US Marines deploying in Afghanistan for first time in years

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan (AP) — U.S. Marines are crossing the sands of southern Afghanistan for the first time in years, providing a boost to a NATO coalition that is growing but still short on manpower.

They hope to retake the 10 percent of Afghanistan the Taliban holds.

Some of the Marines that make up the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit helped to tame a thriving insurgency in western Iraq. Some 3,500 newly arrived troops hope to move into regions of Afghanistan now controlled by the Taliban.

The Marines are working alongside British forces in Helmand province — the world's largest opium-poppy region and site of the fiercest Taliban resistance over the last two years. The director of U.S. intelligence has said the Taliban controls 10 percent of Afghanistan — much of that in Helmand.

"Our mission is to come here and essentially set the conditions, make Afghanistan a better place, provide some security, allow for the expansion of governance in those same areas," said Col. Peter Petronzio, the unit's commander.



Read more: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jnypM0YI4qSc3-IpcxPYSOj9t4KAD909U0N00

[w8liftinglady]

1. this is the third deployment for a lot of these Marines..

[Duke Newcombe]

2. There would be plenty of soldiers in Afganistan...

...to restore order if we were not gigged up in a certain stupid, unnecessary engagement somewhere--but I merely state the obvious.

Duke

[w8liftinglady]

3. exactly..where we should have focused at the get-go

[Bigmack]

5. .."to restore order...?

The Brits tried to "restore order" a couple of times... the Soviets tried to "restore order".. and now the US...

Do you see a pattern here?

Hell, the opium crops have never been better. Karzai is Mayor of Kabul and that's about all. The hills are alive with the sound of AKs, and the Taliban are doing a surge of their own.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of years of history in that country (area) should tell us to stay out... but the oil and gas guys need that pipeline.

[Duke Newcombe]

6. Some shorthand.

Haliburton. Blood for Oil.

Got it.

Now I don't have to think critically if there is any justification for being in Afghanistan.

Glad that's cleared up for me.

Duke

[Bigmack]

8. Did you miss the part....

about the hundreds of years of history.. and nobody being able to pacify the area?

The part about the pipeline is true, and at least part of the US reasons for being there, but maybe you could tell me what the real reason we'd want to spend blood and treasure in the armpit of central Asia? Bring democracy to the huddled masses? Keep the Taliban out? Get back for 9-11?
Puh-leaze.

I've got an idea... work out a drug-buying scheme with the warlords. Buy up all the opium they can grow. Tell them the Taliban will interfere with the drug trade or try to control it (true in the past, anyway). Make popcorn and watch the fun. If you're going to point out that the innocents will be hurt in the crossfire, I need to point out that the innocents ain't doing so well right now, and sometimes it's US weapons doing the hurting.

Cheaper in blood and treasure!

Oh... and Karzai may not even be Mayor of Kabul, either....
- - - - -

"Afghan president escapes assassination bid

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai escaped unhurt on Sunday after an assassination attempt by Taliban fighters who fired guns and rockets at an official celebration in the capital, Kabul.

Karzai, government ministers, former warlords, diplomats and the military top brass ducked for cover after gunfire sounded at the celebration to mark the 16th anniversary of the fall of the Afghan communist government to the mujahideen.

more:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080427/wl_nm/afghan_karzai... ;_ylt=Ah9BoW6ZZQpZQvnIOBxzBpJm.3QA

posted at:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3285944

[htuttle]

4. Have we sent in the Ghurkas yet?

...

...Whoops, wrong empire...

[JDPriestly]

7. What do you want to bet Bush is pushing to capture Bin Laden

before November. That's what I have been expecting for some time. Of course, they can only catch him if he is still alive, and whether he is or not we do not know.

I believe that the Bush administration has been following the movements of the Al Qaeda operatives in Afghanistan and Pakistan pretty closely for quite some time. They are just waiting for the most opportune moment politically to strike.

[onager]

9. Time for that Kipling quote again...

When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains
And go to your gawd like a soldier...

[bronxiteforever]

10. That poem has stayed with me-great one

another one "The Children"

"That flesh we had nursed from the first in all
cleanness was given
To corruption unveiled and assailed by the
malice of Heaven—
To be senselessly tossed and retossed in stale
mutilation
From crater to crater. For this we shall take
expiation.
But who shall return to us our children? "