Shadowy details emerge — you won’t ever read about this anywhere else.

The Taliban’s top commander in Afghanistan — finally killed last year — actually got away from British Special Forces.  And the story is leaked as a case in point about how the Brits, while suddenly criticizing the counter insurgency fight in Afghanistan, may be the one’s who need a refresher course on counter insurgency tactics.

A top level Western source tells me last year the Americans get intelligence on where Dadullah who had kidnapped and killed and had a lot  blood on his hands including leading attacks on American and NATO forces,was hiding.   It came down to two compounds.  One has women and children in it.  The other is full of men.

On May 12th 2007, the American SF hit the compound with women and children.  Clean raid. No one killed.   No Dadullah.

The British SBS Special Forces hit the compound full of men. Dadullah is there.

It’s later reported Dadullah is killed in a raid by NATO and Afghan forces.

Guess what?   Dadullah escaped.  The Brits failed to seal the compound says the source.   Dadullah was wounded but ran out the back and escaped down to a river bank.  He died there on the river bank and his body was only discovered when a truck was stopped later and Taliban were discovered to be transporting his body.

British officials have been doing a lot of media this week.  Complaining the war can’t be won in Afghanistan.  A memo from the British Ambassador was leaked.  The British Commander spoke out.

American’s say the war is being won.   The Brits have a bad case of “risk aversion.”

It’s time U.S. forces say some American experts give a class on insurgency one-oh-one and SF tactics to their U.K. Colleagues.