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The battle of Tora Bora battle analysis

Ricardo Cervantes

MLSC 421 The army Officer I

CPT. Harpham

Sept,9 2019
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Tora Bora battle analysis

Admittingly, this is one of the close battles that the United States of America had the quest to conquer and

achieve their intended purpose. The fight occurred from third to seventeenth of December 2001 as it was a led

coalition of attack that was forefronted by the US. The American military forces led the attack on the currently

known cave complex which is found in the White Mountains at Tora Bora in Afghanistan. Tora Bora is located in

the eastern side of Afghanistan making it to border Pakistan1. It marked one of the first time the US stepped on the

Afghanistan soil. The war has propelled the idea that the Al-Qaida leader who was none other than Osama bin

Laden was seeking refuge at the Tora Bora caves in Afghanistan. Osama was one of the masterminds of the

September attack that led to many death tolls, and it also left several people brutally injured. The military

intervention was conducted in Afghanistan and notably backed the Afghan Northern Alliance to fight the Taliban

government and the Al-Qaida allies that were deeply rooted in Afghanistan. It was one of the wars that were

strategically organized, under the regime President George Bush Junior.

Tora Bora battle review setting

The battle of Tora Bora was part of the operation known as operation enduring freedom and it was one of

the first-time military campaign set by the US government in Afghanistan. This battle took place in Tora Bora

village that is also known as the black dust at Pashtun situated in Namghar province southeastern of Afghanistan. It

lies in between the Agam and the Wazir valleys disgorged from Springhare. That is about fifty kilometers south of

Jalalabad. Tora Bora is also physically situated between the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Tora Bora area

covers around thirty-five kilometers with an altitude that is estimated to be approximately three thousand feet or

twelve thousand feet in the places that are categorized to be under Pakistan. The battle of Tora Bora took place in

Afghanistan between third to seventeenth of December the year 2001. The primary objective of this battle as per the

initiators who made it happen was to capture Osama Bin Laden alive or dead. Because it was believed that he was

the mastermind of the bombing of the world trade Centre in New York. That left numerous people dead while some

1
Krause, Peter John Paul. "The last good chance: A reassessment of US operations at Tora
Bora." Security Studies 17, no. 4 (2008): 644-684.
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were left nursing wounds. The other objective of the battle was to destroy the rooting of both Al-Qaida and the

Taliban in Afghanistan. The battle took place in the mountainous caves of Tora Bora in Afghanistan because that

was the place that Al-Qaida mastermind Osama Bin Laden was believed to have sought refuge. The battle was

instigated by the bombing of the World Trade Centre by the Al-Qaida militias which left several people dead and

some injured. Indeed the campaign of this battle was to eradicate terrorism across the globe by first dealing with its

initiators or propagators.

Afghanistan as a place is characterized by harsh weather conditions that do vary from both warm summers

and the winters which are accentuated by high elevation. Summers are warm though at peak elevation. The war was

fought when the temperatures had fluctuated to about thirty-two with precipitation of about forty-three 2. It goes

without mentioning that those temperatures were not favorable to the US soldiers and the principles who had come

to undertake that mission. U.S forces were not used to such temperatures. Thus it deterred most of their operations

which they had strategized could not be fully accomplished. Bearing in mind ion the other side the terrain of Tora

Bora was also something that compromised the military operation. This battle occurred in a region that rocky and

rugged hence deterring most of the movement of the military personnel who had an objective to pursue. The terrain

in Tora Bora comprises of mountains, hills, and valleys which makes it difficult for those people who have not

adapted to the territory to find it hard to traverse the area. Honestly, the wide variety of features that are located in

the Tora Bora makes it have an adverse weather condition that is not human accommodative at all. Therefore, it was

one of the main reasons that may have led to poor execution of the planned military strategy that had to take place in

Tora Bora as weather and climate are very significant things in any operations that are conducted by military

strategist. The terrain of the land that was also rugged was one of the other impediments of the achievements of the

battle's primary objectives. Which was to capture Osama bin Laden alive or dead though he managed to escape

without being caught by the soldier. The terrain was advantageous on the defenders’ side as they were used to it.

They knew very many hides out positions that they could strategically hide, and launch an attack to the US forces

that were on the mission to accomplish an objective.

Comparison of principle antagonists

2
Krause, Peter John Paul. "The last good chance: A reassessment of US operations at Tora
Bora." Security Studies 17, no. 4 (2008): 644-684.
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The operation Enduring freedom which was known as the Tora Bora battle had workforce across the board

that helped both sides to achieve their primary objectives. The forces which were involved in this battle were: the

Taliban forces which were about fifty-five thousand, the Al-Qaida forces which about forty. Five thousand, NIM/UF

soldiers who were about sixty thousand, the US soldiers were about fifty thousand and five thousand and lastly the

coalition forces that were just around thirty-eight thousand in number. Indeed, the battle comprised of both the. Air

forces and naval troops who came from both the U.S and the3. Coalition forces. Though, the Taliban., Al-Qaida, and

the NIM/UF forces had none to support them against their attackers. The Us air force used approximately five

hundred combat aircraft inclusive of the transport while the coalition used some of their aircraft like the W. Both the

US and the alliance had naval forces forty warships and over sixty warships respectively. Tora Bora battle made the

forces from both the defenders and the attackers to use several weapons in their fights which entailed: artillery,

APC, air defense, ballistic missiles, and the well-known SOF.

Indeed, in US military forces technology means affordable CINCENT that has unmatched aptitudes which

entails video communications and worldwide world voice, original imagery, satellite links, and high-speed data

dispensation apparatus. By October eighth the US forces under the leadership of special operations commander

Dalton Furry who was the person in charge of operation enduring freedom mission launched a 32,200-pound bomb

at the mountainous region of Tora Bora. As they awaited the deployment of the twelve-man special forces ODA in

the area. The Afghanistan fighters continued to be ambushed with mortar, heavy machine guns, small arms fire, and

rocket as they advanced into the village of Tora Bora supported by US airstrikes. Later on, the Afghan warmongers

tried to make some advancement against the massive resistance that they were rocked with the US forces.

Consequently, that made the United States to drop a 15000-pound BLU-82 known as the daisy cutter near the cave

where the al-Qaida leader was hiding4. The US forces and the Soviet soldiers jointly used a T-55 tank that made

sporadic advances across the valley making the Al-Qaida forces to create a retreat. A call for a ceasefire by the Al-

Qaida commanders failed to be honored immediately making the US forces to continually fire the positions that

were occupied by the Al-Qaida’s with an AC-130 gunship. Admittedly, the United States and its coalition forces had

a tremendous technological advantage over both the Taliban, Al-Qaida and the NIM/UF forces.

3
Bergen, P. (2009). The Battle for Tora Bora. The New Republic.
4
Weaver, Mary Anne. "Lost at Tora Bora." New York Times Magazine 11 (2005).
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After that strategic logistical support that the US forces had, was enormous which made all the tactical

troops who were engaged in this battle to succeed in their missions. It is crystal clear that the use of a long-range

cargo plane like c-17, c-5, c-130 made it possible for the US forces to access the area quickly. Specifically, the use

of c-130 and c-17 that could either land or take off from the unimproved runways, which situated in Afghanistan 5.

Both the Naval and Airforce aircrafts needed aerial refueling during the tactical mission that took place in

Afghanistan. Central Asia and the Persian Gulf were the bases which were used for refueling and tactically

supplying field soldiers with the necessary equipment they needed to accomplish their mission. Thus, adequate

theater level logistical system, intermediate bases, and overflight freedoms are some of the necessities that enhances

an excellent tactical action. Integration of critical operational functions like c2, logistics, and intelligence was

essential in this mission, which had the aim of countering terrorism. US forces had a logistical advantage over the

defenders due to the fact the US had a sophisticated logistical system that was well planned and strategized.

The US forces had a good advantage in the C2W abilities like civil affairs, electronic warfare, and the

PSYOPS. This area was also associated with some operational challenges that had to occur both the troops that

engaged in the war. The use of a good command and control warfare which is a national level asset, makes both of

the task’s approval, intelligence analysis which is outside JFC’S AND CINC’s to be easy to control. Considerably,

the use of liaison officers, putting of high-ranking commanders was something that worked towards the advantage of

the US forces6. Correspondingly the US had a far ability to make or develop a good intelligence system, which is

profoundly better than their enemies. Most probably they had good intelligence in the following areas: targeting,

reconnaissance, and sound technology surveillance. Although some limits faced high technology intelligence due to

the rugged terrain of Tora Bora. As it limited the movement and monitoring of the communication system in the

region, the utility of OPSEC methods in areas where the Al-Qaida forces were located left crucial communication

gaps. There was a limited number of HUMINT, employed in this mission though they achieved something that is

comparatively negligible.

The US soldiers have proper training and mastery skills, much better than the opposing forces who are not

highly trained. In the camp which was led by the Al-Qaida master planner Osama bin Laden, there are very few

5
Wilcox, Greg, and Gary I. Wilson. "Military response to fourth generation warfare in
Afghanistan." INFOWAR. Retrieved September 26 (2002): 2002.
6
Wilcox, Greg, and Gary I. Wilson. "Military response to fourth generation warfare in
Afghanistan." INFOWAR. Retrieved September 26 (2002): 2002.
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experienced warmongers in comparison to that of the US soldiers that were driven by Dalton Furry on the ground

missions. The training level of the opposing forces was not that strategic as they were not well organized to fight

against their attackers who launched various explosives in their hiding grounds. The rugged terrain of the Tora Bora

that has mountains, valleys, and hills was a tactical measure that the opposing forces decided to be their base, where

they could launch attacks to their attackers. Osama was a well experienced Al-Qaida fighter had vast skills in

various military weapons, inclusive of some leaders in his camp. Both the teams had morale encouragement from

their leaders as Osama encouraged his forces not to fear death. While the US forces were supported by both their

team leaders who made it clear to them that the missions' objective was something that was relay valid. American

troops had the consent and support from both the American government and its citizens. The US forces doctrines

which help the military personnel to know the operational environment they are engaged in like the jp3-0and 3-07

joint operations, and the military operations other than war they describe wartime theatre of activities within a

locality where the battle is engaged. They also utilize the CMO doctrine which is JP 3-57 that makes the CMO be a

responsibility of the entire command though the army has never used it as they cannot develop any principle guiding

the commander7.

The main aim of the Tora Bora battle was to eliminate or to capture Osama bin Laden alive or dead and

also to destroy the terrorist network in Afghanistan. Other objectives were the desired end state that means the US

wanted to prevent further terrorist activities against American citizens and their allies. National strategic goal was

also given a consideration entailed the use of various elements of state power that aided in locating, neutralizing, and

attack terrorist organizations. The military objectives are always to safeguard its citizens against terrorist networks

across the globe. Lastly, they had both the intermediate and the theatre strategic objectives to accomplish. Several

plans were developed by both the opposing troops as the Al-Qaida, and Taliban troops decided to base themselves in

the rugged terrain, to comfortably maneuver their way during the war. The American forces also chose to use

military aircraft to access the mountainous region as part of their logistic support system. The US soldiers used both

the naval and air force airplanes to traverse the Tora Bora region, with a good communication command control

aided with a superior intelligence and communication strategic plan. The defending team demanded a cease-fire

agreement which was not fully honored by the attacking side because they had faced massive resistance.

7
Moustakis, Fotios, and Rudra Chaudhuri. "The Rumsfeld Doctrine and the cost of US unilateralism:
lessons learned." Defense Studies 7, no. 3 (2007): 358-375.
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The US forces in conjunction with the coalition forces began the attack by bombing the white cave

mountains where the Al-Qaida mastermind was believed to have hidden. Though the Al-Qaida troops never

retaliated immediately, they later on used ballistic missiles and gun fires to counter the US troops who were

advancing towards their base. The US troops gained an advantage over their counterparts as they had well-

established air attack that left their enemies in a severe turmoil. The plan which was employed in Tora Bora had four

phases that consisted; setting and building forces to offer National command authority with credible military

options. The next stage was to initiate a preliminary combat operation and make a continuous set of actions which

will follow — making a pivotal combat procedure in Afghanistan, building coalitions, and performing a process

called AOR. Then lastly, establishing capacity in integrating with other coalition partners to aid the occurrence of

terrorism, and provide a global humanitarian relief support effort.

The primary objective of the battle was not achieved because Osama managed to escape to Pakistan

without being found. It is believed that Osama managed to escape when the Afghan troops made the call for a

ceasefire. It led to deaths of the opposing forces to have a high number of insurgences later own making the US take

full control of Afghanistan. It indeed eliminated both the Taliban and Al-Qaida base from Tora Bora in Afghanistan.

It further led to the improvement of many sectors in Afghanistan, e.g. health, education, roads, electricity, and

agriculture. The lesson the US troops learned from the Toa bora operation is that they needed to employ much

military personnel on the ground to fight against the al-Qaida forces. Blocking the escape of the Al-Qaida's militants

was a significant challenge to the US troops. The other lesson they learned was not to over-rely against the other

forces that offered them support.

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Bibliography

Krause, Peter John Paul. "The last good chance: A reassessment of US operations at Tora Bora." Security

Studies 17, no. 4 (2008): 644-686

Bergen, P. (2009). The Battle for Tora Bora. The New Republic.

Weaver, Mary Anne. "Lost at Tora Bora." New York Times Magazine 11 (2005).

Wilcox, Greg, and Gary I. Wilson. "Military response to fourth generation warfare in Afghanistan." INFOWAR.

Retrieved September 26 (2002): 2002.

Moustakas, Folios, and Rudra Chaudhuri. "The Rumsfeld Doctrine and the cost of US unilateralism: lessons

learned." Defense Studies 7, no. 3 (2007): 358-375