70-80 Taliban killed in another lopsided battle

Reuters/Washington Post:

NATO troops killed 70-80 Taliban in a fierce battle in southern Afghanistan, the alliance said on Monday.

A reconnaissance patrol hunting Taliban engaged a large group of fighters on Sunday about 9 miles from the village of Musa Qala in Helmand, a stronghold of the Islamist guerrillas and the main opium-growing province in the world's major supplier.

In a four-hour battle backed by attack helicopters and close air support, the ground commander estimated 70-80 guerrillas were killed, a NATO spokesman said.

There were no NATO casualties, but three soldiers from NATO's International Security Assistance Force were wounded during another clash earlier in the day.

...

There is more. This is pretty typical of battles in Afghanistan in the last year, and it is utterly amazing to hear Pakistan officials say that the Taliban is winning. The Taliban has been over matched in virtually every battle it has fought against western forces. Without its Pakistan vineyard for storing the grapes of wrath, it would already be destroyed.