U.S. says new troops push Taliban away from Kabul

[Coventina]

Source: Reuters

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHANK, Afghanistan, April 15 (Reuters) - An influx of new U.S. troops near Kabul this year is reclaiming the Afghan capital's outskirts from the Taliban, but violence would increase in the short-term, the U.S. commander in the area said.

The United States has rushed about 3,000 troops to Logar and Maidan Wardak provinces to defend the capital's southern and western borders this year, the first phase of a planned increase that will almost double the U.S. presence in the country.

For years the areas near Kabul were quiet, with little presence of either U.S. troops or their foes.

But Taliban fighters moved into the two provinces last year, bringing the Islamist militants to the capital's edges in substantial numbers for the first time since they were driven from Kabul in 2001.



Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/usTopNews/idUKTRE53E2MH20090415

[paparush]

1. How many times are we going to have to do this? Is this not the very definition of insanity? nt

[global1]

2. Does Anybody Know The Size Of This So-Called Taliban Army?......

How big is this Taliban fighting force? Where are they getting their arms from? I can guess that the money they have they get from the poppy/heroin business. But how organized are they with respect to getting the munitions they need to keep this fight up? Where are their headquarters? How are shipments sent into the country? Are they coming from Pakistan?

I know that these are probably naive questions - but - I don't think I ever heard anyone address this in any logical manner. I just keep on hearing that Afghanistan is mountainous and it is hard to fight a war there. But if it is that difficult for us - it must be just as difficult for the Taliban fighters to wage a war from their perspective. I know that these people know the terrain well and are said to be able to cope with this. But surely they must have difficulties staying supplied - food, water, arms and ammunition, etc.

[SkyDaddy7]

4. I found this book to very helpful

in trying to understand the very complex situation in central Asia...The problem is not isolated to Afghanistan.

Descent into Chaos: The United States and the Failure of Nation Building

By Ahmed Rashid

[panzerfaust]

3. But, But ... "NATO's Top General Says Taliban Defeated "

"...we should not ever even think that there is going to be an insurrection of the type that we see in Iraq here ," he said. " It's just not going to happen ."
http://www.rferl.org/content/article/1054307.html
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED !!
In spite of how it looks?

[ddss75]

5. that place is a toilet

it was a toilet back during the days of the great game with russia and england, it was a toilet during the days of the soviet occupation, it was toilet with bin laden, and it is a toilet now. that place is not worth american lives.

[mvd]

6. Welcome to DU!

I agree. Afghanistan has never been controlled. Even in Iraq, which was led by Saddam and the U.S. by force, the Parliament is still a mess.