Posted on 04/10/2008 12:48:58 PM PDT by pissant
KABUL (AFP) — More than 2,000 US marines recently deployed in Afghanistan to support a NATO-led military campaign against Islamic rebels have began operations in the country's restive south, the unit said Thursday.
The 2,300-strong US Marine Expeditionary Unit was part of Washington's recent contribution to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) efforts to quell a resurgent Taliban insurgency.
"The last of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit's Marines and Sailors are arriving and the unit is beginning operations after weeks of flowing personnel and equipment here," the unit said in a statement.
"The Marines have begun their operations in (southern Afghanistan) in support of and with their Afghanistan international partners," it said, referring to ISAF forces deployed there.
Southern Afghanistan sees much of an ongoing insurgency being waged by remnants of the Taliban, which was toppled from government in a US-led invasion in late 2001.
The insurgency, which includes suicide bombings and is said to be supported by Al-Qaeda terror network, has increased especially in the country's south and east in the past two years.
The spike in violence in recent years has prompted NATO commanders to call for reinforcements.
The Marine force can "conduct full-spectrum operations from humanitarian assistance missions to combat operations," the statement said.
With France publicly announcing a reinforcement of 700 fresh troops, NATO pledged to send nearly 2,000 additional soldiers to support the alliance force's operation in Afghanistan this month.
Good hunting!
God Bless!
I hope they get some! Maybe the brass will assign the kind of ops Marines live for this time, eh?
Spring Talibunny season is officially open in
Afghanistan.., well for the Marines anyway. ;-)
Who wants some?
The US Army, which never left, welcomes them ;)
The Marines are now hunting.
You think you’ve had a few bad days?
How’d ya like to have 2300 U.S. Marines after you ass?
Good job Pissant.
Thanks for ping . . .
I do not expect us to “win” in Afghanistan, to eliminate the fighting and leave a peaceful functioning country. History is against that there. But it is useful to stay there and mop up the jihadists as they are drawn in to the fight. It keeps some pressure off in Pakistan and prevents the enemy from enjoying a large area training and recruiting facility. If we “declare victory” there and leave or get kicked out by our Democrats, Pakistan will very quickly become part of the Jihad in a big way- potentially to be our most dangerous enemy center.
Whatever happened to that Ben Ladin guy?
Yep.
They helped.
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