The first thing I thought was that taliban/aq put up a lot targets. The reports say a couple hundred were in on the attack. why weren’t more killed?

also the reports suggests that the aq/taliban had the element of surprise.

I think that this attack points to the obvious solution.

These forward bases need to be used as bait.

For every 5 outpost of 50 men each over a 200 mile range there should be a 500+ men available for back up-plus hair trigger air power. I may have the distances and numbers wrong. But the idea is deploy within 2-3 hours and to have sufficient force to take down aq/taliban forces of +-200-400 men

The bases should be set up with two things in mind. The first is that the aq/taliban will think them tasty.

The second is that there be a place where men & equipment can be deployed behind the taliban/aq and between them & the paki border. ie there should be a way to cut off aq retreat.

The outposts themselves need to have sensors in depth so that enemy combatants can’t get the drop on outposts. The sensors should be put up first–before the outpost is set up. obvious things like towns need to be monitored but also the goat trails in the back country that lead to the outpost.

so that not only will there be no surprise but the the back up will already be wind up for the counter strike before the enemy has hit in the first place.