Troops needed to support Afghan doctrine

LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan, July 6 (UPI) -- The influx of U.S. troops into southern Afghanistan makes the new doctrines envisioned by the Pentagon possible, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

Around 4,000 Marines and 650 Afghan troops descended on the southern Afghan province of Helmand last week in Operation Strike of the Sword, meant to infiltrate al-Qaida and Taliban safe havens in the volatile region.

"It's this extra footprint of Marines that will allow us to not just secure the area for the Afghan people, but also to hold it and start to move in the right direction economically and from a governance perspective," said U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen.

The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force has faced tough challenges from militants operating in the opium-rich region, and Mullen acknowledged his forces face an uphill battle, the Pentagon said.

"There's been some pretty tough fighting, but it really ties into the expectations that we had," Mullen said.

Mullen warned that Taliban and al-Qaida fighters may consolidate their forces in the face of the American surge, saying they moved in a "federated way."

Marine forces operating in Helmand province Monday fought a long battle with Taliban militants, working to engage militant leaders in an effort to avoid airstrikes that could possibly cause collateral damage among the civilian population.

NATO-led forces report as many as six American troops and five British forces died since Strike of the Sword was launched last week.