Major military operation under way in Afghanistan

[IceCold]

Updated at: 0552 PST, Thursday, July 02, 2009
WASHINGTON: U.S. Marines and Afghan security forces moved into Taliban-infested villages Wednesday evening in one of the Obama administration's first major military operations in the previously forgotten war in Afghanistan.

The offensive was launched shortly after 1 a.m. local time in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province. More than 4,000 Marines and an estimated 650 Afghan soldiers and police sought to clear insurgents from towns and villages along the Helmand River Valley before the nation's Aug. 20 presidential election.

Dubbed Operation Khanjar, or "Strike of the Sword," the military push was described by officials as the largest and fastest-moving of the war's newest phase. British forces last week led similar missions to fight and clear out insurgents in Helmand and Kandahar provinces.

"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," Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Larry Nicholson said in a statement.

Southern Afghanistan is considered a Taliban stronghold. It also is a region where Afghan President Hamid Karzai is seeking votes from his Pashtun tribesmen ahead of next month's election.

The Pentagon is deploying 21,000 additional troops to Afghanistan in time for the elections and expects the total number of U.S. forces there to reach 68,000 by year's end. That is double the number of troops in Afghanistan in 2008 but still half of much as are now in Iraq.

Major military operation under way in Afghanistan - GEO.tv

 

[IceCold]

I have posted this news here as it is related to military operation against talibans. What impact will such operation have on the capabilities of talibans on the Pakistani side of the border.

 

[wtf]

This would be the first under the troupe surge plan for Afghanistan by Obama
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/02/world/asia/02afghan.html?hp

KABUL, Afghanistan — Almost 4,000 United States Marines, backed by helicopter gunships, pushed into the volatile Helmand River valley in southwestern Afghanistan early Thursday morning to try to take back the region from Taliban fighters whose control of poppy harvests and opium smuggling in Helmand provides major financing for the Afghan insurgency.

The Marine Expeditionary Brigade leading the operation represents a large number of the 21,000 additional troops that President Obama ordered to Afghanistan earlier this year amid rising violence and the Taliban’s increasing domination in much of the country. The operation is described as the first major push in southern Afghanistan by the newly bolstered American force.

Helmand is one of the deadliest provinces in Afghanistan, where Taliban fighters have practiced sleek, hit-and-run guerrilla warfare against the British forces based there.

British troops in Helmand say they rarely get a clear shot at Taliban attackers, who ambush them with improvised explosive devices, rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles. The explosive devices — some made with fertilizer distributed to Afghan farmers in an effort to wean them from opium production — are the most feared weapon. The Taliban favor ambushes in the morning and evening and do not often strike during the blazing afternoon heat.

In recent weeks some British troops have been setting up what are known as “blocking positions” on bridges over irrigation canals and at other locations, apparently to help stop the flow of insurgents during the main military operation and to establish greater security before the presidential election scheduled for August. The British forces, whose main base in Helmand is adjacent to the main Marine base, will continue to support the new operation.

The British have had too few troops to conduct full-scale counterinsurgency operations and have often relied on heavy aerial weapons, including bombs and helicopter gunships, to attack suspected fighters and their hideouts. The strategy has alienated much of the population because of the potential for civilian deaths.

Now, the Marines say their new mission, called Operation Khanjar, will include more troops and resources than ever before, as well as a commitment by the troops to live and patrol near population centers to ensure that residents are protected. More than 600 Afghan soldiers and police officers are also involved.

“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 Marine commander in Helmand Province, Brig. Gen. Larry Nicholson, said in a statement released after the operation began.

The Marines will be pushing into areas where NATO and Afghan troops have not previously established a permanent presence. As part of the counterinsurgency strategy, the troops will meet with local leaders, help determine their needs and take a variety of actions to make towns and villages more secure, said Capt. Bill Pelletier, a spokesman for the Marines, according to The Associated Press.

“We do not want people of Helmand Province to see us as an enemy; we want to protect them from the enemy,” Captain Pelletier said, The A.P. reported.

The goal of the operation is to put pressure on the Taliban militants “and to show our commitment to the Afghan people that when we come in we are going to stay long enough to set up their own institutions,” he said.

The 21,000 additional American troops that Mr. Obama authorized after taking office in January almost precisely matches the original number of additional troops that President George W. Bush sent to Iraq two years ago. It will bring the overall American deployment in Afghanistan to more than 60,000 troops. But Mr. Obama avoided calling it a surge and resisted sending the full reinforcements initially sought by military commanders.

Instead, Mr. Obama chose to re-evaluate troop levels over the next year, officials said. The Obama administration has said that the additional American commitment has three main strategies for denying havens for the Taliban and Al Qaeda: training Afghan security forces, supporting the weak central Afghan government in Kabul and securing the population.

In late March, Mr. Obama warned Congressional leaders that he would need more than the $50 billion in his budget for military operations and development efforts.

Asked by lawmakers about the prospect of reconciliation with moderate members of the Taliban, officials said Mr. Obama replied that he wanted to sift out hard-core radicals from those who were fighting simply to earn money.

Eros Hoagland contributed reporting.

 

[wtf]

Also interesting is the name of the operation "Khanjar" ... seems like they are learning the local language.

 

[wtf]

I have posted this news here as it is related to military operation against talibans. What impact will such operation have on the capabilities of talibans on the Pakistani side of the border.

Isn't Helmand adjacent to Balochistan ? Dunno if TTP is a big force around there...

 

[IceCold]

Isn't Helmand adjacent to Balochistan ? Dunno if TTP is a big force around there...

I think it is that is why i mentioned what kind of impact will it have on our side of the border specially after repeated accusations from the Pakistani side about taliban getting arms and ammunition from afghanistan.

 

[wtf]

I think it is that is why i mentioned what kind of impact will it have on our side of the border specially after repeated accusations from the Pakistani side about taliban getting arms and ammunition from afghanistan.

Certainly. The aim seems to be to cut-off drug production and to stop conversion of fertilizers into bombs. In that sense it would stop funding to terror groups and reduce their arms supplies.

But my specific point was that with Pak Army moving in on the TTP in the north Pakistan, there is still a possibility that they may run out into Afghanistan across the border. Those two actions do not seem to be the same.

On the other hand there is the remaining 17,000 of the 21,000 troops that Obama sent it. It is possible that there is enough troops in Jalalabad/Kabul to stop TTP from moving into Afghanistan.

 

[muse]

TTP will choose to fight in Pakistan, they are convinced that the Fauj is a push over. Secondly, Pakistani operations have not revealed a desire to "hold and build", Swat still remains a question mark on that count.

Given thatthe Fauj was ambushed in the same manner, in the same place, TWICE, gives credence to the TTP's point of view that the leadership of the FAUJ learns the hard way and because it does not seem to learn, that political pressure along with terror tactics may yet demoralise the FAuj and send it back to it's barracks.

In Afghanistan, the coalition forces will not employ their full capablity, they do not need to, they are banking on getting the Talib to see that they cannot prevail -- However; in Pakistan, the stakes are higher, Pakistan cannot allow the TTP or any other such force (read Al-Qaida) to continue to exist on Pakistani soil, it us either them or Pakistan.

 

[waraich66]

What is need to anounce these type of operations , looks stupid strategy , Talabans are hidding in mountains and under ground tunnels.

Their strategy is hit and run not face to face war, normally they attack before dawn , which keeps always ISAF soldiers in great fear and tension .

I think this is a just training mission nothing more.

Local population is highly conversative not ready to mixup with troops unlike Iraq .Which is the biggest hurdle in sucess of US and NATO mission .In last eight years ISAF totally failed to bridge gaps between local tribes and security forces .

 

[zubair723]

HELMAND terrain is such that one can even fight with rocks. USSR had the most nightmarish time in HELMAND.

 

[Bill Longley]

operation khunjar may have some media importance but no ground importance. Taliban are from afghanistan, they will mix in population as they did in 2001.

NATO and US are out siders. and The damage done to Pashtuns by their hands is un repair able. I think the pashtun genocide by US and NATO especially in north was a self suicide.
History repeats its self and any troop surge will be counter productive.
Pashtuns hate out sider, this is what history tells. Its better for NATO and US to bring Taliban to Tables and Negociate.
Quoteing an old Afghan Proverb

YOU HAVE WATCHES BUT WE HAVE THE TIME.

In pakistan the case is different TTP is an allience of DRUG MAFIA, EXTREMISTS and ARMS MAFIA.
The Real Power lies in Hands of Criminals.
TTP extremists are people with no religous back ground. traditionally they were criminals. and Crime is a trade there due to lack of Jobs and economy.


TTP is bound to fall exactly as US and NATO are Bound to fail because presence of both and their efforts to change social set up are un natural.

 

[zubair723]

operation khunjar may have some media importance but no ground importance. Taliban are from afghanistan, they will mix in population as they did in 2001.

NATO and US are out siders. and The damage done to Pashtuns by their hands is un repair able. I think the pashtun genocide by US and NATO especially in north was a self suicide.
History repeats its self and any troop surge will be counter productive.
Pashtuns hate out sider, this is what history tells. Its better for NATO and US to bring Taliban to Tables and Negociate.
Quoteing an old Afghan Proverb

YOU HAVE WATCHES BUT WE HAVE THE TIME.

In pakistan the case is different TTP is an allience of DRUG MAFIA, EXTREMISTS and ARMS MAFIA.
The Real Power lies in Hands of Criminals.
TTP extremists are people with no religous back ground. traditionally they were criminals. and Crime is a trade there due to lack of Jobs and economy.


TTP is bound to fall exactly as US and NATO are Bound to fail because presence of both and their efforts to change social set up are un natural.

The FAZLULLAH I remember was a cordial worker at MALAM JABA RESORT in SWAT. Thats nearly a decade back. Thats new news for me that his trade was crime.

 

[Bill Longley]

The FAZLULLAH I remember was a cordial worker at MALAM JABA RESORT in SWAT. Thats nearly a decade back. Thats new news for me that his trade was crime.

Former TTP spokes man Siraj ul Haq, whose money palyed major role in organizeing TTP swat was a well known Arm,Drug and Vhecals smuggler...

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Dubbed Operation Khanjar, or "Strike of the Sword,"

Khanjar means Dagger doesn't it?

Assuming liberties were taken with the translation to extend the meaning to 'Sword' (or the word does mean sword in certain languages or dialects) is the word 'Khanjar' also used to imply an 'action' (strike of sword) in Pashtu?

Just curious ....

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

operation khunjar may have some media importance but no ground importance. Taliban are from afghanistan, they will mix in population as they did in 2001.

NATO and US are out siders. and The damage done to Pashtuns by their hands is un repair able. I think the pashtun genocide by US and NATO especially in north was a self suicide.
History repeats its self and any troop surge will be counter productive.
Pashtuns hate out sider, this is what history tells. Its better for NATO and US to bring Taliban to Tables and Negociate.
Quoteing an old Afghan Proverb

YOU HAVE WATCHES BUT WE HAVE THE TIME.

In pakistan the case is different TTP is an allience of DRUG MAFIA, EXTREMISTS and ARMS MAFIA.
The Real Power lies in Hands of Criminals.
TTP extremists are people with no religous back ground. traditionally they were criminals. and Crime is a trade there due to lack of Jobs and economy.


TTP is bound to fall exactly as US and NATO are Bound to fail because presence of both and their efforts to change social set up are un natural.

Valid points - if you remember the recent criticism from the US media and 'analysts', the Taliban in Swat, after their initial losses, shaved their beards and merged into the population to wait out the PA.

So will we now hear the same criticism in terms of the US/NATO offensive?

I would argue that the US/NATO have already been through the phase that Pakistan went through in the beginning of the Swat offensive - breaking the overt Taliban control and destroying a large number of their HQ's, training camps, supplies and weapons caches.

That forces the insurgency to move into a more covert phase, with smaller insurgent groups, more remote and smaller training camps, smaller weapons caches, and attempts to blend in with sympathetic villagers instead of the open bravado, patrols, 'Islamic courts' and Taliban government seen in Swat (and still in FATA).

At that point it is the local institutions stepping up and development that need to be the priority I would imagine.

Your thoughts?