US takes on violent Afghan valley that bled Brits

[shireen]

Source: Washington Post

SANGIN, Afghanistan -- U.S. Marines who recently inherited this lush river valley in southern Helmand province from British forces have tossed aside their predecessor's playbook in favor of a more aggressive strategy to tame one of the most violent places in Afghanistan.

U.S. commanders say success is critical in Sangin district - where British forces suffered nearly one-third of their deaths in the war - because it is the last remaining sanctuary in Helmand where the Taliban can freely process the opium and heroin that largely fund the insurgency.

The district also serves as a key crossroads to funnel drugs, weapons and fighters throughout Helmand and into neighboring Kandahar province, the spiritual heartland of the Taliban and the most important battleground for coalition forces. The U.S.-led coalition hopes its offensive in the south will kill or capture key Taliban commanders, rout militants from their strongholds and break the insurgency's back. That will allow the coalition and the Afghans to improve government services, bring new development and a sense of security.

"Sangin has been an area where drug lords, Taliban and people who don't want the government to come in and legitimize things have holed up," said Lt. Col. Jason Morris, commander of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment. The unit took over responsibility for Sangin in mid-October nearly a month after the British withdrew.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/09/AR2010110903544.html

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Thirteen Marines killed and 49 wounded since the battalion arrived in mid-October. I am at a loss for words.
:cry:

[FiveGoodMen]

1. I forget: What are we hoping to accomplish?

[ixion]

2. An oil pipeline across a compliant Afghanistan...

in other words, a Big Oil Pipe Dream.

[FiveGoodMen]

3. YES! That was it!

Thanks.

That WAS the reason.

[maxsolomon]

4. A stable State that will not harbor Al Qaeda and is not ruled by the Taliban

Quixotic, but I do believe that's the goal.

[ixion]

5. That is the rhetoric, not the goal

n/t

[awoke_in_2003]

7. I have a better chance...

of winning the lottery. Afghan never has been, and never will be, a stable state. No one has accomplished it before- what makes us any better?

[mbperrin]

8. Funny, then, why did we train al qaeda and turn the country over to

the taliban originally?

Weird, huh?

[awoke_in_2003]

6. destruction of the treasury...

can't use that money for the good of Americans, got to flush it down the throats of the MIC. Like after the Viet Nam war, we are going to have to replace a lot of broken equipment. Yay, arms race :(

[DeSwiss]

11. ....

[ColesCountyDem]

9. And two local soldiers have died there this week.

How unutterably sad!

:cry:

[mike_c]

10. that's where my partner's son will be next spring....

At least, that's what he hears now. Rat bastard warmongering pigs in the Pentagon and Whitehouse have no business sending Americans there to kill Afghans. None whatsoever.

U.S. out of Iraq and Afghanistan, NOW!