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Operation Moshtarak: Assault in Helmand province
As the Americans have apparently just started the offensive this is a timely post. My hopes are that we come through this battle with the minimum of casualties on all sides and hopefully very few civilian casualties, which has been a major part of the start of this batttle.
The attached link is a backgrounder from The Institute for the Study of War, for the coming battle of Marjah and Operation Moshtarak. It’s worth noting how much information we, the public, have about this battle before it happens, something unlikely to have happened before in Afghanistan. The reason we have this information is because of the “Hearts and Minds” methods the allies are now using in Afghanistan with the aim for this type of operation being to inform Afghan civilians of what is about to happen and attempt to allow them to move to safety.
The significance of this operation, lead by U.S. Marines in coordination with coalition and Afghan partners, cannot be underestimated as it is the largest joint operation in Afghanistan since 2001 and the first major test of the additional U.S. forces President Obama ordered last December, Key facts from this backgrounder include:
-Operation Moshtarak (Dari for “Together”) is largest joint offensive involving Afghan forces to date. Unlike previous operations, one battalion of Afghan troops will be paired with one battalion of U.S. Marines.
- Marjah is a major Taliban stronghold in Helmand province and remains the command and control hub for the insurgency. Marjah is also considered to be one of the main narcotics centers in Helmand.
- The Taliban has formed or forced an alliance with local opium farmers, taxing each factory at a rate of $1,200 per month. The Taliban has also installed an elaborate shadow government in Marjah including judges, a mayor and a tax collecting committee.
- British Special Forces and U.S. Navy SEALs have commenced shaping operations, killing and capturing top Taliban commanders and dropping leaflets “warning the [insurgent] fighters to leave the area or be killed.”
- In preparation for Operation Moshtarak, insurgents have constructed tunnels and bunkers, brought in heavy weapons, set booby traps and strewn landmines around Marjah. It is reported that 90% of the population remain in the town, trapped by IED belts that ring navigable terrain.
The document can be found here.
Operation Moshtarak: Preparing for the Battle of Marjah (SWJ Blog).
This ‘hearts and minds’ business won’t work in this environment. It didn’t work in Iraq either.
That’s a point of view I’d disagree with now. It certainly failed at the start in Iraq as we completely forgot about any post war process. It was only in the last eighteen months that we went back to using counter insurgency (COIN) tactics and began to see a good positive impact.
In Afghanistan we also forgot about the post war process and we also forgot how different Iraq and Afghanistan were, trying to apply lessons learned in Iraq directly ignored the precepts of COIN that require adaptation to the specific theatre you are in.Only now are we beginning to be more effective and hopefully this battle and particularly it’s aftermath will show this. If it doesn’t then sadly your prophecy will be true and we will have suffered casualties for nothing, let us hope that doesn’t come to pass.
Let’s hope it doesn’t come to pass. That’s all I can say. Thanks for taking the trouble to reply.
Anything that will save lives is worth trying. And you’re right about the paucity of intention following the Iraq debacle.
Problem is do we want these aggressive policies to be fuelled by ‘victories?’
Success in this exercise is going to feed more ego’s than it will solve problems. And the reason for it being publicised in America and the UK is purely to feed the gung-ho cowboys need for Holywood heroes.
@Crinkly & Ragged Arsed Philosophers Sorry utter crap. Aggressive, Hollywood, gung-ho, pure theatre from you but this is not what is going on.
We are trying to keep to as little aggression as we can. “Advertising” is for exactly the opposite reason to what you are saying as it is meant to save lives of civilians, at the likely cost to our forces. Back to school and learn what we are now trying to do.
If that’s what you think Fitaloon then its apparent you’re easily bought.
What about answering the question re the true values of these actions?
In one aspect you’re right – it isn’t pure theatre; there little comedy or wit in it.
Please justify why you think I am “easily bought”. I must have missed the question on the “true value” of these actions. I’m still looking for it.
Clarify how you limit aggression. Explain why the casualty figures are limited to UK usually, sometimes NATO, but rarely comprehensive and never Taliban.
You advocate saving civilian lives by risking the lives of our troops. I advocate the saving of both – that’s a value; probably the only one that this stupid action should be measured against.
If actions such as this are ever regarded or allowed to be spun as a success they will be repeated. By your reply that’s what you have bought into.
Limiting aggression is trying and I repeat trying to stop civilian casualties during any Operation. Sadly we have already seen some deaths during the Battles, but hopefully we are trying as hard as possible to limit both damage and injuries to civilians. Not easy in a fluid situation where the next attack can come from anywhere.
The casualty figures are always available if you want to look for them. Google is my friend on this. I do regularly and report on them quite often and criticise as I see fit. However my particular concern must remain with our Forces and in particular our Scottish Forces.
Of course I would like it if both sides and civilians had no casualties but sadly we are in a war, not just in Afghanistan but around the world against terrorism and all it’s supporters.
You unfortunately were the one spinning with your talk of Hollywood heroes, Your knowledge of modern soldiering must be sadly lacking if you think any of the fighting is in any way glorious. It is just sheer bloody hard work in atrocious conditions, and there is little in the way of glory, just death and loss.