Marines Flood Afghan Villages

The military's new counter-insurgency plans for Afghanistan are being put to the test: Thousands of Marines arrived on Thursday in Afghanistan, reports the Washington Post, part of what will be a 4000-troop operation to combat Taliban insurgents. The new troops will deploy into regions NATO has yet to touch to "build and live in small outposts among the local population" of villages and towns. Brig. Gen. Lawrence D. Nelson explained, "We're doing this differently. We're going to be with the people. We're not going to drive to work. We're going to walk to work." The strategy of posting to small villages and towns has been used in the eastern region of the country; the scope and geography of the new operation is, however, unprecedented.