Posted on 07/01/2009 4:31:12 PM PDT by STARWISE
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.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Fox reported 8,500 Marines choppered in just after
midnite there...
Did they read them talibandits their merengi rights?
God be with our troops.
But this is still...OBAMA’S WAR
Good hunting Marines. Make Chesty proud.
It’s a huge operation ... AP etc says 4K. I pray it’s whatever is needed. St. Michael, be their protector in battle.
````
US opens ‘major Afghan offensive’
breaking news
The United States army says it has launched a major offensive against the Taliban in the southern Afghan province of Helmand.
The US military says about 4,000 marines as well as 650 Afghan troops are involved, supported by US warplanes.
Brigadier General Larry Nicholson, said this operation was different because of its “massive size” and speed.
Officers on the ground said it was the largest marine offensive since Vietnam.
The operation began when units moved into the Helmand river valley in the early hours of Thursday.
Helicopters and heavy transport vehicles carried out the advance, with Nato planes providing air cover.
Southern Afghanistan is considered a Taliban stronghold.
UK troops are also operating in Helmand, but there has been criticism that British forces have been overstretched and under-resourced.
Last week the commander of UK troops in Afghanistan, General Jim Dutton, denied that the battle against the Taliban was “a losing campaign”.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8129789.stm
Why the hell are we announcing this?
how did they fool obozo?
“St. Michael, be their protector in battle.”
A small crease of a smile came to my face as I read your post. I still have a St. Michael medal, with that statement, taped to my old dog tags from 40+ years ago. Those combinations were taped together of prevent rattling during night ops.
Semper Fi, Marines. Go get some.
Prayers to the Marines bless them and may their families be comforted and hear of no casualties! My son is a combat medic with the Army in that province I am praying for him as well! Bless all of our troops and all of the Combined Joint Task Force as well.
armymedicmom
6-12-09 Lance Cpl. Scott J. Dunbar, 21, Raven operator and Seattle native, hooks up Ground Control Station power cables prior to launching an RQ-11 Raven unmanned aerial vehicle, June 12, at Camp Leatherneck, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The Raven is a small, hand-launched unmanned aerial vehicle that gives commanders a bird's eye view of the area their Marines are operating in by sending aerial images to a laptop display.
Dunbar is attached to Headquarters and Service Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment and graduated from Franklin High School in Seattle. 1/5 is a subordinate element of Regimental Combat Team 3 whose mission is to conduct counter insurgency operations in southern Afghanistan with a focus on training and mentoring the Afghan national police.
Thank you for your service .. ;)
Amen .. and thank you son for his service,
and yours, too .. Mom.
Silly Leo, you know Marines can't read! (Just ask John Effin Kerry)
:)
Pryers up. My nephews will be heading there later this year.
I do not agree that this was ever considered a ‘forgotten’ war, Thank you US and coalition troops.
|
*snip*
Nearly 4,000 Marines and U.S. sailors are taking part in the assault, code-named Operation Khanjar (Strike of the Sword), along with about 650 Afghan troops and police, a Marines press statement said.
“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 ...”
*snip*
The valley of irrigated wheat and opium fields along the Helmand river is largely in the hands of Taliban fighters who have resisted British-led NATO forces for years.
The United States has sent 8,500 Marines to Helmand province in the last two months, the largest wave of a massive buildup of forces that will see the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan rise from 32,000 at the beginning of this year to 68,000 by year’s end.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090701/ts_nm/us_afghanistan_assault
Why didn’t I hear details about this yesterday in the NYT?
Coincidence our military strategy and operational details are no longer being ‘reported’ in advance of operations now that Obama is in office?
This is about the only thing I agree with Obama on.
Dagnabbit! “HEART”
Man I’d love to have one of those M40’s.
“Officers on the ground said it was the largest marine offensive since Vietnam.”
~~~
TANKS for the info,,,
That’s a bunch of choppers for the lift,,,Big One!!!
I had the Honor of sitting next to a Army Medic last Sat.
He was flying from Minneapolis to Memphis although going to Miss. He just got back from Afghanistan.
The special part was the NW Flight Attendant not only thanked him for his service but put him in First Class.
I thanked the Attendant for being so thoughtful as we were getting off the plane.
My son always had heartwarming stories to tell about the generosity of Americans as he traveled to various locations before deployment.
To our military over there —THANK YOU — we love you and all you do and stand for!
armymedicmom
“St. Michael, be their protector in battle.”
A small crease of a smile came to my face as I read your post. I still have a St. Michael medal, with that statement, taped to my old dog tags from 40+ years ago. Those combinations were taped together of prevent rattling during night ops.
Semper Fi, Marines. Go get some.
Thank you for your service.
Now....Kill ‘em All, and let God sort ‘em out!
~SC
Prayers to the Marines bless them and may their families be comforted and hear of no casualties! My son is a combat medic with the Army in that province I am praying for him as well! Bless all of our troops and all of the Combined Joint Task Force as well.
armymedicmom
Combat Medics are the creme of the crop Mom. You should be proud.
~SC
So its an Obama administration operation, not a US operation. Notioce how the spin all puts it towards Obama.This hog wants to make political hay on the service of our troops for whom he has no respect.
Watch for more restrictive ROEs as soon as the Taliban starts its campaign on civilian casualties.
And may G-D save our troops from the "Obama Administration" that wants politics played in battle.
This is going to be one long year for this mom and so many other parents of service personnel that are deployed. The Marines rocked today and I can’t wait to talk to my son and tell him the good news if he doesn’t alreay know or participated.
armymedicmom
How much air would that take? Don’t you think they’d prefer to use C-17s?
God be with you soldiers! May He always shine upon you and bless your every breath.
Hey! I'm one of those, too! :-)
.......and you're right, it's going to be a VERY long year.
God bless and protect them, Lord.
St. Michael, be their protector in battle.
Prayers for your son. Prayers for ALL of our wonderful troops.
Prayers Up!
And to you and yours, as well .. ;)
Thank your Doc for me for his service and will remember him in my prayers.
armymedicmom
armymedicmom
Hey! I’m one of those, too! :-)
.......and you’re right, it’s going to be a VERY long year.
You two are very special Ladies. God knows it.
~SC
God bless our troops. But if I was a young man today, I would not enlist. Sorry.
Well I’m SO happy our idiots in power let the enemy know this. /sar
My primary question as well.
I think it was a Big chopper lift or 3-4?,,,
Not much runways there,,,IIRC,,,
No mention of AirBorne,,,Then there’s the “Fleet”,,,:
Ships and Submarines
Deployable Battle Force Ships: 283
Ships Underway (away from homeport): 141 ships (50% of total)
On deployment: 114 ships (40 % of total)
Attack submarines underway (away from homeport): 32 submarines (59%)
On deployment: 25 submarines (46%)
Ships Underway
Carriers:
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - 5th Fleet
USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) - Atlantic Ocean
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) - Atlantic Ocean
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) - 5th Fleet
Amphibious Warfare Ships:
USS Boxer (LHD 4) - 7th Fleet
USS Bataan (LHD 5) - 5th Fleet
USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6 )- Pacific Ocean
USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) - Atlantic Ocean
~~~
That’s Navy.mil today,,,(open info),,,
Maybe a week old ?,,,(shows 2 carriers in that AO),,,
I vote for “ArcLight”...;0)
I pray for our troops & their safety. I feel sorry that they must put their lives on the line, for skinny ass narcisstic 0boooooooombashiite, who is an unconstitutional usurper in chief lying POS. I hope that God removes 0booooooooombashiite from his illegally occupied WH office and saves our troops.
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