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PrintUS Marines deploying in Afghanistan for first time in years
Sat Apr 26, 2008 3:53 PM EDT
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U.S. Marines are crossing the sands of southern Afghanistan for the first time in years, providing a boost to a NATO coalition that is growing but still short on manpower.
Some of the 2,300 Marines that make up the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit helped to tame a thriving insurgency in western Iraq.
The Marines are working alongside British forces in Helmand province — the world's largest opium-poppy region and site of the fiercest Taliban resistance over the last two years. The director of U.S. intelligence has said the Taliban controls 10 percent of Afghanistan — much of that in Helmand.
"Our mission is to come here and essentially set the conditions, make Afghanistan a better place, provide some security, allow for the expansion of governance in those same areas," said Col. Peter Petronzio, the unit's commander.
Thirteen of the 19 Marines in the platoon of 1st Lt. Adam Lynch, 27, served in 2006 and 2007 in Ramadi, the capital of the Anbar province in western Iraq. The vast region was once al-Qaida in Iraq's stronghold before the militants were pushed out in early 2007.
Lynch expects the Marines, who arrived last month on a seven-month deployment, will help calm Helmand as well.
"If you flood a city with Marines, it's going to quiet down," Lynch said in between sets of push-ups on Helmand province's sandy ground. "We know for seven months we're not here to occupy, we're just here to set conditions for whoever comes in after us."
Taliban fighters have largely shunned head-on battles since losing hundreds of fighters in the Panjwayi region of Kandahar province in fall 2006, and it's not clear that Taliban fighters will stay to face the Marines in regions they operate.
Lynch, a mobile assault commander, said he doesn't care if the militants flee: "Just get the Taliban out of here, that's the biggest thing."
Western countries, including the U.S. and other NATO nations, have been sending more troops to Afghanistan as violence has escalated.
More than 8,000 people, mainly militants, were killed in insurgency-related violence in 2007, the U.N. says.
The number of suicide attacks spiked in 2007, with the Taliban launching more than 140 suicide missions, the highest number since 2001 invasion to oust the Taliban for hosting al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.
The U.S. now has 32,500 troops in the country — the most since the 2001 invasion. In late 2006, Afghanistan had 40,000 international troops. Today, that number is almost 70,000.
But Western officials have warned in recent months that the international mission could fail. Washington has lobbied for NATO nations to provide more troops in Afghanistan, and in particular to add forces in the southern and eastern areas which have seen most of the recent fighting against the resurgent Taliban.
Some 3,500 Marines arrived in Afghanistan last month; the 2,300 members of the 24th MEU are concentrating on counterinsurgency, while 1,200 Marines are helping to train the Afghan police force.
The Marines' presence in southern Afghanistan is a clear sign that neither Britain nor Canada — which operates in nearby Kandahar province — have enough troops to control the region. But commanders and troops say the countries are working well together.
British Capt. Alex West helped deliver supplies to a remote and dusty firebase in Helmand province about a week ago.
"We spent the last operations borrowing kit (gear) off you, so it's about time you borrow stuff from us," said West, 29, of Colchester, England. "All of us have been in operations where the American have helped us, so we're happy to help."
The Marines are known as the theater task force, meaning they fall under the direct control of U.S. Gen. Dan McNeill, the commander of NATO troops in Afghanistan. McNeill can move the Marines to whatever flashpoint he wants. Most other U.S. troops are stationed at permanent bases in the east.
The Marines have been moving supplies and forces through Helmand by ground convoys the last several weeks, a draining and dangerous task. Some convoys have taken more than 20 hours to complete, and two Marines were killed by a roadside bomb April 15.
Lt. Col. Ricky Brown, the commander of the logistics battalion, gave a pep talk to a supply convoy last week, hinting at operations to come.
"You all are gonna move down there so the BLT (battalion landing team) can go in there and kick some Taliban butt," he said.
They have also been given directions to steer clear of the region's poppy fields so they don't risk alienating local farmers who rely on the cash crop for their income.
Counterinsurgency doctrine calls for forces to first clear a region of militants, hold that region and then build up government institutions and businesses. But the Marines are in the country for only seven months, meaning they don't have time to hold and build regions. But it's not clear if there are enough other NATO troops to hold areas, either.
While riding in a 47-vehicle convoy through the sands of Helmand province this past week, 1st Lt. Dan Brown said the terrain reminded him of other missions.
"If you didn't know any better you'd think you were in Anbar right now," he said, referring to western Iraq.
© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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- Regions: United States , United Kingdom , Iraq , Canada , Afghanistan
 | A day of skirmishing for Marines in southern Afghan town | Associated Press | Mon Apr 28 | 0 |
- Public Discussion (28)
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11
2.5
{"commentId":1737462,"authorDomain":"DanLS"}
You know what would've been awesome? If we'd done this before sending everyone to Iraq.
{"commentId":1737462,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"DanLS"}
- 11 votes
#1 - Sat Apr 26, 2008 4:32 PM EDT{"commentId":1738016,"authorDomain":"eric-albert"}
To hell with your awesome imperialist fascist nazi crap. This corporate media crap, imperial, warmongering, cheerleading idiocy is why the corporate media is irrelevant, discredited, and the right wing Newsivners as usual good Germans, good imperialists. Sieg Heil!!!
Corporate fascism, corporate impereal cheerleading, are all part of the class, fascist ideology, BANALITY OF EVIL by a disfigured, deformed, distorted class ideology, in the service of Class Empire. Occupation by fascist thugs, will be defeated. You are running out of money, rednecks, and yahoos, and the class Empire is disintegrating around you. Get a clue.
{"commentId":1738016,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"eric-albert"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1748329,"authorDomain":"sirmonkey"}
To hell with your awesome imperialist fascist nazi crap.
Tempting to do this, in reflex or on principle, but let's not be so reactionary. To lower our environmental footprint we should actually recycle crap as best we can, and use it as a bio-fuel where possible. There are technologies to do this safely and they should be employed. It is also an appropriate alternative fuel for political campaigns, though like when you burn recycled french fry oil and get a recognizable scent, the greener campaigns out there do risk a distinctive wafting odor. ;)
This corporate media crap
Again, renew, reuse, recycle... it's the green thing to do. Repeat this mantra 50 times a day and get back to me on this attitude. Yet you're probably right, corporate media cannot provide enough fuel to replace our current oil dependency... we need good old fashioned state-sponsored media for that. They are a much more plentiful source of crap, as history has borne out. ;)
cheerleading idiocy
Look man. If cheerleaders weren't dumb, what sort of chance would we have to score with the hot babes... ya know. Let's not mess with a good thing here. Gotta let this one slide and stick with priority #1 if ya know what I mean. It's what makes the world go around (besides oil) ;)
Banality of evil
Well, luckily for you some recognize this and stopped wearing their lapel pins as statement of solidarity in this regard. And soon a movement for change and newness will overcome banality with freshness. We'll make evil fresh and new somehow. Keep hope! ;)
Class Empire
Is this the same as Ayers "capitalist beast"? Don't worry, help is on the way. The Cold War will eventually end, just hang in a little longer. ;)
You are running out of money, rednecks, and yahoos
Well, the microsofts have money and are willing to bail out the yahoos, so the capitalist beast might have a little more fight left in her. ;)
{"commentId":1748329,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"sirmonkey"}
{"commentId":1737516,"authorDomain":"mwestenfelder"}
Picture 1-3 displays the marines in front of some containers.
Jason, is that meant as a hint?
If yes, well, message understood, though I guess most won't get it.
{"commentId":1737516,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"mwestenfelder"}
#2 - Sat Apr 26, 2008 4:58 PM EDT{"commentId":1738521,"authorDomain":"jimdent"}
Well, picture one shows the Marines "horse playing" behind two supply trucks they just finished unloading. Are those the "containers" you're referring to? Funny thing about troops deployed in the field... they need supply trucks. And the horse play after the trucks are unloaded is not particularly unusual, after all, what else do they have to do? And... it's a forward operating base they are just moving into. They haven't even started operations yet, what else could the photographer take pictures of? Sometimes a "resupply truck"... is just a resupply truck.
{"commentId":1738521,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"jimdent"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1737565,"authorDomain":"sbutki"}
Is it just me or does the photo not match this news at all? I'm pretty sure they are not celebrating this news. Or maybe that guy's head is attached to the other guy.
{"commentId":1737565,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"sbutki"}
- 1 vote
#3 - Sat Apr 26, 2008 5:22 PM EDT{"commentId":1738051,"authorDomain":"eric-albert"}
Scott: You would be right.....Ideological class imperialism always has its fascist head screwed on to the clueless yahoos....who in their majority, 70 percent, the know nothings, rednecks thought that Iraq attacked us on 9/11....too busy bombing countries they cannot even find on the map, let alone their own country who they might accidentally bomb, because they are clueless.
{"commentId":1738051,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"eric-albert"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1740951,"authorDomain":"sbutki"}
I think the problem I was noting was that when this story and photo were on the front page there was no caption so the implication was that the photo and story go together. Now there's a caption that provides a bit more context though I still question the photo choice.
{"commentId":1740951,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"sbutki"}
{"commentId":1737571,"authorDomain":"sirmonkey"}
"If you flood a city with Marines, it's going to quiet down,"
Oh really! ;)
Just kidding. I do get the meaning in that context.
{"commentId":1737571,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"sirmonkey"}
#4 - Sat Apr 26, 2008 5:25 PM EDT{"commentId":1737590,"authorDomain":"mwestenfelder"}
Scott
{"commentId":1737590,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"mwestenfelder"}
#5 - Sat Apr 26, 2008 5:31 PM EDT{"commentId":1738060,"authorDomain":"eric-albert"}
Yes, remember the Amerikan support for the criminal Afghani thugs, who put Afghanis in containers, and massacred them all, .....all while Amerikan soldiers were nearby. See Amy Goodman's Democracy Now. And says Sieg Heil to these fascist foreign policies. Thank you Martin for putting the Afghani Amerikan occupation into perspective. The war criminals still have not been tried for this early role, and Nato is complicit in these crimes.
{"commentId":1738060,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"eric-albert"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1738159,"authorDomain":"mwestenfelder"}
Yes, that's what I thought when seeing the picture along the article above.
Looks like "Holbein's danse macabre" to anyone with a little background knowledge.
Coinsidence from the part of an AP professional? I doubt so.
{"commentId":1738159,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"mwestenfelder"}
{"commentId":1737787,"authorDomain":"mthompson968"}
Super, lets just invade Iran too, then we can get completely broke. "Lynch, a mobile assault commander, said he doesn't care if the militants flee: "Just get the Taliban out of here, that's the biggest thing." Oh so going in and just scaring the Taliban is the objective? My question is once we invade and occupy Afghanistan, what next? How much war is our congress going to allow? How much bull@!$%# are our congress going to listen to before they put the flag up on the bush and Nato? Warmongering, fear mongering @!$%#s. How much more death, money, and morel are they willing to sacrifice for Osama and the 911 incident? Or should I say oil profits? This news has proved to me that my congress, and government are irresponsible with the power that has been allowed to them.
{"commentId":1737787,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"mthompson968"}
- 4 votes
#6 - Sat Apr 26, 2008 7:05 PM EDT{"commentId":1738092,"authorDomain":"eric-albert"}
Yes, these imperial yahoos, will not have enough gas, oil, containers to carry on aggression in Iraq, or Iran. which is why they are focusing on nuclear attacks against Iran. The corporate media sluts have done nothing to challenge this Nazi fascism, instead cheered on the fascist thugs, Zionist thugs in this criminal adventure. Down with the corporate media....and this imperial cheerleading crap.
{"commentId":1738092,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"eric-albert"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1744222,"authorDomain":"smurfcourt"}
THEN LEAVE THIS COUNTRY IF YOU DON'T AGREE!
{"commentId":1744222,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"smurfcourt"}
{"commentId":1756024,"authorDomain":"mthompson968"}
Why should I leave. I spent 7 years of my life for my country. What have you done? Besides relie on corporate media to sucker your emotions into believing these wars are "needed for your freedom" I believe in fighting for your freedom, but this war isn't about freedom. Its a war on a concept witch is unconstitutional, and benefits only the international bankers. I love how people say "leave the country then!", when someones makes a statement and calls bull@!$%# on our government. What a @!$%#ing sheep idiot. Keep watching FOX news, suck bushed cock and don't go on the internet to learn anything at all. Stay on the couch and shut the hell up. Mad dog is about the right name for you.
{"commentId":1756024,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"mthompson968"}
{"commentId":1737961,"authorDomain":"sirmonkey"}
The U.S. now has 32,500 troops in the country -- the most since the 2001 invasion.
So this is now (very roughly) half the troops in Germany, and about the same as in each of South Korea, Japan, and Kuwait... or am I mistaken?
It is remarkable how efficacy in this kind of war has so little to do with simple numbers... this MEU will hopefully do wonders in their mission (unsettling of Taliban, perhaps some drug interdiction?), whilst other ongoing efforts in basic security, training-of-trainers, economic/political development and stability, etc. will continue. One hopes that a follow on presence can be secured, and that the non-kinetic efforts can continue to be increased to great effect.
{"commentId":1737961,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"sirmonkey"}
- 4 votes
#7 - Sat Apr 26, 2008 8:18 PM EDT{"commentId":1738105,"authorDomain":"eric-albert"}
In other words, it is BS propaganda.
{"commentId":1738105,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"eric-albert"}
- 1 vote
#8 - Sat Apr 26, 2008 9:15 PM EDT{"commentId":1738192,"authorDomain":"igorthetroll"}
Nice picture. Looks like Summer Camp!
{"commentId":1738192,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"igorthetroll"}
#9 - Sat Apr 26, 2008 9:47 PM EDT{"commentId":1738493,"authorDomain":"pmags"}
Why the hell won't they touch the poppy fields? That's were the Taliban get their money! The Taliban guarantee security for that crop and the transit of raw opium in exchange for a cut of the profits! Cut them off at the knees!
{"commentId":1738493,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"pmags"}
#10 - Sun Apr 27, 2008 12:16 AM EDT{"commentId":1738556,"authorDomain":"jimdent"}
Afghanistan's economy has thus evolved to the point where it is now highly dependent on opium. Although less than 4 percent of arable land in Afghanistan was used for opium poppy cultivation in 2006, revenue from the harvest brought in over $3 billion—more than 35 percent of the country's total gross national product (GNP). According to Antonio Costa, "Opium poppy cultivation, processing, and transport have become Afghanistan's top employers, its main source of capital, and the principal base of its economy." Today, a record 2.9 million Afghanis from 28 of 34 provinces are involved in opium cultivation in some way, which represents nearly 10 percent of the population. Although Afghanistan's overall economy is being boosted by opium profits, less than 20 percent of the $3 billion in opium profits actually goes to impoverished farmers, while more than 80 percent goes into the pockets of Afghan's opium traffickers and kingpins and their political connections. Even heftier profits are generated outside of Afghanistan by international drug traffickers and dealers.
Follow the money...
{"commentId":1738556,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"jimdent"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1738563,"authorDomain":"pmags"}
While the Marines run around the desert, poppy fields arm their enemy...
{"commentId":1738563,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"pmags"}
{"commentId":1741289,"authorDomain":"witchofthenorth"}
@magz
Because the farmers need the money to live whether it comes from the Taleban or anywhere else -> hearts and minds.
{"commentId":1741289,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"witchofthenorth"}
{"commentId":1738687,"authorDomain":"igorthetroll"}
Taliban is smart. They do not use the drugs, just export them..:)
{"commentId":1738687,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"igorthetroll"}
#11 - Sun Apr 27, 2008 3:02 AM EDT{"commentId":1739014,"authorDomain":"Meloney"}
That would be the official talking point on the opium production and terrorism in Afghanistan. However, prior to the US invasion
the Taliban government was instrumental in implementing a successful drug eradication program, with the support and collaboration of the UN.
{"commentId":1739014,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"Meloney"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1743148,"authorDomain":"HumbledOne"}
Thanks for posting this report. I look forward to more. Thank you and please tell our Marines "Thank you for your service in this fashion".
Bless you all.
{"commentId":1743148,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"HumbledOne"}
#12 - Mon Apr 28, 2008 2:56 PM EDT{"commentId":1745935,"authorDomain":"djmob"}
Well, sounds like a lot of unhappy people out there; perhaps they shouldn't be here in America? Thank you to the Marines (and two of them are 'mine'), and Army, Air Force, Coast Guard and Navy for volunteering to do what they do, so we - and you - can say what you say.
{"commentId":1745935,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"djmob"}
#13 - Tue Apr 29, 2008 9:44 AM EDT{"commentId":1750840,"authorDomain":"MilitaryMom"}
So you have issues with the Marines having a little levity and trying to make the best out of a horrid situation? Maybe your @$$ should be dropped into the middle of that God forsaken hell hole and let's see how you fare!
Our loves ones are out there risking their lives for you MUTANT IDIOTS to have the right to flap your gums they way you do but you begrudge them a little fun!
{"commentId":1750840,"threadId":"256022","contentId":"1454722","authorDomain":"MilitaryMom"}
- 2 votes
#14 - Wed Apr 30, 2008 1:23 PM EDT{"canLink":false,"threadId":"256022","isPrivate":false}
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