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Maybe the final operational post on this episode in USMC history. I cite a WaPo article on the logistics of exiting. Here is one thing left behind (as did the UK):
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Jon,

Poppy growing was not cited as a reason for the 2006 decision to send UK troops to Helmand, which was intensely political. The UK IIRC was in fact given the 'lead' responsibility for drugs...

I too have read explanations for the USMC deployment to Helmand, politely but firmly pushing the UK & partners aside.

Yes, unity of command - even within the US military - appears to be lacking....

A short NYT article on the declining USMC presence and their replacement by:
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I'll echo Bill's comment and thanks to Tequila. I'd missed the NAF report on Helmand and wonder if anything has changed since September 2010, in Helmand for the locals.

Citing Bill now and if we...

When I read this passage I stopped and AFAIK this has not been in the public domain before:

There are other comments on this operation, mainly background on the commanders influence...

A long BBC report after three weeks being with the USMC, which opens with:

Captain Andrew Terrell deployed here with the Royal Marines 40 Commando in 2007 and:
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From my "armchair" a good article by Tim of FRI, maybe very tactical, but has some snippets of note.



Earlier on:

Anyway the link:http://freerangeinternational.com/blog/?p=4352#comments
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TDB posted:

Thanks. It is not the Panorama programme I thought it was, but the same reporter, Ben Anderson, working for Channel 4 this time.

Catching up after a gap and KOW recommends a HBO documentary, broadcast 23rd February, made by a British journalist, Ben Anderson:

The article has a long critique of Tom Ricks...

Hat tip to FRI for this initial report:

Link:http://freerangeinternational.com/blog/?p=3734

Some of the photos are different, psyops = nails. Look yourself.

The comments and the author's...

With a sub-title:

A lengthy article and some key phrases:

Says it all IMHO.:wry:
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Two rather laudatory articles as General Sir David Richards tours Afghanistan: a general...

A long comment article on the campaign, amidst the optimism is this vignette which illustrates luck is important, just imagine if it had not been present:


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The use of armour, notably MBT, has appeared before, wayback in 2008: from the Canadian Army Journal, Winter '08:Canadian Armour in Afghanistan and on this link:...

Been offline for a few days and puzzled slightly at the two AFP photos on this BBC report:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8527266.stm

The armour look like German-made Leopards, which...

A mass of comments on the operation, I am mindful that most of the press reporting is from Kandahar FOB and only a few journalists are "on the ground".

Abu M commends three...

I was reading some of the UK media reports AM and made these notes (could n't get a working link to SWC then).

From...

Missed this UK Channel 4 Dispatches programme, where Stephen Grey is the reporter and includes several interviews with UK Army officers - mainly those at the top:...

Just out and not seen yet, a book on the battle for Musa Qala by an embedded journalist with the UK forces and a review piece: http://defenceoftherealm.blogspot.com/2009/04/operation-snakebite.html
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Excellent article and a good find. Whether it will work is a moot point. May return with comments another time. Did the defecting local Taliban leader bring any fighters with him or later? What...