Stardate 20011009.1336 (On Screen): The goal of the first phase of the air assault seems to have been achieved, with the Taliban's anti-aircraft (and their jets and airfields) neutralized. It was mainly a question of destroying jets on the ground, air facilities, radars, command-and-control, and SAM batteries. Antiaircraft guns are unimportant because they can't reach the altitudes that our jets will be flying.
This is probably the end of the three days of activity that was originally planned. In the next phase, I don't think that operations will cease. Instead, I suspect we'll start flying routine patrols over Afghanistan at all hours, and attack concentrations of tanks and artillery where they're found, possibly also attacking certain infantry concentrations when it is strategically important to do so. It won't be the kind of (sort of) full-scale preplanned missions, though, which they've been flying so far but more of a search-and-destroy type mission. Jets will spot targets of opportunity, radio for permission to attack, and then take them out. (discuss)
