The nitty-gritty job of rooting out terrorists

They might watch, in secret, as travelers make their way along Afghanistan's mountain roads. They may train anti-Taliban resistance fighters. And they probably are already carrying out "special reconnaissance" missions aimed at finding terrorists.

Elite US and allied ground forces will play a vital - if covert - role in America's war on terrorism. Indeed, reliance on the lightly armed, highly trained commando units is one reason this new war will be, as President Bush puts it, "unconventional."

But even as the importance of the Special Operations Forces becomes clearer, some veterans of these units warn that one month is not enough time to lay the groundwork for success. These tasks require planning and precision, they say, and require the risky business of being in close proximity to the enemy.

Working in teams of about six men, US Army commandos - maybe Green Berets or Delta Force - would stake out 24-hour observation points in

areas identified as likely terrorist strongholds, says retired Col. Hy Rothstein, a decorated special operations commander.

Sliding down ropes from specially modified helicopters such as Black Hawks or Little Birds, the teams would set up concealed camps. Pairs would rotate between watching target areas, communicating with base, and sleeping, Rothstein and others say.

Such teams would be limited in their ability to stay and to move on the ground, both because of the rugged terrain and what they must carry - all gear and supplies, including three-to-five days worth of food and water. After that, they can be extracted or resupplied by helicopter.

They would carry little firepower, but lots of gadgets, including night-vision devices that can magnify existing light and images. Captured images, as well as voice messages, would be sent back instantly to the commando headquarters using satellite radios with encryption devices.

The soldiers could also communicate directly with aircraft in the vicinity to alert them to any emerging targets.

Once targets are identified, raids would be carried out by special strike forces: either small teams of lethal Delta Force counterterrorist experts, or bigger groups of more fully armed light-infantry Rangers - both supported by the Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, known as the Night Stalkers due to their night-vision capabilities.

If special-forces ground troops can isolate terrorist leaders such as Osama bin Laden, "he is almost as good as dead," says Rothstein, although it could take time for the terrorists to run out of provisions. Yet the onset of winter and deep snow will also make operations in the mountain valleys riskier for commandos and helicopters. US defense officials already expect the campaign to last at least until spring.

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