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Blackanthem Military News
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Last Updated:
Feb 8, 2010 - 6:05:29 PM |
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Blackanthem Military News
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| A convoy from 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion travels across Camp Leatherneck, June 28. The battalion left Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan's base of operations to join other Marine forces in the Helmand River Valley. |
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Today, nearly 4,000 U.S. Marines and
Sailors of Task Force Leatherneck, partnered with Afghan national
security forces and supported by Task Force Pegasus, the Combat
Aviation Brigade of the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division, conducted a
near-simultaneous heliborne and surface insert into the central and
southern Helmand River valley. These efforts, combined with closely
coordinated U.K. and Dutch operations to our immediate north, will
dramatically change and positively impact the security of the Afghan
people living in this long-held Taliban heartland.
Our focus is now and will remain the Afghan people. We have worked closely with local Helmand government officials and many tribal and local leaders in the detailed planning of this major offensive. While the initial focus will be on security, the Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team working with government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and coalition forces will rapidly move to introduce the initial essential aspects of governance and economic development into these newly secured areas. These efforts will be focused upon providing immediate assistance to the population, and in setting the conditions for successful elections in August. Today's operation is designed to separate and isolate the Taliban from the population who has long suffered the effects of their presence.
This large scale operation is not without risk to the many thousands of brave and dedicated Afghan and coalition troops participating. This operation is designed to boldly demonstrate to the Afghan people the determination and dedication of the government and coalition forces in ridding the area of Taliban insurgents who prey upon the people. The Taliban offer no future, no hope, and we will work to provide immediate security gains to the local citizens of the Helmand River valley. What makes Operation Kanjar 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, build, and work toward transition of all security responsibilities to Afghan forces.
Semper Fidelis,
Larry D. Nicholson
Commanding General, Task Force Leatherneck
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Jack Kay
27 Jul 2009, 18:56
Outstanding work, General Nicholson. Back home, it is refreshing to see
that a game plan for winning the Afghan War is finally in place.
Just a thought: maybe the help of American civilian farmers to educate the
local Afghan populace on crop rotation and soil analysis might prove an
effective strategy?
This Whitehouse Admin might be open to such an arrangement.
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