“In what was described as its greatest military error in its war against Al-Qaeda, the United States failed to commit American ground troops immediately in the battle of Tora Bora [Afghanistan, which began on November 30, 2001], Osama’s mountain retreat close to the Pakistani border, which he had used since the anti-Soviet jihad. …Why the Pentagon failed to put the Tenth Mountain Division’s ‘boots on the ground’ from the start remains unclear. …not even the specially trained Delta Force, were committed to block the retreating Al-Qaeda units on their way to sanctuary in nearby Pakistan.”
– Jonathan Randal, Osama, Pages 255-256