US Troops Begin Afghan Offensive

[sintax]

AP: U.S. Troops Begin Afghan Offensive

By DANIEL COONEY
Associated Press Writer

KANDAGAL, Afghanistan (AP) -- U.S. Marines and Afghan troops launched an offensive Saturday to take a remote mountain valley from insurgents tied to the deadliest blow on American forces since the Taliban regime was ousted nearly four years ago.

The operation is the biggest yet aimed at rebels believed responsible for twin attacks that killed 19 U.S. troops in June. Three Navy SEALs were killed in an ambush, and all 16 soldiers on a helicopter sent to rescue them died when it was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.

The offensive came at the end of a deadly week for U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Seven Americans have died along with dozens of militants and civilians, reinforcing concerns that crucial legislative elections next month could be threatened by a surge in violence.

U.S. and Afghan commanders said militants in the Korengal Valley, in eastern Kunar province near the Pakistani border, were intent on disrupting voting. They said the valley held hundreds of Afghan rebels, as well as extremists from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Chechnya.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AFGHAN_US_OFFENSIVE?SITE=NYITH&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[wakeme2008]

1. Bush can not kill them fast enough in Iraq

Now he wants to kill them in Afghanistan.

[movonne]

3. And Iran...

[rodeodance]

2. keep them safe.

[xchrom]

4. they'll scatter.

[TahitiNut]

5. Please remind me...

How is it better we invaded Afghanistan, again? What was the objective? As I recall, it was to be more certain of capturing Osama bin Laden than relying upon the existing government to turn him over to a third nation, as they offered. So, where has that gotten us?

For the life of me, I can't detect a moral or ethical rationale for invading Afghanistan. Not one. Four years of death and destruction. For what?

At some point, it'd be worth it to just pay off the greedy fascist bastards whose entire raison d'etre seems to be the accumulation of more wealth. It'd be cheaper, especially in lives, in the long run.

[cliss]

8. Tahiti, there's a certain pipeline...

And a certain Oil Industry executive by the name of Hamid Karzai, who amazingly won the popular election last year.

Afghanistan is in a central location. The US plans to build a pipeline across the country, and needs to have this volatile place "in its back pocket" in order to transport either oil or natural gas across. Not sure which.

Either way, it's like George Bush said, "The sacrifice is worth it". You betcha, George.

[wli]

9. don't forget the opium!

They don't call him "Poppy Bush" for nothing.

[bribri16]

6. I thought the war was over in Afghanistan and freedom and democracy

reigned? What's up with this?

[Disturbed]

7. There are no wars.

There are USA Occupations. Some call them Colonizations.