U.S. Marines Begin Afghan Offensive

The Battle for Marjah in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan is the first test of President Obama’s counterinsurgency strategy that has unleashed U.S. Marines, British and Afghan forces on the Taliban stronghold.

The real test of this new strategy is not whether or not coalition forces are successful in defeating the Taliban and disrupting this vital network of logistics that have supported Taliban forces, but whether coalition forces can bring Afghan governmental support to the people of Majah and ultimately the Helmand Province.

In any counterinsurgency strategy the focus is not on enemy forces but on the civilian population. The Battle of Marjah will in no doubt be successful, but the real challenge can coalition forces improve the lives of the average citizens of Marjah.

This is the real challenge for coalition forces! Too often in the past military operations were centered only on conventional operations and not focused on the lives of ordinary people. The counterinsurgency strategy instituted by General Stanley McChrystal seeks to remedy this disparity.

Coalition forces have began to enter the town of Marjah after giving advanced warring to the citizens of Marjah to leave the area as not to inflict needless civilian casualties, further alienating the local population. Past operations have killed innocent Afghan citizens which only strengthens the grip of the Taliban.

Operation Moshtarak (Dari for “Together”) has painstakingly let the citizens of Marjah know of the coming attack and promised that any collateral damage would be repaired and that the Afghan government would be involved in the process.

This is the real challenge for coalition forces, can they improve the lives of the ordinary Afghan, and can the Afghan government bring local governance to the citizens of Marjah?

If the United States hopes to be successful in its counterinsurgency strategy it has to improve the lives of ordinary Afghans or it will further drive the Afghan population back into the grip of the Taliban.