The Surge Moves Into High Gear in Kandahar

Sept. 25, 2010— -- In the early morning hours Saturday approximately 8,000 US troops, most of them soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division along with Afghan and International forces launched three simultaneous attacks along the Arghendab River Valley to take and hold territory in places where the US nor Afghan government has ever had a presence.

Throughout the night loud explosions echoed through the Valley as 72-ton Assault Breacher Vehicles cleared wide paths through the thick agricultural area along the Arghendab River which soldiers call "the greens."  Smaller mine clearing charges were used to clear foot paths of possible improvised explosive devices.  The threat of IEDs is the biggest threat to soldiers as they move into territory controlled by the Taliban for years. Soldiers spent much of the night stringing the plastic explosive C4 to trees and walls to destroy known Taliban fighting positions.

The operation called Dragon Strike started last week with a series of smaller maneuvers intended to soften enemy infrastructure and draw out insurgents ahead of the main attack.  "This is it" said LTC Johnny Davis, Commander of the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment. "This is where you separate the enemy from the people. This is one of the many phases where we not only bring heavy security but we bring governance where governance has not been before."

The overall goal of the operation is to control access and movement along the fertile Arghendab River Valley which runs north and west of Kandahar City.  The river runs to Helmand province serving as a sort of superhighway for insurgents to move fighters, weapons, drugs, money and supplies throughout southern Afghanistan.  Control of the river valley is viewed as a strategic necessity for taming the insurgency.

Operation Dragon Strike is concentrated on the Zhari District of Kandahar Province just west of Kandahar City.  Zhari is called the gateway to Kandahar not only because it's the first district west of the city but also because a wide mountain pass allows easy access to the city.