What’s next in Afghanistan

[unhappycamper]

More winter combat
Marines work to maintain stability.


What’s next in Afghanistan
By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Nov 5, 2008 17:37:08 EST

It hasn’t been easy for 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines.

Deployed to Afghanistan since March, the battalion has fought off ambushes in lawless areas of Afghan wilderness, traveled bomb-laden roads and experienced more casualties than any other unit in the Corps this year.

As 2/7’s deployment winds down, however, Marine officials say the unit has made progress in bringing stability to eight districts in Helmand and Farah provinces, two of volatile southern Afghanistan’s most dangerous areas. It has trained more than 800 Afghan police officers and launched a variety of outreach efforts, planning schools, roads and irrigation systems.

“As the regions across which 2/7 operated differed vastly, there is no solution or project which will work across the board,” said Lt. Col. Richard Hall, 2/7’s commander. “The most important thing we could do was listen to what the people needed and wanted.”

With a unit labeled Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Afghanistan ready to take over much of what 2/7 handled during the past eight months, the question is simple: What exactly is the Corps’ future in Afghanistan?


Rest of article at: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/11/marine_afghanistan_update_110508w/%2e

[screembloodymurder]

1. I think we need the right ambassador.

If I were Obama, I would appoint President Bush.