Fresh US troops surge into danger zones

[G_j]

Source: AP

Fresh US troops surge into danger zones
AP

Nearly 3,000 American soldiers who arrived in Afghanistan to secure two violent provinces have begun operations and are already seeing combat.

Militants have attacked several of the unit's patrols with rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, including one ambush by 30 insurgents, Lt Col Steve Osterhozer, the brigade spokesman, said.

The new troops are the first wave of an expected surge of reinforcements this year. The process began to take shape under President George Bush but has been given impetus by President Barack Obama's call for an increased focus on Afghanistan.

US commanders have been contemplating sending up to 30,000 more soldiers to bolster the 33,000 already in Afghanistan, but the new administration is expected to initially approve only a portion of that amount.

The new unit - the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division - moved into Logar and Wardak provinces near Kabul last month and the soldiers from Fort Drum, New York, are now stationed in combat outposts throughout the provinces.

Several roadside bombs also have exploded next to the unit's MRAPs - mine-resistance patrol vehicles - but caused no casualties, said Lt Col Osterhozer.

"In every case our vehicles returned with overwhelming fire," he said. "We have not suffered anything more than a few bruises, while several insurgents have been killed."

..more..

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/fresh-us-troops-surge-into-danger-zones-1624047.html

[Idealism]

1. Reminds me of something I saw once...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1a_ikfUico

[Art_from_Ark]

2. And during the Viet Nam War, the nightly news always reported

that dozens if not hundreds of Viet Cong and North Vietnamese regulars were killed every day, while only a handful of Americans were killed and a few more wounded.

[Idealism]

3. I remember that

Seems like we killed every Viet Cong in the world ten times over, but apparently barely made a dent!

[G_j]

4. k