2 MEB has made its move into Helmand province in southern Afghanistan:
Thousands of U.S. Marines descended upon the volatile Helmand River valley in helicopters and armored convoys early Thursday morning, mounting an operation that represents the first large-scale test of the U.S. military’s new counter-insurgency strategy in Afghanistan.
The operation will involve about 4,000 troops from the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, which was dispatched to Afghanistan earlier this year by President Obama to combat a growing Taliban insurgency in Helmand and other southern provinces. The Marines, along with an Army brigade that is scheduled to arrive later this summer, plan to push into pockets of the country where NATO forces have not had a presence. In many of those areas, the Taliban have evicted local police and government officials, and taken power.
Once Marine units arrive in their designated towns and villages, they have been instructed to build and live in small outposts among the local population. The brigade’s commander, Brig. Gen. Lawrence D. Nicholson, said his Marines will focus their efforts on protecting civilians from the Taliban, and on restoring Afghan government services, instead of a series of hunt-and-kill missions against the insurgents.
“We’re doing this very differently,” Nicholson said to his senior officers a few hours before the mission began. “We’re going to be with the people. We’re not going to drive to work. We’re going to walk to work.”
Good luck, Marines. Step lightly.
Amen to your last sentence!
Get some Marines. Get some.
Wish I could be flying FAC(A) over there again… some of my old boys probably are…
Sounds a lot like the tactics used by Special Forces in the months shortly after 9-11. Doug Stanton’s “Horse Soldiers” tells their story. It reads like a Clancy novel. Amazing what those guys accomplished by fighting with and supporting the Northern Alliance.
Yeah, it was amazing to watch & support them from the air… I need to pick that book up…
It’s a helluva read. Those guys went into Afghanistan shortly after 9/11, convinced tribal warlords (1) to trust them and (2) to join together to fight the Taliban. They lived, fought, and in several cases died with the Northern Alliance soldiers. Calling in airstrikes from horseback using laser designators etc. Balls. The good guys prevailed but it was close. We helped the people win their war thereby earning their trust and respect then ignoring these successful tactics turned right around and invaded Iraq with the old Viet Nam divide and conquer routine. Meanwhile we effectively turned our back on AF and allowed the Taliban to regroup – big mistake.
Sounds like you were there in a CAS role. If you’re willing to share I’m sure there are many hanging out here that appreciate your reflections.
Some of us have Skin in that game. Mine is a Corporal with the 1/5 Marines. He called two nights ago to say Hi and let us know he would be NORDO for quite some time, his spirits were very high, the wife/mother was not pleased. I understand about finally getting turned loose to do what you have spent so much time and energy training for, the justification for your very existince. I just hope they all come home safe.
BT: Jimmy T sends.
I’ll keep your Corporal in my prayers
JimmyT,
Mine is home on leave for a couple weeks. His brigade is gearing up to deploy over there. He, too, is excited about going. His mother, not so much.
I stay strong for them, keep up the father’s facade for the boy, and keep a candle lit for all of them.
respects,
Once again, classic David Kilcullen. The emphasis on protecting civilians vice heaping kinetic destruction on the Taliban, making the citizenry feel safe, staying in the communities. Then, you get the people self-defending, and all of this in the context of a long term committment. That last part may be the bridge too far. Heard an interview with Michael Scheuer this AM — he said the committment to Afghanistan may require a generation. Don’t know if we have the stomach for that.
As usual, Michael Yon is doing some great reporting from Afghanistan. Through words and pictures, you are transported there. Highly recommended.
We don’t have the stomach for it. Never did.
Mike M/
Agree. Even in WWII, the “Good War,” towards the end people were war-weary and very adverse to high casualties–especially those in the Pacific where horrendous rates at Iwo, Tarawa, Okinawa, etc., really soured the public. If you go into the old West-Coast newspaper morgues of the time and read the letters-to-the-editor comments, you’ll find LOTS of calls for the use of poison gas to keep the cas. down, i.e., why even bother to invade, just bathe the whole island in gas?–that sort of thing.
So you’re right, Mike M, we never really did. If we grumbled during the “good war” when WOULD there ever come a time for this frenetic, impatient society to support even longer conflicts with even more nebulous and open-ended goals?
>> “you’ll find LOTS of calls for the use of poison gas to keep the cas. down…”
As opposed to today where there are calls to just abandon the battle without consideration of consequences.
Sounds like we *were* a different country.
George V.
“The Village” redux. Godspeed Marines.