U.S. launches 'major operation' in Afghanistan

reply to post by ElectroMagnetic Multivers


Marines told to make history in south Afghanistan

GARMSIR, Afghanistan, July 2 (Reuters) - Thousands of U.S. Marines were told they were about to make history before they set out on Thursday to wrest control of Afghanistan's southern Helmand province away from the Taliban.

"You're going to change the world this summer and it starts this morning," Lieutenant Colonel Christian Cabaniss, commander of the 2nd battalion, 8th Marines, told his troops dressed in desert fatigues before they mounted helicopters and humvees.

"The United States and the world are watching. Their expectations are enormously high during this summer of decision."

Early success as US Marines flood into Helmand in reversal of British tactics

“What makes Operation Khanjar different is the massive size of the force, the speed at which it will insert, and that where we go we will stay, and where we stay, we will hold,” Brigadier-General Larry Nicholson, the Marines’ commander said.

The area south of the British headquarters at Lashkar Gah is the world’s biggest heroin-producing region and a crucial transit point for Taleban fighters joining the insurgency from over the border in Pakistan. Much of the ground the US Marines aim to seize has never been trodden by foreign troops. British forces failed to penetrate south of Garmsir, where new fighters arriving from Pakistan are blooded in battle. American frustration with the British strategy saw them move into the area in 2008.

Marines Push Deeper Into Taliban Areas in Afghanistan

July 3 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. troops pushed deeper into a major Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan in a bid to root out insurgents and stabilize the region, after one Marine was killed on the operation’s first day.

Forces advanced into three district centers and are liaising with local leaders to find out what they “want and need,” Captain Bill Pelletier said by telephone today from Camp Leatherneck, a Marine base in Helmand province.

Troops are moving through towns and villages to “separate the population from the insurgents,” Pelletier said. They fought “light skirmishes” with gunmen who then fled, he added.

Originally posted by Laurauk
I find it absolutely ridiculous that other countries who are in Afghanistan, do not do what the Americans are doing. Those european countries whom wont involve themselves in this, or help in any way to stop the taliban in the south, should rethink why they are there in the first place.

God help us all if a major conflict was to ever break out again in Europe, all!

BREAKING NEWS: An american soldier has been captured in Eastern Afghanistan, will updae once I learn more!



[edit on 2-7-2009 by Laurauk]

Well i guess we europeans are a lot smarter then you Americans are. Because you dont even know what your fighting for anymore. Or on what bases you attacked Afghanistan to begin with.

You people are fighting a ghost or making one up as you go along. Who wants to fight for that or die for that??

Edit:
First prove beyond questionable doubt that it was Al Qaeda that did the 911 stunt.



[edit on 27.06.08 by spy66]

once again afghanistan..You know what i dont get? During WWII, We overtook Normandy in ONE day, and hepled overthrow Berlin a year and a half, once the troops got on land. Here in afghanistan, its going on what 9 years????

reply to post by ziggy1706

Analysis: Barack Obama's moment of truth in Afghanistan

The omens look better than they have some time. The Americans have withdrawn from Iraq's cities, which means Afghanistan will have its full focus in a way it hasn't had since the initial invasion in 2001. Pakistan appears to have finally realised the Taliban and al-Qaeda threaten its existence as a state and no longer feels so passionately that it's "America's war." More importantly, Pakistan's armed forces appear to have reached the same conclusion after a series of bloody attacks on its major cities. Yesterday, it moved its forces up to the Afghan border to capture Taliban militants fleeing the American advance. Finally there appears to be evidence of the joined up thinking President Obama's new "Af-Pak" policy promised.

Originally posted by ziggy1706
once again afghanistan..You know what i dont get? During WWII, We overtook Normandy in ONE day, and hepled overthrow Berlin a year and a half, once the troops got on land. Here in afghanistan, its going on what 9 years????

Thats coz no one has ever succeeded in Afghanistan. they fisrt took on and beat the british, then the whole Russian army, now ther're taking on the Yanks.

I hope this is the final solution... but I doubt it. We can push them back, we can kill them by the thousands but as sure as day becomes night, they will regroup, grow in numbers, and seep back through the porous borders as the western military presence in Afghanistan susbsides.

They are a tide of evil tyranny.

IRM

Originally posted by InfaRedMan
I hope this is the final solution... but I doubt it. We can push them back, we can kill them by the thousands but as sure as day becomes night, they will regroup, grow in numbers, and seep back through the porous borders as the western military presence in Afghanistan susbsides.

They are a tide of evil tyranny.

IRM

True enough but, as was demonstrated when the US WAS still focused on Afghanistan, you can't eliminate AQ/Taliban but you can weaken them to the point where their capabilities are severely diminished.

It took AQ at least five years to re-constitute after 2001/2002. Even now, they lack the centralized command structure they once possessed. I think this strategy is a good one and long, long, overdue.

reply to post by InfaRedMan


One Dutch general once said while being in Afghanistan: 'it's like mopping with the tab opened' Regretfully, it seems to be a war that cannot be won, not with the unstable Pakistani government next door.

reply to post by SLAYER69


This just completely boggles my mind:

The area south of the British headquarters at Lashkar Gah is the world’s biggest heroin-producing region and a crucial transit point for Taleban fighters joining the insurgency from over the border in Pakistan.

Maybe someone can explain to me why it is that we can send over millions of pounds of bombs to carpet bomb some areas of Iraq and other areas of Afhghanistan, but we can not seem to do this with the opium fields?

Why do we need boots on the ground for such things?

Why does more of American blood have to be sacrificed to spread democracy?

This is not about the Afhganistan people, just like it was not about the people of Iraq. A dusgusting lie to advance political agenda and foreign policy not appropriated by the American people. If it were about the people we would have been in Suddan, Angola, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, and South Yemen all governments involved in mass democide in the name of communism.

Why is it our policticians pick and choose whom we must fight and die for?

One reason: People justify it by standing up for the decisions that are made in Congress and the White House because of their political bias . Ill tell you what, the day we have an American politicians body being dragged through the streets alive in some foreign country is the day America fights a just war.

reply to post by open_eyeballs


Marines targeting Taliban in Afghan push

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- U.S. Marines on Friday continued to lead a major push against militants in southern Afghanistan in an attempt to rout the Taliban from their stronghold in Helmand province, Marine Capt. William Pelletier said.

A Marine source described the fighting Thursday evening as "our most significant encounter."

Sporadic fighting took place over several hours in the southeastern sector of Garmser district, said Pelletier, spokesman for the Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan.

reply to post by spy66


LOL, chck my location , you will see I live in the UK not the USA, check next time before you start your anti american bashing. You actually have just made a fool outof yourself quite funny really.

And if Europeans were so smarter, then why did they go through 2 world wars and if they were smarter, then why were most of the countries in europe defeated during world war 2. Oh yeah European countries are smarter

[edit on 3-7-2009 by Laurauk]

reply to post by SLAYER69




While I thank you for your concentrated effort for the information you have provided, I feel this is my release for my frustration with our foreign policy.

Don't mean to be diverting attention away from your topic. This stuff just gets to me.

edit to add:

I understand the necessity to hold and maintain ground, but your telling me we cant destroy most of these poppy fields with a few hundred thousand pounds of bombs? pretty sure it could be done. They pop up somewherr else..Bomb em again..until they get the hint.

I don't think sacrificing one soldier is worth any of it.

[edit on 3-7-2009 by open_eyeballs]

Originally posted by spy66
Well i guess we europeans are a lot smarter then you Americans are.

Yeah?

Well that whole colonial rule thing Europe had going didn't work out too well for you guys. Not one of your empires exist anymore. How many of your European armies have been defeated on foreign battlefields and came home in disgrace? Everybody from the French, Spanish and British. etc. I'll clue you in, a hell of a lot more than we Americans have that's for damn sure. It got so bad for you guys that you almost destroyed yourselves not once but twice in the last century and created one hell of a mess in the preceding century before that! Yeah you are a lot smarter than we Yanks that's for sure.


I bet you already knew that Europe has been one of the most violent places on the planet. Just look at it's history for the past 500 years. But again I guess you already knew that now didn't you?

Lets talk about WWII for a second and consider how things would have been if we Dumb Americans didn't "Help" Lets take a look at a couple of possible scenarios shall we? Great Britain stands alone against Nazi Germany in the west. Germany would not attempt a landing because they know the Britt's would tear them to pieces! Germany and Italy don't have to worry about western Europe or North Africa. Instead they are able to focus their combined might on the eastern front.

One of two things happens...

1. Russia and Germany negotiate a peace. The Axis powers control all the European territory they captured. Result? No EU!

2. Russia Destroys Germany anyway and controls all the territory Germany captured. Result? No EU!


Do we need to look at the very real history of how Russia administrated eastern Europe after the war? Again I'm not trying to Bash the EU, on the contrary I would love to see them step up to the plate and take on their fair share of responsibility in global affairs instead of playing their usual... "We don't want American forces to leave NATO" Then Bash us every chance they get meanwhile the oil flows to keep their economies going.



Is America perfect?

Hell no. I'll tell you that right from the horses mouth. Trust me I live here I see it everyday. If it was up to me I'd pull our forces out of Europe yesterday.

[edit on 3-7-2009 by SLAYER69]

Originally posted by spy66

Edit:
First prove beyond questionable doubt that it was Al Qaeda that did the 911 stunt.

[edit on 27.06.08 by spy66]

Well, they took credit for it. That's good enough for me. I'll take 'em at their word.

Originally posted by open_eyeballs
Maybe someone can explain to me why it is that we can send over millions of pounds of bombs to carpet bomb some areas of Iraq and other areas of Afhghanistan, but we can not seem to do this with the opium fields?

The poppies didn't take down the WTC, Al Qaida did. The Taliban was aiding and abetting, and giving safe haven to Al Qaida. Ergo, the Taliban has to go. You'd rather bomb FLOWERS? What did a flower ever do to YOU?

Why does more of American blood have to be sacrificed to spread democracy?

"Spreading democracy" isn't the point, it's just a side effect. The Taliban has to go. THAT'S the point.

This is not about the Afhganistan people, just like it was not about the people of Iraq. A dusgusting lie to advance political agenda and foreign policy not appropriated by the American people.

Exactly. It's not about the Afghan people. It's about the Taliban. They have to go. Improvement of life for the Afghan people is a side effect of that result.

If it were about the people we would have been in Suddan, Angola, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, and South Yemen all governments involved in mass democide in the name of communism.

I don't know about this "we" business, but I was in Nicaragua. I did my part against the Sandinistas. Jimmy Carter was a buffoon. He was busy running around Central America and Mexico trying to garner support for the Sandinista guerrillas. Unsuccessfully, I might add.

Why is it our policticians pick and choose whom we must fight and die for?

They don't. At least Carter didn't in my case. Sometimes the enemies coincide with governmental decree, sometimes they don't. Sometimes the government just doesn't know what it's doing. Ya gotta think for yourself.
In the case of the Taliban, I happen to agree with the government. The Taliban has got to go.

One reason: People justify it by standing up for the decisions that are made in Congress and the White House because of their political bias

. Ill tell you what, the day we have an American politicians body being dragged through the streets alive in some foreign country is the day America fights a just war.

That's just so off the wall I won't even dignify it with a response, other than to say I ain't fightin' NO war just because some American politician got his dead carcass dragged through foreign streets. I don't think that would justify a fistfight, much less a war.

Not with the current bunch of hooligans we have in there.



[edit on 2009/7/4 by nenothtu]

I just posted this new thread. This looks good.

Russia to Open Airspace to U.S. for Afghan War

MOSCOW — The Russian government has agreed to let American troops and weapons bound for Afghanistan fly over Russian territory, officials on both sides said Friday. The arrangement will provide an important new corridor for the United States military as it escalates efforts to win the eight-year war.

The agreement, to be announced when President Obama visits here on Monday and Tuesday, represents one of the most concrete achievements in the administration’s effort to ease relations with Russia after years of tension. But the two sides failed to make a trade deal or resolve differences o

reply to post by nenothtu

The poppies didn't take down the WTC, Al Qaida did. The Taliban was aiding and abetting, and giving safe haven to Al Qaida. Ergo, the Taliban has to go. You'd rather bomb FLOWERS? What did a flower ever do to YOU?

Slayers article highlighted that one of the main objectives of the campaign were to secure the poppy fields. The poppy is the main source of opium which makes many drugs from heroine to coc aine. Heroine, helped destroy some of my family members life. So, there you go, that is what a flower has done to me. Any more issues with that?

While I understand the necessity to remove the Taliban from power so terrorists do not have safe harbor. This objective was completed over 6 years ago. There are multiple reasons as to why a U.S. ground presence needs to be more suddle and very limited. 1) so American lives are not put at risk the way they were during Iraq and some of our other foreign stumble f*** wars unnecessarily. 2) The Afhganistan people must learn to be self sufficient and self policing. This can not be done when American troops are doing everything. 3) The less American infidels there the less there will be a desire to repell the American infidels, therefore the recruiting process will be squashed just by removing ourselves from the area. While a special operations presence will be necessary to be maintained for a long time. There is nothing permitting us to be there on a massive scale other than to maintain presence in the middle east. And that is why we are there. Not to eradicate the remnants of a very weak past tense version of the Taliban. No America, no Taliban. And if you disagree, and believe America should be there, then we might as well as head right into Pakistan. That is where the opposing malitia is coming fro manyway.

"Spreading democracy" isn't the point, it's just a side effect. The Taliban has to go. THAT'S the point.

Well that is a matter of opinion. Capitalistic democracy is the point. Defeating the Taliban is the side effect.

I don't know about this "we" business, but I was in Nicaragua. I did my part against the Sandinistas. Jimmy Carter was a buffoon. He was busy running around Central America and Mexico trying to garner support for the Sandinista guerrillas. Unsuccessfully, I might add.

I am an American. I have been in the military. That is this we business. My best friend is still in the military. Too bad if you don't like it when I say we.

Sometimes the enemies coincide with governmental decree, sometimes they don't. Sometimes the government just doesn't know what it's doing.

Thats correct. But we don't need to go around making more enemies. And that is where it is our job to step up and highlight the fact they do not know what they are doing. Just like I and many others have done.

Ya gotta think for yourself.

It would be a good idea to take heed your own words.

other than to say I ain't fightin' NO war just because some American politician got his dead carcass dragged through foreign streets. I don't think that would justify a fistfight, much less a war.

Your so intent on arguing your point, you essentially agreed with me without even knowing it.
Good job.

i dont think america will invade Pakistan, Pakistan army is very strong and can offer a great resistance which america can't afford right now. America is already too much preoccupied. i guess next target will be iran