Marjah sits just 12 miles from Helmand and is home to just 80,000 people but it could be the tipping point in the war In Afghanistan, The Taliban have a full functioning shadow “Government” there, so Nato ’s all out assault on it is hugely symbolic.
The battle for Marjah will be bloody and US and British forces will take casualty’s but the outcome is not in any doubt the Taliban there will be crushed, tribal elders that were chased away by the insurgents are poised to return and take over.
This offensive has been announced in the press well before it starts with a lot of the details being made public, on the face of it seeming a strange tactical move informing the enemy of your plans in this way, but there is method in the madness the idea is twofold,1) it gives civilians a chance to leave or at least plan to bunker down until its over, 2) Nato hope to entice more Taliban to the battle so as to inflict greater casualty’s on them.
This assault on the Taliban stronghold will be the biggest offensive since the invasion began in 2001, if successful it could be the turning point in the war, this has been a long time in coming, the Afghan forces are ready to look after there own security paving the way for our troops to come home.
The operation is expected to last about a month and if it goes the way the planners have predicted this will pave the way for our boys to return home sooner rather than later.
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