US Marines prepare for assault on Marjah

(12 Feb 2010) SHOTLIST
PLEASE NOTE: THIS MATERIAL WAS SHOT BY A CAMERAMAN EMBEDDED WITH US AND AFGHAN FORCES
Outskirts of Marjah
1. Marines at dawn, sleeping in a foxhole
2. Mid shot of guns and boots placed on side of foxhole
3. UPSOUND: (English) US troops (no names given)
"Usually when we wake up and there''s frost out everywhere we''re freezing."
"But when you are this close it doesn''t matter."
"Yeah. We built this hole into the bargain."
"I could have sworn there was extra room."
4. Close up of preparing a sandwich
5. Smoking a cigarette
6. Mid shot of troops in foxhole
7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Lieutenant Colonel Brian Christmas, Battalion Commander of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines
"Well we''re here to introduce GIRoA (Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan) and NA (National Army) forces to Marjah in order to rid the Taliban as well as to bring government to Marjah, like schools, hospitals, security and again to get rid of the Taliban."
8. Cut away of hands cleaning gun
9. Mid shot of soldier cleaning gun
10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Captain Josh Winfrey, Lima Company Commander of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines
"A lot of IED''s (Improvised Explosive Device) - that''s the primary threat. Varying reports on what the enemy actually looks like within the district but I''m expecting some fairly significant resistance, especially within the first few days that we''re go in."
11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Lance Corporal Steven Lex, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
"Takes my mind of a little bit. Once I''m done I''ve got to get my mind back in the game. It kind of takes me home for a minute. Which is kind of nice."
12. Soldier sleeping
STORYLINE:
NATO and Afghan forces have ringed the Taliban stronghold of Marjah, sealed off escape routes and set the stage for what is being described as the biggest offensive of the nine-year war.
The precise date for the attack has been kept secret but military officials have signalled for weeks their plan to seize the stronghold - a town of about 80-thousand people in Helmand province which remains the biggest community in southern Afghanistan under Taliban control.
US Marine units poised in foxholes along the edge of the town have come under repeated rocket and mortar attack in the last 24 hours, as the Taliban apparently tries to lure them into skirmishes before the big push.
On Friday, at dawn, one group of soldiers who will lead the offensive appeared to be in good spirits.
"Usually when we wake up and there''s frost out everywhere we''re freezing," said one.
Up to 1,000 militants are believed to be holed up in Marjah, a key Taliban logistics base and centre of the lucrative opium poppy trade.
Lieutenant Colonel Brian Christmas, Battalion Commander of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, described the mission.
"Well we''re here to introduce GIRoA (Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan) and NA (National Army) forces to Marjah in order to rid the Taliban as well as to bring government to Marjah, like schools, hospitals, security and again to get rid of the Taliban," he said.
The biggest threats is likely to be the number of land mines and bombs hidden in the roads and surrounding fields.
The US military has been quoted as describing the area as possibly the largest minefield that NATO has ever faced.
"A lot of IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) - that''s the primary threat," said Captain Josh Winfrey, Lima Company Commander of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines.
A Taliban spokesman - Mohammed Yusuf - has dismissed the significance of Marjah, describing the planned attack as "more propaganda than military necessity."

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