngeziteleka ze-6,000 ezivela ku-2014, lapho umkhankaso womoya wokulwa ne-ISIS uqala.
Isifinyezo sakamuva kakhulu se-Air Force sibala ukuhlasela kwezindiza komfelandawonye okungu-23,740 kuze kube ngu-2016. Khonamanjalo, iwebhusayithi yoMnyango Wezokuvikela ibala i-17,861 kuze kube ngu-Jan. 31. I-Pentagon ivamise ukucaphuna lezi zibalo lapho ibuyekeza abezindaba mayelana nokusebenza kwayo ngokumelene ne-Islamic State kanye ne-al-Qaida abasebenzisana nayo e-Iraq. kanye neSiriya.
Kulesi sithombe-skrini sesizindalwazi soMnyango Wezokuvikela, esithathwe ngoMgqibelo, Feb. 4, izikhulu zithole ukuhlasela kwezindiza komfelandawonye okungu-17,861 kuze kube nguJan. 31. Lokho kucishe kube ngama-5,900 ngaphansi kwezibalo ze-Air Force ekupheleni kukaDisemba 2016.
Kuphinde kubonakale kunezinqubomgomo ezihlukene ezilawula ukucaciswa kolwazi olungadalulwa esidlangalaleni. Icaphuna inqubomgomo, izikhulu zamasosha e-US nase-Baghdad ziyenqaba ukuhlonza uhlobo lwezindiza zempi zaseMelika ezihlasela izindiza ngazinye e-Iraq naseSyria, futhi ngeke zinikeze ukuhlukaniswa komsebenzi ngezingxenye zesevisi ngayinye.
Kungenye indaba ngokuphelele e-Afghanistan, lapho izikhulu zamasosha ase-US, ziphendula imibuzo evela ku-Military Times, zanikela ngedatha ye-Airstrike yezempi eyayingadalulwanga ye-2016, yaze yahlonza nezinhlobo ezine zezindiza ze-Army ezihlinzeka ngokusekela emoyeni okubulalayo lapho. UCaptain Navy William Salvin, okhulumela amasosha ase-US e-Afghanistan, uthe ngaphezu kwama-Apache, kukhona izindiza ezinophephela emhlane ezihlomile ze-UH-60 Blackhawk kanye ne-MQ-1 Grey Eagles, okungama-drones. Ekuqaleni, uSalvin waveza ukuthi i-Army's RQ-7 Shadow drones nayo ihlomile, kodwa kamuva wasilungisa leso sitatimende.
I-MQ-1C Grey Eagle iqhuba ukuqeqeshwa komlilo bukhoma e-Fort Stewart, e-Georgia. Ibutho Lezempi lisebenzisa le drone e-Afghanistan nakwamanye amathiyetha ukwenza ukuhlasela kwezindiza ngaphezu kokuqoqwa kobuhlakani.Ikhredithi Yesithombe: Sgt. UWilliam Begley/Amasosha
U-Salvin uphinde wachaza ukuthi ukuhlasela kwezindiza okwenziwe lapho - ingqikithi ye-1,071 ngonyaka odlule, hhayi i-615 njengoba i-Air Force ibika ku-database yayo yemithombo evulekile - iphinde ihlelwe ngezigaba ezintathu: ukuzivikela, ukulwa nokwesaba kanye nemiphumela yamasu, engadingeka lapho. Abaphathi abakhulu bakholelwa ukuthi iziqhumane ze-US zingasiza ekuguquleni isimo ezindaweni ezithathwa njengezibalulekile ekuzinzeni okubanzi kwe-Afghanistan.
"Sizama nje ukubeka obala lapha," kusho i-Army Brig. UGen. Charles Cleveland, umkhulumeli ophezulu we-Operation Resolute Support, ohlanganisa umzamo oqhubekayo webutho laseMelika lokuqeqesha nokweluleka ibutho lase-Afghan kanye nebutho lasemoyeni. Umsebenzi ohlukile, omncane e-Afghanistan, obizwa ngeFreedom's Sentinel, ubandakanya imizamo eholwa yi-US yokulwa nobuphekula ngokumelene ne-al-Qaida kanye nenqwaba yezinhlangano ezisebenzisana nayo esifundeni.
"Lokhu okhuluma ngakho yisinqumo esikhulu senqubomgomo esingahle siqale ku-OSD," kusho uCleveland lapho ebuzwa ukuthi le mibiko kufanele yini ihlanganise yonke into. I-OSD imele iHhovisi likaNobhala Wezokuvikela. “Cishe sikhulu kunesinqumo senqubomgomo ye-CENTCOM. Okhuluma ngakho wukulala emhlabeni wonke ngoba kuneziteleka kwa-AFRICOM.”
I-US Africa Command yengamele imisebenzi eminingi yamasosha eyimfihlo yokulwa namaphekula ezwenikazi lonke, okuhlanganisa iSomalia neLibya. Lezo zibalo azidalulwa njalo.
UCleveland ukugcizelele futhi ukuthi umkhankaso womoya wase-United States e-Afghanistan uyingxenye yomzamo omkhulu, manje onyakeni we-16, wokufundisa, ukweseka nokuvikela amasosha ase-Afghan ngethemba lokuthi azokwazi ukuhlinzeka ngokuvikeleka kwezwe ngokuzimela. "Umqondo ophelele wokuhlaselwa kwezindiza," ujenene uthe, "kunoma ubani, ingxenye encane yomsebenzi omkhulu."
Akukacaci ukuthi kungani iButho lezempi lihlukile ekukhipheni izibalo zabashayi bezindiza kulezi zifinyezo nemibiko ebanzi. Kufike uMgqibelo, umkhulumeli wendlunkulu Yezempi eWashington wenqabile ukuphawula, wathi akakwazanga ukucwaninga ngalolu daba ngesaziso esifushane.
Isikhulu samasosha aseMelika esikhulume ngesimo sokungaziwa sithe yingoba izindiza zamasosha andiza ezindaweni zempi aziweli ngaphansi kochungechunge lwemiyalo ye-Air Force ebhekele ukushicilela lezi zifinyezo zanyanga zonke.
Noma kunjalo, lokho akuphenduli ukuthi kungani ibutho lezempi lingayidaluli idatha yalo ye-airstrike.
U-Kenneth Roth, umqondisi omkhulu we-Human Rights Watch, inhlangano yocwaningo neyokumela, ubize ukubeka izinto obala kubalulekile ekuziphenduleleni kwezempi. Lokho kudinga “ukubika okuqotho emphakathini,” kusho uRoth.
“Ukuvikeleka ngezinye izikhathi kungase kudinge imfihlo,” wanezela, “kodwa amahloni noma ukuzwela kwezombangazwe akufanele neze. Amaqiniso aphathelene nenani leziteleka zasemoyeni kanye nenani lazo lezakhamuzi kufanele adalulwe ngokushesha nangokwethembeka ukuze umphakathi, ulekelelwa izisebenzi ezilwela amalungelo abantu nezintatheli, ukwazi ukuhlolisisa imisebenzi yezempi eyenziwa egameni labo.”
U-Andrew deGrandpre ungumhleli omkhulu we-Military Times kanye nesikhulu se-Pentagon Bureau. Ku-Twitter: @adegrandpre. UShawn Snow ungumbhali wezisebenzi kanye nomhleli we-Early Bird we-Military Times. Ku-Twitter: @SnowSox184. Ngokubikwa okwengeziwe kombhali omkhulu we-Air Force Times uStephen Losey. Ku-Twitter: @StephenLosey.
