Although the international media's focus on the Marjah
offensive in Helmand province is pervasive,
some Afghans I've spoken with are wondering why Operation Moshtarak has been
talked about so much -- and those are the ones who have heard of the offensive
at all. Some Afghans in Kabul,
where I'm currently based, are clueless about what is going on in a province 400
miles from where they live.
Some Afghans, like other observers, are also wondering what
the strategic importance of Marjah is to Afghanistan overall, and criticize
the operations. Some believe the hype around Operation Moshtarak is all part of
an elaborate American publicity stunt to bolster support for the Obama
administration's 30,000-troop surge, announced in late December. This might be
possible, but the offensive is also part of top U.S.
and NATO commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal's approach of bringing security to Afghanistan,
one district at a time. That Afghan police and soldiers are waiting to take
over the area when (and if?) the Taliban are defeated is also seems to be a new
development. But after Marjah, there are most likely other districts that are
completely under the Taliban's control and independent of Kabul's authority, and some Afghans are
wondering where the coalition will move next.
But the majority of Afghans I've spoken with here in Kabul aren't too concerned
about Operation Moshtarak. They could care less about what's happening in some
district far from them; their main worries are their immediate security and
making enough money to feed and clothe their families. Often, Afghans -- like
the rest of us living and working here -- don't understand the enormous
international attention dedicated to such operations; indeed when it was
announced, many people here didn't even know that Marjah was a major Taliban
stronghold.
But Afghans who are aware of Operation Moshtarak and follow
it on the news are worried about the thousands of families that have been
displaced because of the offensive. Migrating from place to place is not
something new to Afghans; most have suffered from it for more than 30 years.
Afghans get distressed when thinking of those families, asking, "How long will
their relatives take care of them when those relatives themselves are barely
able to provide for their own families?" Despite the difficulties, according to
reports, many respected tribal elders are working together with the
international forces to oust the Taliban from the region.
Whether this offensive will be successful or even carried on
in other major Taliban strongholds remains unknown. It's too soon to judge how
Operation Moshtarak has gone so far, and the best thing is to continue
remaining cautious about declaring victory and a secure Marjah.
Asma Nemati is a
researcher working at the American University of Afghanistan.
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