US troops in fruitless search of Afghan village focus 05/28/2010

US troops in fruitless search of Afghan village

focus 05/28/2010 HENDU KALACHEH — “There are many Taliban here but I can’t help you because you come just once or twice. We’re not safe here,” Abdul Rahman tells US soldiers in a field as night falls. The soldiers sit across from the 28-year-old Afghan villager squatting in his white robes and waistcoat, their conversation lit by a half-moon as Rahman echoes the common refrain of fear in this tiny village in southern Afghanistan. His predicament underscores the challenge for thinly stretched foreign forces reliant upon on-the-ground intelligence as they battle an elusive enemy. Ordinary Afghans may want to help, but are terrified of Taliban reprisals. “There are many Taliban here. They pray in the mosque with us and at night they do their own patrols. They announce to the village that no one can come out after 9 p.m.,” he tells the men of 1st squadron, 71st cavalry regiment. Hendu Kalacheh village borders a suspected supply route for insurgents entering Kandahar city to the north. The US lieutenant in charge decides the troops will return at night when they believe they are more likely to catch insurgents. In the area below Afghanistan’s second city, about 450 Canadian forces last year tried to secure two large districts but were too stretched to patrol regularly on the northern fringe of their battle space. As part of a surge of 30,000 extra troops ordered into Kandahar province, the birthplace of the Taliban movement, US soldiers have replaced the Canadians with twice as many men, says Lt. Nathan Derrick, 24.... MORE     Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100528com7.html

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