Afghanistan: The Forgotten War
Afghanistan: The Forgotten War – PBS NOW – Embedded with the Marines in Afghanistan: Can we defeat a resurgent Taliban?
America thought it had won the war in Afghanistan six years ago, but a recent escalation in violence and instability — including the death of nine U.S. soldiers last weekend — has given rise to the question: Have we allowed the Taliban to come back?
NOW Correspondent Bill Gentile reports from Afghanistan’s southern Helmand Province, where he was embedded for nearly three weeks in May and June with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (24th MEU). The 24th MEU are among 60,000 foreign troops on the ground in Afghanistan — more than half of them American. They face an ominous challenge as the Taliban attempts a return to power, in some cases merging with other insurgent groups, and potentially providing safe haven for Al-Qaeda and other anti-American terrorists.
Reporting from the front lines, NOW provides a soldier’s-eye [Marine’s-eye] look into what some consider America’s “forgotten war.” Are we still winning it?