Afghanistan

[ZenGum]

Bump.


Marjah.

The biggest military operation of US President Barack Obama's new Afghan surge will be a test not just for American troops, but also for the Afghan authorities expected to rush with them into the breach.

US Marines are planning a massive operation within days to take Marjah, a warren of canals that forms the last big Taliban enclave in the southern part of Helmand, in the first major show of force since Mr Obama ordered in 30,000 extra troops.

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The district governor of Marjah, Haji Zair, who has been able to visit but cannot live in the Taliban-held town, says residents repeatedly beg him to bring foreign and Afghan troops.

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People in Marjah have been informed of plans to secure their town, Mr Zair said, through air-dropped leaflets, radio broadcasts and meetings with tribal elders.

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Although commanders planning the operation do not disclose the size of the forces that will be involved, taking Marjah will be one of NATO's biggest operations ever in Afghanistan, and by far the biggest for Afghan troops since the war started in 2001.


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I hope this works.

Canals could make life difficult for armored vehicles. The presence of civilians makes using air strikes and firepower tricky. Helicopters will be very effective, but a lot of this is going to be done with boots on the ground.

Will the talleban make a stand? or fade away into the mountains?

Either way, I presume that we will have military control of the main areas within a few weeks or so, but will we have done so much collateral damage that the locals decide they hate us more than the other mob?