Community | February 21, 2010 | 2 comments

Marines converge on Taliban holdouts in Marjah

source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_afghanistan

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JanforGore
Marines and Afghan units converged Sunday on a dangerous western quarter of the Taliban stronghold of Marjah, with NATO forces facing "determined resistance" as their assault on the southern town entered its second week.

The Marjah operation is a major test of a new NATO strategy that stresses protecting civilians over routing insurgents as quickly as possible. It's also the first major ground operation since President Barack Obama ordered 30,000 reinforcements to Afghanistan.

In a setback to that strategy, the Dutch prime minister said Sunday that his country's 1,600 troops would probably leave Afghanistan this year. Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende spoke a day after his government collapsed when a coalition partner insisted the Dutch troops leave in August as planned.

Fighter jets, drones and attack helicopters flew over Marjah, as Marine and Afghan companies moved on a 2-square-mile (5.2-sq. kilometer) area of the town where more than 40 insurgents have apparently holed up.

"They are squeezed," said Lt. Col. Brian Christmas, commander of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment. "It looks like they want to stay and fight but they can always drop their weapons and slip away. That's the nature of this war."

Insurgents are putting up a "determined resistance" in various parts of Marjah, though the overall offensive is "on track," NATO said Sunday, eight days after thousands of Afghan and international forces launched their largest joint operation since the Taliban regime's ouster in 2001.

Late last week, Maj. Gen. Nick Carter, head of NATO forces in southern Afghanistan, said he believed it would take at least 30 days to complete securing the Nad Ali district and Marjah in Helmand province, a hub for a lucrative opium trade that profits militants.
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2 comments // Marines converge on Taliban holdouts in Marjah

  • JanforGore
    • +1
      JanforGore  

    • Now, I debated as to whether to comment on this, because it seems if you don't and just cut and paste it as is wanted it gets featured on the homepage. But actually, for me it isn't about getting featured on the homepage to see my name there, but to see the truth of people's opinions and what this media refuses to tell us. So here goes:

      It is an embarrassment to read that theTaliban is holding back NATO forces and the US military. Which is why this leads me to believe this is all BS perpetrated by a government and media in collusion to keep the real reasons why we are there mum. How long before the gas pipeline construction is begun? ( I read this March which coincidentally is about thirty days.) Will this "offensive" end around that time? Either that, or they are finding out why the Russians left this area after a decade of trying to "win" whatever that means and simply can't admit it.

      Afghanistan has been folly from the day it changed from a mission to apprehend terrorists that trained to bomb the WTC to using it as an excuse for global hegemony and hijacking the resources of the area along with its agriculture. It is also an affront to the memories of those who died. And yet, this charade will continue as resources are plundered and billions more spent while people in our own country continue to suffer and while Afghans continue to suffer.

      And where is CURRENT on this? Why isn't Vanguard reporting on this?

    • 2 years ago
  • BillCorcoran
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