http://www.necn.com/Boston/World/2009/12/06/House-calls-part-of-new-Afghan/1260134807.html4 hours 41 min 34 sec ago
House calls part of new Afghan operation
(NECN/ABC: Kabul, Afghanistan) - Deep in southern Afghanistan, Marines are trying to bring peace to an area they have never had enough troops to hold.
For the third straight day, 1,000 Marines cleared areas of northern Helmand, where British forces fought but left. The Taliban then set up a shadow government and planted hundreds of roadside bombs.
Before this operation, the militants fled this town, so expanding security here requires more house calls than fighting.
Miguel Marquez is the only reporter embedded with the Marines.
•Marquez: "What does it feel to go in and search into these people's personal lives?"
•Soldier 1: "It doesn't feel very comfortable, because I know how it would feel if I had someone just come into my house."
•Soldier 2: "The actual kinetic part -- the shooting, blowing up, is a very small portion of it. It's the continuing actions, continuing to have a presence in this area."