US Marines and Afghan troops were making slow progress as they came under attack from snipers on the third day of a major offensive to seize the Taleban’s stronghold in southern Afghanistan.
Multiple firefights broke out in different areas in and around Marjah, the last militant stronghold in the country’s most violent province, Helmand. The US troops leading Operation Moshtarak ”” “Togetherness” ”” advanced only 500 yards today. Marine units twice tried to capture the town’s central bazaar, only to be pushed back.
Coming under heavy fire and sniper attacks, and faced with booby-trapped buildings, the US Marines were forced to call in Harrier jets and attacks helicopters armed with Hellfire missiles.
“There’s still a good bit of the land to be cleared,” said Captain Abraham Spice, a spokesman of the US Marines. “We’re moving at a very deliberative pace….”
The good Captain Spice may have misspoken when he used the word “deliberative”, but he spoke the truth. The wonks in DC will overthink and scrutinize every action that is taken on the ground. The restrictive ROEs will not win the hearts and minds of the Afghan citizens. It will get Marines killed.
The left wants us to fight a sterile “humane” war that simply cannot happen. They made sure that our hands were tied in Iraq with three exceptions: 1) the initial invasion 2) Fallujah in 2004 and 3) the Surge of 2007. At those times the insurgents were truly defeated and the Iraqi population appreciated what we were doing.
The politically correct war between 2004 and 2007 let the insurgents return, strengthen their hold in the largest cities or Al-Anbar (Fallujah and Ramadi). The Iraqi civilians hated their presence and hated us for allowing them to come back. The Surge allowed the Iraqis to take back their homes and cities.
This is not a Surge in Afghanistan. It is a show that is couched in bold words. It will not do anything to deliver the government back to the people, nor will it drive out the Taliban. If we are not willing to use overwhelming force, then we should get out.
Thank you and Amen! War is not like a football game. It is for keeps. Our Law Professor in Chief and his Pentegon lapdogs deny that and believe pure intentions will yield victory and acclaim around the world.
As freed said, it will yield dead marines and grieving families.
They have known we were coming for nine years and have been preparing ever since. If a foriegn govt was to attempt this in our homeland the number of hunters that can shoot for dinner would be enough to repel any invasion. The ROE tie our hands for political reasons and if not careful will lead us into another liberal defeat.
Where is the armor?