Soldier captured by rebels as US launches Afghan offensive
24,000 Marines storm Taliban heartland in first test for 'surge strategy'
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US Marines prepare to enter a building after launching Operation Khanjar yesterday in southern Helmand Province. More than 4000 marines and 400 Afghan troops took part in the operation to take control of Taliban strongholds
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In the biggest military offensive of the Obama presidency, more than 4,000 US Marines, backed by heavy artillery and helicopter gunships, stormed into the Taliban heartland yesterday, the first assault in what one commander called a "summer of decision" aimed at stabilising Afghanistan ahead of next month's elections.
As the mission unfolded, news broke that a US soldier had been kidnapped in Paktika province further south. The man, who has not been named for fear of jeopardising his safety, was believed to be the first US soldier seized in either Iraq or Afghanistan for two years. However, US officials said the soldier had not been on military duty when he disappeared and Taliban commanders claimed he had been found drunk outside his base.
Operation Khanjar, Pashtu for "Strike of the Sword" saw troops strike through a valley which has been a "blooding ground" for jihadists and a major centre for poppy harvesting. "You're going to change the world this summer and it starts this morning," Lieutenant-Colonel Christian Cabaniss, the commander of the 2nd battalion, 8th Marines, told his troops who were dressed in desert fatigues, before they mounted helicopters and Humvees. "The United States and the world are watching," Reuters quoted him as saying. "Their expectations are enormously high during this summer of decision."
In an indication of the dangers facing coalition troops, it was confirmed that Britian had lost its highest ranking British soldier since Colonel H Jones was killed in the Falklands. Lieutenant-Colonel Rupert Thorneloe, the officer commanding the Welsh Guards, died alongside a trooper when a Viking armoured vehicle in which he was travelling was hit by a roadside bomb in Helmand. Six other soldiers were injured in the attack.
Yesterday's operation – which also involved 400 Afghan government troops – marked the first big test of Washington's surge strategy. US army Brigadier General Larry Nicholson said the operation differed from previous ones because of its "massive size". "The intent is to go big, go strong and go fast, and by doing so we are going to save lives on both sides," he said.
The number of Marines deployed is about the same as was used during the bloody and controversial first siege of Fallujah, in central Iraq, in 2004. That operation was halted before the town was taken after international shock at the scenes of carnage. For the next six months, Fallujah became an insurgent headquarters, with waves of suicide bombers striking across the region.
The marines are part of a 22,000-strong group of reinforcements sent to Afghanistan by Barack Obama in an attempt to stem the violence at what Washington is calling a seminal juncture in the war. The US Defence Secretary, Robert Gates, has said American patience is wearing thin and improvements are needed by year-end.
Operation Khanjar followed a smaller British operation further north along the Helmand River valley which regained control of the town of Babaji and surrounding areas north of the provincial capital, Lashkar Gar. British forces have, however, experienced problems in holding ground they have gained because of a lack of numbers.
The US mission began with helicopters dropping Marines into the village of Nawa, 20 miles south of Lashkar Gar, in an area which has not seen the permanent presence of either Western or Afghan government troops. The US military said the move had taken the enemy by surprise. "We are kind of forging new ground here. We are going to a place nobody has been before," said Captain Drew Schoenmaker.
The insurgents retreated into high ground and engaged the Marines in a firefight. Afghan troops were hit with rocket-propelled grenades. With gunfire echoing around them, residents fled into their mud-walled huts.
Following on from Operation Khanjar, a series of further "mini-missions" is expected to be launched but after that there will be a pause. US and British forces are not expected to launch any offensives just before the 20 August elections and in the period immediately afterwards "so as not to provoke violence".
Yesterday, the Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi declared that the Americans would not be allowed to "occupy Afghan soil". He added: "We have a large number of our fighters in the area. The Americans... will not have a permanent victory."
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Comments
truly hope they behead the hotdog eating yank, i would pay good money to see it
If you are such a hero why don't you go to Afghanistan and join your brothers and sisters, hell, martyr yourself for the cause while you are at it?
You wont though! People like you prefer the security the state offers, the benefits you scrounge, the education you are given, the health care you receive, the accommodation above any standard you could afford in the Stan, the freedom of speech you have here which you would not be allowed there.
Iran is a fine example of the murdering mullah scum. If the people speak out, shoot them. These people are a disgrace to Islam AS YOU ARE.
Go on, set an example you pig skinned, lilly livered chicken shit. Your skin is so yellow it glows in the dark.
There is a welcome home parade in Birmingham this weekend for our soldiers, how about expressing your views then! I would love to meet you!
You are a disgrace to all Muslims who live here in the UK, and your views dishonour the meaning and teachings of Islam.
your just a big pussy and a hypocrite
if u showed the same disgust when afgans are killed i might be able to take u seriously face is ur a coward.
in britain i have the freedom of speech to say what it is want to say, i say something controversial, so instead of crying like a big girls blouse why dont you applaud me for take this brave stance,
Let's break it down. You have not said anything controversial. What you have done is tried to incite racial hatred towards Afghans and Muslims as a whole.
Learn about the area first before you comment on Afghanistan. Most of the cowards, who call themselves the Taliban, are foreign mercenaries from the likes of Syria, Pakistan, Chechnya, Saudi, Iraq and even Britain. If you ever had chance to speak to a real Afghani they would tell you they hate the Taliban, and the foreign Muslim "brothers" who bring terror and death. They would rather they were not there!
Show concern when Afghans were killed! I agree whole heartedly. When the Taliban send in suicide bombers, these murderers kill their own people, young women, men and children. Is this the act of a martyr?
The Taliban are responsible for killing more of their Muslim "brothers and sisters" in horrific ways i could never have dreamed of.
When you see children with their hands, arms, finges, feet, toes, legs, and even the nose cut off because they have aid from the "enemy" yes it hits a nerve. The aid that is so bad they deserve this punishment - they have had their scabs, sores and cuts treated.
Then there is the crime against women and young girls. Young girls and women have had acid thrown in their faces if they did not wear the full Niqab. Girls who have tried to receive a proper education have been shot to death, their schools have been bombed during attendance, and in one occasion, girls were forced back into a burning building by the Taliban because they were not completely covered up. Real compassion.
A school teacher who dared to take down a sign posted by the cowardly Taliban, warning children not to attend the school, had his head cut off in front of his children, the girls were then raped and the young boy shot so he would not grow up to avenge his father's death.
Is it still looking good to you so far?
Girls, yes girls, not even teenagers, have been forced in marriages, and in desperation have chosen to try and kill themselves by pouring petrol or kerosene from head to foot and igniting it. Most of them survive, for many months in terrific pain, disfigured beyond comprehension, but unfortunately some do die, through injuries or lack of hope, who knows!
Villages taken over by Mr Pig Face Talib, have the population rounded up, forced to pay Alms (robbed more like), the young men are recruited "threatened", the youngsters are herded together and forced to watch propoganda videos (double standards here since these mad mullahs called the Taliscum banned all tv's,videos, dvd's radios, music, dancing, singing, you know, normal life) for days on end without sleep, showing suicide murderers blowing up markets, school buses, hospitals, police stations etc, all the while having to chant a Bastardised version of the holy scriptures in the Quran. Brain washing perhaps!
So if these statements mean i am a hypocrite, please explain your views.
What actions do you intend to take?
Go to the Stan, stay here nice and safe, or just go out and play cricket on the local green, smoke cigarettes so daddy does not see you, eat a couple of mints to clear the breath and go home to be the good little child they envisaged they gave birth to, is that your next action?
Explain why Muslims (i do not describe the Talipigs as Muslims) are killing Muslim?
Why, after fighting so hard for a Sharia State in the Swat Valley in Pakistan, did thousands of people flee?
Now the Pakistani army are kicking the mullahs backsides back into the stone age the people are returning! The people really don't want to be ruled by the mad men do they?
Please give us somekind of incite as to how you see the world.
it wasnt the tabliban who killed 190 afgan civilans the other month through a an air strike, it was your beloved yanks
nobody is fighting for sharia a law, if you were able to think for yourself you would relise sharia law is already in place in pakistan, but your too brainwashed to see that
you probably wouldnt know a tabliab if he smacked you in the mouth.
you keep telling yourself the yanks are great and im sure you;ll belive it eventually
There was no Sharia Law in the Swat Valley until Pakistan gave concessions, that was why the Talib were killing innocents, to get these concessions. Thankfully the mad mullahs are now being given a right kicking by the great Pakistani army, all the way out of the Swat Valley, back into the stone age.
With the pincer move by the Americans and British through Helmand Mr Talib will soon be nothing more than the turd of a pig, smelly and squashy.
Again, why are Muslims blowing up Muslims?
Why do the Talib persecute women?
Why are the Talib afraid to let women have an education, could it be they would see how backwards these "clerics" are?
Why do you not condemn the stoning and killing of women by the Talib?
Why have you not expressed horror about the mutilations on young children by the Talib?
Answer me, why are most of thr fighters in Afghanistan not Afghanis? I know the Afghanis don't want them there in country.
Why is it only the young are chosen to be martyrs? Is it because they are brain washed by the old cowards who purport to be wise and acting in faith of Mohammed? God Rest His Soul.
What is your next action?
So, have you no answers to my questions to you, or is it that you really are too juvenille to string together a sentence in reply.
shouldnt u be on the times website reading your favourites anti muslim mps colum mike gove.
ive been to pakistan i know about the law there, your just a knob who belives everything he reads.
still no word about how your brave yanky soldiers fired from the air and killed 190 civilans??
you dont give a damm about people the "taliban" kill, its just another exuse for you to bash muslims.
if you really think the afgans welcomes occupation from forgeign forces then just shows how deeply youve been brainwashed.
"At least 42 civilians, mostly women and children, have died in the last 24 hours in the latest round of atrocities in Algeria, witnesses and hospital officials said today.
The throats of many victims were slit and some were disemboweled during a Sunday attack attributed to Islamic militants, while others were killed when a bomb ripped through a market in Algiers today.
A 10-day surge of violence has killed more than 190 civilians, mostly in the center of the country, unofficial tolls indicate."
Do not come on here quoting Taliban Radical Muslim views, you are embarassing yourself.
As you will have read, the disembowling, throat cutting, bombings were carried out by Islamic militants. Funny American action, unless they dressed in regional clothing and carried out these atrocities!
So I am a Muslim bashing, Islamophobic bigot. By what context would you have picked up that idea?
Nowhere have i insulted Mulims or Islam, I have decried the pigs who carry out these atrocities and proclaim they are Muslims acting in the name of the Quran. They are not Muslims, but Kaffirs using the texts of the Prophet to their own ends.
Afghanis DO NOT want foreign Taliban fighters coming to and from the border causing untold deaths by firing from populated areas and fleeing like the dogs they are. If you had ever been to Afghanistan you would know that.
"I don't give a damn about the people the Taliban kill!" What a stupid thing to say. No one on this earth could not give aid to a sick child, a crippled elder or anyone else in need. It seems you my child have a different and selfish view of life, one that is not in line with the Islamic teachings. I suggest you have a long talk with your Imman to sort out your problems.
Oh, you have been to Pakistan and know the laws. You are a lawyer then, or just a liar?
Was it to Waziristan you went, Pakrit, Lasht, Rewalpindi, how about as far as Farar or Shindand, (you should know what the last to are if you have been to Pakistan) or was it just a holiday with mommy and daddy?
Inshallah, you will find your way.
just as i thought any excuse to bash muslims
what about the 190civilans killed in 1 air strike by ur beloved americans,
hope this yank gets beheaded
Time for you to take your bottle and have a nap now little child.
Inshallh when your brain fully develops you will understand the Quran.
As a British Pathan/Afghan, I wholly agree with not only you said, but also the fact that 'studentclass' is most definitely part of the problem; ignorance such as his, is deadly.
Let's not allow such biggots, racists & those fustrated & filled with hate influence us & our capability to be objective, fair & honest.
Perhaps studentclass could do with some imamdari and maybe then he would be able to offer malmastia. He does not know what he is missing by living a life of hatred.
Always be honourable to Pushtunwali.
The rantings on his posts create intolerance as you can see below, but nowhere do you see a reply to any questions posed! This is normally the first signs that someone has been brain washed, the brain cannot respond to cognative responses, they are blocked by the "programming" they have been subjected to, therefore unable to give a response.
Another part of the programming is to deliberately provoke extreme responses by posting outlandish claims as he has done here. The purpose of such action is to show other, soon to be "brainwashed", friends, how intolerant the West are with the carefully edited script to show them. Seeing is believeing, or is it?
The Afghanis as a people are proud, upstanding and loyal within their areas to their families, elders and community, as you can no doubt attest, but even their welcome to a stranger is beyond description, comparing the few things they have to offer. Nothing is to much trouble. Totally humbling.
studentclass could well do with some time in the isolated outerlands, plenty of time to think about the scriptures, and also the humility, pride and love one can show to each other without hate.
Readers on here, please do not post hatred to studentclass, my belief he is a child at the keyboard creating disharmony and mischief. Ignore him, and like most small children he will get bored and go away.
Let us hope Inshallah wisdom will come his way soon, before it is to late.
Excellent response - and spot on.
As a British Pathan/Afghan, I wholly agree with not only you said, but also the fact that 'studentclass' is most definitely part of the problem; ignorance such as his, is deadly.
Let's not allow such biggots, racists & those fustrated & filled with hate influence us & our capability to be objective, fair & honest.
I'd have your head on a stake you vile piece of shit.
but i guess your just making your own prejudice clear
Quite simply, if you have these views and feel this way then fuck off! Why are you here?