The Afghan Region Marines Invaded? America Built It

'Cobra's Anger' aims to disrupt flow of IEDs in Helmand province

(AP) - US Marines and Afghan troops today launched the first offensive since President Obama announced an American troop surge, striking against Taliban communications and supply lines in a southern insurgent stronghold. In all, about 1,000 Marines as well as Afghan troops were taking part in the operation in Helmand provvince, known as "Cobra's Anger," designed to disrupt supply lines providing explosives for IEDs. More»

(AP) - US Marines battled Taliban fighters today for control of a strategic southern town in a new operation to cut militant supply lines and allow Afghan residents to vote in next week's presidential election. Insurgents appeared to dig in for a fight, firing rocket-propelled grenades, mortar rounds, and even missiles from the back of a truck. Officers predicted days of combat before the town is secured. More»

(NEWSER) - A stalemate between US Marines and Taliban fighters in a small, abandoned town in southern Afghanistan could be seen as a microcosm of the war there, Michael M. Phillips writes in the Wall Street Journal. In Now Zad, a 300-strong company of Marines has traded fire with a Taliban force it cannot overcome since last year. But neither can the Americans cede ground. “It’s a prize too valuable to lose, not valuable enough to win," writes Phillips. More»

Could be largest loss of life for British forces since 2006

(AP) - Six British soldiers were believed killed after an explosion hit their armored vehicle in southwestern Afghanistan, Britain's Ministry of Defense said today. If confirmed, it would be the biggest loss of life for British forces in the country since a plane crash in 2006 killed 14. The soldiers were on patrol in Helmand province at the time of the blast last night, and a spokesperson for the British Task Force said they were missing and believed killed. In London, PM David Cameron called it "a desperately sad day for our country." More»

Hillary Clinton calls incident possible war crime

(NEWSER) - Investigators have identified the four Marines shown in a video apparently urinating on Taliban corpses, and they could be charged today, CBS News reports. The military has interviewed at least two of the men on the matter as officials scramble to address its fallout. "Anyone, anyone found to have participated or know about it, having engaged in such conduct, must be held fully accountable," said Hillary Clinton yesterday, calling the incident a potential war crime. All four were members of a sniper team in a unit that lost seven members in action last summer in Afghanistan. More»