Leaflet drop warning 'a prelude to major Afghan battle'

[undeterred]

Source: CNN World

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Afghan and international forces gearing up for a major offensive in Helmand province dropped leaflets Friday warning people not to give shelter to the Taliban. Daud Ahmadi, the spokesman of Helmand province, said the leaflets fell in and around the city of Marjah -- a Taliban stronghold.

"Do not allow the Taliban to enter your home," the leaflet said, according to Ahmadi. The push on Marjah is touted as the largest of the eight-year-old conflict, and commanders want to oust militants and are planning for tough urban warfare in a rugged area expected to be filled with roadside bombs and booby-trapped houses.

"I think some of our units will go into some very heavy contact and I think some of our units will have less contact. We don't know," U.S. Marine Brig. Gen. Larry Nicholson told American and Afghan forces at Firebase Fiddler's Green earlier this week. "All I know is that we have done everything we can to prepare, and on the eve of this operation, I think we're ready."

For days, the military has publicized what they call the imminent start of Operation Mushtarak, the Dari word for Together. But commanders have not yet said the push has begun, and that is expected to keep the pressure on fighters in what is being called the last major Taliban presence in Helmand. Troops also want to confront the region's drug trafficking in Helmand, a major source of opium.




Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/02/12/afghanistan.offensive/

[Oregone]

1. "Please melt back into another region and take your guns with you"

Thank you for your cooperation.

[Auggie]

2. "Do not allow the Taliban to enter your home?"

They're the ones with the guns. Good luck.

[onethatcares]

3. does any of this sound similar to what we

heard in Viet Nam? As 55,000 troops were killed. While we systematically went about carpet bombing the country. While we pushed towards Cambodia.

How many troops is it gonna take? Can we buy a clue from the Russians?

Why the hell are we there in Afganistan?

[shadowknows69]

6. +1

[Kolesar]

8. No

No carpet bombing, no 55000 KIA, and it's thousands of miles to Cambodia

[onethatcares]

9. you're right. there are no similarities at all.

thanx. My mistake.

[EFerrari]

4. I wish anti-war activists could also do a drop.

"Please be careful while our corrupt Pentagon makes war on your community".

[pleah]

5. .....

BreakingNews

Update: U.S. officials say main attack on Taliban-held town of Marjah in Afghanistan has now begun - AP


Twitter

[shadowknows69]

7. Fallujah redux.

[ConcernedCanuk]

10. Can the Afghanis send UP leaflets saying "no thanks - we'd rather stay home"?

.
.
.

OF COURSE NOT

so those that are unwilling or unable to leave,

will just be another number on the USA's "collateral damage" list

"SORRY - WE WARNED YOU!"

"We didn't warn those in Nagasaki, Hiroshima, Dresden, etc.,

WE GOT A CONSCIENCE NOW!"

right . . .

[No Elephants]

11. Actually, we did warn cities during WWII. News flash, though.

Japan attacked our ships without warning. And Hitler was no prince.

Let us know when you find a nation that is above reproach.