Afghanistan/Pakistan: On Ground Updates - December 05, 2009

Afghanistan/Pakistan:
On Ground Updates
Saturday, December 05, 2009
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Pakistani Offensive Pushes Extremists, Petraeus Says
Originally posted Friday, December 4, 2009
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As the Pakistani military achieves success against extremists operating in Pakistan, the campaign also is aiding anti-insurgent efforts in Afghanistan, the commander of U.S. Central Command said today.
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In fact, the months-long Pakistani offensive is putting the Taliban, al-Qaida and other extremists in the region "under significant pressure," Army Gen. David H. Petraeus told National Public Radio host Steve Inskeep during a segment of the "Morning Edition" news program.
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The Pakistani campaign is assisting U.S. and coalition efforts in Afghanistan, Petraeus said, noting Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Omar "is generally thought to be located most of the time, if not all the time, in Pakistan."
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Pakistan's military has been engaged over the past nine months or so in several actions targeting extremist groups in Pakistan that are known to cross the border to create mayhem in Afghanistan, Petraeus said.
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The offensive, the general said, indicates that Pakistan's government and citizens now recognize "that the most pressing threat to the very existence of Pakistan as they know it is the extremist syndicate" that operates in the region, which includes Afghan and Pakistani Taliban and other insurgent groups.
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Pakistani troops have conducted "quite impressive" operations against insurgents in the Swat Valley area in the northwestern frontier section of the country, Petraeus said.
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Pakistani soldiers also have moved against Pakistani Taliban elements based in the country's eastern-south Waziristan region and also are targeting other extremists operating in northern Warizistan, he said.
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Pakistan has committed thousands of troops to deal with extremists operating within its borders, Petraeus said, adding "you cannot underestimate" the importance of the steps Pakistan has taken to deal with its internal terrorist threat.
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The campaign has come at a cost, he pointed out, noting many Pakistani soldiers and civilians have been killed or injured over the past 9-10 months.
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As the anti-insurgent campaigns in Afghanistan and Pakistan continue, Petraeus said, there needs to be very close coordination along the Afghan-Pakistani border.
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The general observed that Pakistan's military campaign against extremists "has achieved a good bit" over the past nine months or so.
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"But, we have a very long way to go in that regard," he said.

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Taken from a DoD’s American Forces Press Service News Article - Written by Gerry J. Gilmore
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Marines Start Operation in Helmand Province
Originally posted Friday, December 4, 2009
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More than 1,000 International Security Assistance Force troops are partnering with Afghan forces to begin a large-scale operation in northern Helmand province.
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About 900 U.S. Marines and sailors and British forces began partnering today with 150 Afghan soldiers and police to start Operation Khareh Cobra, or Cobra's Anger, to clear insurgent forces in the Now Zad valley.
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Marines from 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 7 and 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion are partnered with Afghan army and police. The forces began helicopter and ground operations in the Now Zad valley early this morning.
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Now Zad was once Helmand's second largest city, but is now empty due to years of fighting. Insurgents have heavily mined the area, and a key purpose of the operation is to provide enough security for the Afghan government and non-governmental organizations to begin clearing the mines and improvised explosive devices in order to enable the eventual repopulation of the city.
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A company of Marines is stationed in Now Zad along with 150 Afghan soldiers and police.

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Taken from a new article by DoD’s American Forces Press Service - Compiled from a Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan news release
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* CNN.com had the following report posted up on their website earlier this Saturday afternoon and it starts off like this... The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for Friday's bombing of a mosque in Rawapindi and vowed to carry out more attacks, according to an e-mail message from the group... The assault targeted a mosque frequented by Pakistani military personnel, and killed 36 and wounded 75, the military said... The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan took responsibility for the action on Friday but reiterated its claim in an e-mail to CNN on Saturday because media outlets quoted analysts and some officials who doubted the group's participation...
Read this report in full at link below...
Pakistani Taliban claims responsibility for mosque strike
> Watch a News Video report about the attack HERE or at link above
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* NYDailynews.com has this report and it starts off like this... A sketchy BBC report Friday says Osama Bin Laden may have been in Afghanistan earlier this year... The account cited an unnamed detainee in Pakistan claiming he met a trusted "friend of mine" in January or February who said he had seen Bin Laden about 15 to 20 days earlier in Afghanistan...
Read the rest at link below...
BBC report: Detainee says friend saw Osama Bin Laden alive in Afghanistan earlier this year
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* ABCNews.com reports this little bit of news on bin Laden like this, has short news video with it too...
Where is bin Laden? Secretary Gates Says No Intel in 'Years'

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Secretary Clinton says...
More Troops Needed in Afghanistan


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About this news video: Secretary Clinton says more troops are needed in Afghanistan to reverse Taliban gains and that withdrawal in 2011 will be based on conditions on the ground at the time. Secretary of State Clinton, Secretary of Defense Gates, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mullen appear before the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee

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AubreyJ.........