If I'm reading COL Poppas correctly, this attack is the endstate of Phase One of our playbook on retaking denied areas/enemy safehavens. The preparation and planning involved heavy reconnaissance and surveillance collection, psychological and deception operations, and shaping efforts to force the enemy away from the noncombatants into an engagement area in order to kill them.

In game theory, this move is known as a first strike.

I don't want to comment too much more right now until this operation has passed by a bit. The next phase is much bloodier, and COL P has some serious decisions to make right now.

This is a fight between Andrew Poppas and the Taliban Commander. My money is on COL Poppas. The winner wins the populace.