The War Is Over For U.S. Marines In Helmand Province

Helmand Has Become Almost Dull For Marines, With Afghans Now Leading Combat -- McClatchy News

CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan — One statistic about the war in Afghanistan has stood out for weeks: the single U.S. Marine killed so far in 2013.

For years, the Marines have fought and died in Helmand, a hot, dusty province in Afghanistan’s south that’s earned a bloody place in corps lore, right beside the likes of Anbar province in Iraq. It’s been by far the deadliest province for the U.S-led coalition, where more than 900 international soldiers have been killed, including more than 350 Marines.

But the days of heavy combat and casualties in Helmand are over, at least for conventional American troops. And soon that might be true across Afghanistan. In the next few weeks, Afghan security forces are expected to reach one of the biggest milestones of the 11-year-old war: They’ll officially take the lead in the last remaining pockets of the country where they haven’t already.

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My Comment: For the U.S. the war is truly over .... at least I hope so.