Afghanistan War News Updates -- February 18, 2010

Marines and Afghan Army soldiers fought as they were attacked Monday in an open field in Marja by the Taliban. Tyler Hicks/The New York Times

Afghans Greet Marja Offensive With Anger, Hope -- Washington Post

KABUL -- Now that Abdul Ahad has lost his mother and father, two brothers, two sisters and four other relatives -- all killed, he said, by a U.S. rocket -- the young farmer is quietly seething over the U.S. and Afghan military offensive in Helmand province.

"The Marja operation will bring us nothing," Ahad said from a hospital in southern Afghanistan. "And now I am alone."

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More News On Afghanistan

Operation Moshtarak day-by-day -- BBC
US marines report Taliban resistance in Operation Moshtarak -- The Guardian
Afghan troops raise flag in key town but Marjah battle not over yet -- The Independent
Marines still looking over shoulder for Taliban -- Reuters
Snipers Imperil U.S.-Led Forces in Afghan Offensive -- New York Times
Operation Mushtarak -- Al Jazeera
Taliban resistance slows coalition forces in Marja, Afghanistan -- Washington Post
Forces find only 'couple of dozen' IEDs in Marjah -- Globe And Mail
Taliban using 'human shields' in Afghan assault -- AFP
Afghan governor raises flag over Marjah bazaar -- AFP
Raising the Afghan flag -- MSNBC
Afghan Army Claims Part of Town at Center of Southern Offensive -- Voice of America
Coalition Prepares to Set Up Authority in Marjah -- Wall Street Journal
Two NATO soldiers killed in Afghan push -- Sydney Morning Herald

In Blow to Taliban, 2 More Senior Leaders Are Arrested -- New York Times
Taliban shadow governor, key commander arrested: Afghan official -- Xinhuanet

Taliban town residents skeptical of NATO promises -- AP
Some Taliban leaders seek reintegration -- Washington Times
US won't talk to Taliban until it cuts Qaida ties -- Yahoo News/AP
Obstacles in path to Afghan peace -- Al Jazeera
Taliban faces ultimatum in Kunduz -- Al Jazeera
Taliban commander killed in N Afghanistan -- Xinhuanet
U.N. Rejects ‘Militarization’ of Afghan Aid -- New York Times
NATO's Afghan war effort likely to soon shift to Kandahar. -- Vancouver Sun

Obama briefed on Afghanistan offensive -- Washington Post
Afghan Push Has Iraqi Precedent -- Wall Street Journal
Q+A - Afghanistan's Taliban a patchwork of alliances -- Reuters
New Afghan offensive just first step in surge -- Baltimore Sun
What Does ‘Victory’ In Marjah Mean? -- Radio Free Europe
Two cities and the Afghan insurgency -- Asia Times
The Mullah and the Marja Campaign -- New York Times editorial
Empty Skies Over Afghanistan -- Lara M. Dadkhah, New York Times