State Department Upbeat About Success in Marjah, Afghanistan

The battle for Marjah, Afghanistan did not go as smooth as it could have. The "clearing" operation went well although there was some tough fighting and many casualties.  The "hold" operation is still in full-swing and basically the coalition and Afghan forces hold Marjah even though IEDs are still a problem and "night letters" are still posted as a means of intimidation.  Of course, a big part of "holding" is not "leaving".  The "build" part of "clear, hold, and build" is now in the works as well.  According to the State Department - this phase of the operation is going well.  See "Marjah: Progress on the Road to Stability and Prosperity", State Dept Blog, November 27, 2010.