January11, 2007: In Afghanistan, some Taliban fighters continue to operate through the Winter. But U.S. troops knew how to play the weather to their advantage. U.S. troops have a new set of Winter clothing, based on the latest stuff available to civilian skiers and Winter sports enthusiasts. This gives U.S. troops a big edge when a cold front moves in, and the Taliban are forced to come down to a village, or risk frostbite, or death up in the hills. The Taliban are also easier to track when it snows, and easier to spot from the air using UAVs, or, especially, aircraft equipped with infrared (heat sensing) cameras. Normally, Afghans stay inside, or close to home, throughout the Winters. In the south, it's drier and warmer, but during the Winter months, the occasional bitter cold air comes down from the north, and forces Afghans outside to get inside or die.