Updated: “The Biggest US Marine Helicopter Landing Since Vietnam”: Marines Begin Surge Against The Taliban
Insurgents were said to be withdrawing in the face of the biggest US marine helicopter landing since Vietnam.
Commanders report Operation Khanjar or “sword strike” has met with sporadic small arms fire but there were no reports of casualties on either side.
Coalition forces hope the massive sudden assault will turn the tide of fighting in Helmand, where British troops have been locked in stalemate for three years.
An estimated 4,000 US marines, backed by 600 Afghan soldiers swept into the southern districts of Nowa and Garmsir in the early hours of Thursday.
The force, borne by helicopters and vehicle convoys, was expected to stage a fast and furious clearance of militant strongholds, as part of the US army’s “clear hold and build” strategy.
US marines will then consolidate their hold in the region, trying to provide security in the run up to next month’s Presidential elections.
However commanders admitted that after the apparent initial withdrawal by militants, they were likely to regroup and launch guerrilla attacks.
The operation began with units moving into the southern reaches of the Helmand River Valley in helicopters and a convoy of heavy transport vehicles, supported by fighter aircraft.
Brigadier Gen Larry Nicholson, who commands the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade in Helmand, said: “What makes Operation Khanjar different from those that have occurred before is the massive size of the force introduced, the speed at which it will insert, and the fact that where we go we will stay, and where we stay, we will hold, build and work toward transition of all security responsibilities to Afghan forces.”
The launch of the operation was welcomed by Helmand governor Gulab Mangal. “The security forces will build bases to provide security for the local people so that they can carry out every activity with this favourable background, and take their lives forward in peace,” he said.
Critics had questioned how a meaningful national election could be held when Taliban militants controlled so much of southern Afghanistan.
Senior American officers have said the operation will also aim to win hearts and minds of Afghans who have been living under Taliban control by explaining why they are there and gaining their trust.
There has been a significant build up of American troops in Helmand since President Obama came into office promising an additional 21,000 troops.
Commanders said they expect to encounter hundreds of Taliban fighters.
The lower reaches of the Helmand river are notorious for opium-growing.
Brig Nicholson admitted the operation was a “big, risky plan”, but said it also offered “amazing opportunities”.
“These are days of immense change for Helmand province. We’re going down there, and we’re going to stay - that’s what is different this time.”
He said: “It involves great risks and amazing opportunities. These are days of immense change for Helmand province. We’re going down there, and we’re going to stay - that’s what is different this time.”
 |
|
and their Commander in Chief is:
President Obama & the First Lady Hold LGBT Pride Reception
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmEpD2sh0HA
And to show solidarity…the first lady and i will serve goat and tea at the LGBT perverted reception…”PUKE”
On an anniversary:
American Civil War Battle
Gettysburg Pennsylvania
July 1-3 1863
http://americancivilwar.com/getty.html
Isn’t Joe Biden going to be there soon?
Obama Goes To War; http://www.snooperreport.com/snooper-report/2009/7/1/obama-goes-to-war.html
“We’re not going to measure your success by the number of times your ammunition is resupplied. . . . Our success in this environment will be very much predicated on restraint,” he told a group of officers from the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines on Sunday. “You’re going to drink lots of tea. You’re going to eat lots of goat. Get to know the people. That’s the reason why we’re here.”
WTF? Marines are trained to break things and kill people not sit around drinking tea. And eating goat? WTF??
This is insane….typical leftist fantasy.
I pray this doesn’t get a bunch of our guys killed…
Just heard one of our guys has been kidnapped by these tea sippin,goat eaters.This is what happens when you make our men babysitters.I pray indeed Sarge
It’s called COIN and it’s what won Iraq, not to mention what the Marines have been good at since the Banana Wars.
You dumb shits need to read your history instead of knee jerking just because the Beclowned One is CIC.
“We aren’t going to measure your success by how many times you get your ammo resupplyed”(because we don’t plan on resupplying you)(in fact we are going to politically micro manage you until your dead or in jail because your baby killers)(and then we can leave and purse our lips and have a press conference and say how we tried….really hard)
(then we are going to change the face of the Marine corp…make it better..more understanding..but first we have to use up all these inconveinient grunts)
I shudder remembering what the Corps looked like just after Carter… Seeing a Gunny in a government cheese line.
My Grandfather was at Belleu Wood
My Dad was in Korea.(Air Wing)
and I am an old 0311
Because we volunteered and took the oath we might be considered right wing extremists.
“Once Marine units arrive in their designated towns and villages, they have been instructed to build and live in small outposts among the local population. The brigade’s commander, Brig. Gen. Lawrence D. Nicholson, said his Marines will focus their efforts on protecting civilians from the Taliban and on restoring Afghan government services, instead of mounting a series of hunt-and-kill missions against the insurgents.”
Enemy muzzie alibama means to slaughter US troops.
TEA AND GOATS?? HES INSANE AND GONNA GET SOMEONES SON KILLED.
There is of course another(unlikely) possibility.
Since his standard MO is to say something thats entirely the opposite of what he does, perhaps the USMC was secretly instructed the opposite of goats and tea strategy and will roll w/ flame-throwers, zippos, and close air support consisting of napalm.
We can only hope….
In Obamas remarks he insulted every minority by claiming that the GLBT journey for equal rights is the same as that of nonwhites. People cannot choose the color of their skin but they can choose (despite the propaganda to the contrary) what they do with their bodies. Obama also wants to allow people with HIV to now come to the US while in the same breath acknowledging HIV is still a major problem in many communities and even listed his own 98% black Wash DC. Instead of protecting his people and all AMericans he wants to infect more. He doesnt want to stop there but change the definition of marriage and wants to reeducate your children by having a gay man as the top adminstator of the dept of ed. (which he mentions at the beginning of his video) It is simply unacceptable that you teach your children to be virgin till married, to marry one person of the opposite gender as God commanded, to not mutilate your body and cross dress as God commanded, to live within the confines of nature as God created it and so not abuse your body, to have children within a marriage and provide your children with a mother and a father. TO teach your children these things is an abomination in their eyes. They want your childrens minds first then they will take their bodies for their own perverted lusts. In the end Obama is fighting God and he wil lose, but in the meantime our entire society will suffer the consequences of calling evil good.