Word From The Stan

Things weren't looking so good in the forgotten war a few days ago: prison break in Kandahar, Taliban massing in villages outside Kandahar, and some U.S. helo engines went missing on a convoy. When the shit hits the fan in our current conflicts, it is somewhat comforting that we have the advantage of overwhelming firepower. The AP reports that Taliban is on the run from ISAF and Afghan forces around Kandahar:

Afghan and NATO troops backed by warplanes drove Taliban militants from villages within striking distance of southern Afghanistan's main city on Thursday, killing 56 of them, Afghan officials said. NATO said the 24-hour operation in Arghandab was a swift success that banished any threat to Kandahar and would help reassure Afghans appalled at the embarrassing mass escape of Taliban prisoners from a city jail last week. Hundreds of families who fled the lush, orchard-strewn valley, which begins just 10 miles from the city, were told they could safely return, the alliance said.

Sometimes rehabilitation and soft counter-insurgency doesn't work, and you just have to drop a JDAM.



Word.