Coalition Begins Major Afghan Offensive (This looks like 'it'.)

[laststeamtrain]

February 13, 2010
Coalition Begins Major Afghan Offensive
By C. J. CHIVERS and DEXTER FILKINS

MARJA, Afghanistan — Thousands of American, Afghan and British troops attacked the watery Taliban fortress of Marja early Saturday, moving on foot, in trucks and through the air to destroy the insurgency’s largest haven and begin a campaign to reassert the dominance of the Afghan government in a large swath of southern Afghanistan.

The force of about 6,000 Marines and soldiers — a majority of them Afghan — began moving into the city and environs before dawn.

As Marines and soldiers marched into the area, several hundred more swooped out of the sky in helicopters into Marja itself. There did not appear to be any resistance, although a ground assault with more soldiers concentrated within the city was expected to begin within hours.

“The message for the Taliban is: It will be easy, or it will be hard, but we are coming,” Brig. Gen. Larry Nicholson, the commander of the United States Marines in Helmand Province, told the men of Company K, Third Battalion, Sixth Marines before the operation began. “At the end of the day, the Afghan flag will be over Marja.”

The operation, dubbed Moshtrarak , which means “together” in Dari, is the largest offensive military operation since the American-led coalition invaded the country in 2001. Its aim to flush the Taliban out of a huge area — about 75 square miles — where insurgents have been staging attacks, building bombs and processing the opium that pays for their war.

Outside of Pakistan, Marja, a town of about 80,000 residents, stands as the Taliban’s largest sanctuary, until now a virtual no-go zone for American, British and Afghan troops. The Taliban have been firmly entrenched there for about three years.

<more>

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/13/world/asia/13afghan.html?hp

[laststeamtrain]

1. A breakdown of NATO forces in Afghan offensive (Source: U.S. Marine commanders )

A breakdown of NATO forces in Afghan offensive

By The Associated Press
The Associated Press
Friday, February 12, 2010; 5:44 PM

-- Overall, some 15,000 Afghan and coalition troops are involved in the operation to take control of the southern Afghan town of Marjah, a Taliban stronghold and key drug trafficking point, according to Maj. Gen. Nick Carter, commander of NATO in the south.

An estimated 7,500 troops are fighting in Marjah and the neighboring Nad Ali district:

- About 3,500 U.S. Marines

- 2,000 British troops

- About 1,500 Afghan Army troops

- 500 Strykers

- A few Canadian and French advisers to the Afghan military.

The remaining 7,500 troops are involved in support and logistics operations.

---

Source: U.S. Marine commanders

[Snow Bird]

2. That doesn't look to be a majority of Afghans

to me.

[laststeamtrain]

3. Helicopter armada heralds Afghan surge

Helicopter armada heralds Afghan surge

An armada of helicopters lifted a vast force against Taliban strongholds today in the biggest operation ever mounted in Afghanistan.

By Thomas Harding in Showal
Published: 1:31AM GMT 13 Feb 2010

Wave after wave of helicopters landed across central Helmand marking the start of the major offensive that aims to finally defeat the insurgency.

Two hours before dawn the first Chinooks swept low over the Taliban district capital of Showal disgorging a force of British, Afghan and French troops signalling “D-Day”, the start of Operation Moshtarak.

The aircraft swept into landing zone Pegasus at 4am local time with three Chinooks packed with British, Afghan and French soldiers. The Daily Telegraph accompanied the ‘break-in’ force becoming the first journalists onto the ground.

The landings marked the start of the offensive involving 15,000 American, British and Afghan troops in the Marjah and Nad-e-Ali areas. ... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/7226187/Helicopter-armada-heralds-Afghan-surge.html