Marines From Camp Pendleton Relinquish Command Of Key Afghan Territory
L.A. Now (LATimes.com)
By Tony Perry
Mar. 26
Amid praise for a job well done, the Marines from Camp Pendleton on Saturday formally relinquished responsibility for leading the fight against the Taliban in the insurgency's longtime stronghold of Helmand province, Afghanistan.
“In February 2010, the Taliban flag flew high here in Helmand,” said Army Lt. Gen. David M. Rodriguez, commander of the international joint force. “Today, this land belongs to the people of Helmand.”
Haji Abdul Manaf, governor of the Nawa district, was blunt: “This has been a very good year. We want more good years.”
Their comments came at a ceremony marking the turnover of command responsibility from the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force from Camp Pendleton to the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force from Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Although geographically and culturally distant from the Afghan capital of Kabul, rural Helmand province is considered key to the Taliban insurgency. Helmand is the heart of the nation’s poppy crop -- a cash crop that is processed into heroin and provides enormous profits for the Taliban.
The mantra from military brass is that progress in routing the Taliban and gaining the trust of villagers in Helmand has been substantial but remains “fragile and reversible.”
L.A. Now (LATimes.com)
By Tony Perry
Mar. 26
Amid praise for a job well done, the Marines from Camp Pendleton on Saturday formally relinquished responsibility for leading the fight against the Taliban in the insurgency's longtime stronghold of Helmand province, Afghanistan.
“In February 2010, the Taliban flag flew high here in Helmand,” said Army Lt. Gen. David M. Rodriguez, commander of the international joint force. “Today, this land belongs to the people of Helmand.”
Haji Abdul Manaf, governor of the Nawa district, was blunt: “This has been a very good year. We want more good years.”
Their comments came at a ceremony marking the turnover of command responsibility from the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force from Camp Pendleton to the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force from Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Although geographically and culturally distant from the Afghan capital of Kabul, rural Helmand province is considered key to the Taliban insurgency. Helmand is the heart of the nation’s poppy crop -- a cash crop that is processed into heroin and provides enormous profits for the Taliban.
The mantra from military brass is that progress in routing the Taliban and gaining the trust of villagers in Helmand has been substantial but remains “fragile and reversible.”
Maj. Gen. John Toolan (left), commanding general of II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), and Sgt. Maj. Michael Jones, sergeant major, II MEF (Fwd), unfurl the II MEF colors during a transfer of authority ceremony on Camp Leatherneck, March 26. Toolan assumed command of Regional Command Southwest from Maj. Gen. Richard Mills, commanding general of I MEF (Fwd).
(Photo by Master Sgt. Brian Jones)
(Photo by Master Sgt. Brian Jones)
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