New Attacks Threatening Security Ahead Afghanistan Elections; New Offensive in Southern Afghanistan
SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez in the CNN NEWSROOM. There are new attacks threatening security ahead of next week's elections in Afghanistan. Fourteen civilians killed in two bomb blasts in southern Afghanistan. Three of the victims were children. Officials blame the Taliban militants. A roadside bomb also killed a U.S. soldier. Meanwhile, hundreds of U.S. Marines and Afghan soldiers are part of a very new offensive in southern Afghanistan. The goal to keep the Taliban from interfering with the elections. More now from CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr.</s>BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Up close with Marines on the front lines.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's good to get out here.</s>STARR: Part of Operation Eastern Resolve II, the third major push this summer into the dangerous and lucrative center of Afghanistan's drug trade. 400 U.S. Marines and 100 Afghan troops jumped Taliban lines in helicopters to take the town of Dahaneh (ph) in Helmand province. The first time U.S. troops have entered the strategic city.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dahaneh is one of the key towns in the area. All the smaller towns are dependent on Dahaneh, for example, this is where the bazaar is.</s>STARR: The Marines are part of the extra 21,000 extra troops President Obama ordered up earlier this year. Their immediate mission, break the Taliban's hold on the city and free residents to vote in next week's election.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's to the right of the wall right there.</s>STARR: The Taliban have called for a boycott and threatened to ruin the election which the U.S. concedes is a challenge.</s>RICHARD HOLBROOKE, SPECIAL U.S. REP. TO AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN: Holding an election in a war-time situation is always difficult, but a government needs legitimacy and this election was called for under the constitution.</s>STARR: In Dahaneh, commanders predict a few more days of intense fighting before the town is secured.</s>SANCHEZ: And there's Barbara now live, joining us. Is there a possibility that we're going to see more troops going into Afghanistan, Barbara?</s>STARR: Well, you know, Rick, that's really the question a lot of people are considering. What are we at right now? About 68,000 U.S. troops and every indication is that General Stan McChrystal, the new commander in Afghanistan will, in fact, ask for more troops. Maybe some specialty troops. So troops especially trained to go after those IEDs, intelligence, reconnaissance troops, maybe reposition some troops. Move them out of those remote mountain areas and get them into these populated areas.</s>SANCHEZ: Where are we going to get these troops from? We hear stories every day about how overworked our military is...</s>STARR: That is the question.</s>SANCHEZ: They're still in Iraq, right? I mean, am I crazy here or is that a question that should be asked?</s>STARR: That is the question. No, Rick, you are not crazy. It's a very tough situation for these young U.S. troops in the field. They are still in Iraq. They are scheduled to draw down to reduce troop levels in Iraq, but that's going to take time. They can draw down there, move some to Afghanistan, but there's an even bigger complication, which is Defense Secretary Robert Gates is very unsettled about the prospect of too many U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Remember, the Soviets had, what? 100,000 or better and they still didn't win there and the real thinking is that they can't let those troop levels get too high because it won't do any good, but they still don't have enough right now. Very delicate balance to get it right. Rick.</s>SANCHEZ: Well, it is tough. And you know, your heart goes out to these guys that are trying to do the right thing, but there are some tough decisions that need to be made there. Great stuff, as usual, from our Pentagon correspondent. Barbara, appreciate it.</s>STARR: Sure.</s>SANCHEZ: To really understand what is going on over there in Afghanistan and why we're even there, you need to watch some of the specials that we got coming your way. We want you to watch Christiane Amanpour's documentary. It's called "Generation Islam." This is going to be a two-hour special and it's tonight right here on CNN. I recommend it at 9:00 Eastern. Still in the region, Pakistani helicopters have been pounding several Taliban commander bases near the Afghan border. Intelligence officials say at least a dozen militants have been killed so far and several bases and hideouts have been destroyed. This assault comes as government forces turn up the heat following last week's reported death of Pakistan's Taliban chief. Officials say they believe he was killed in a U.S. missile strike. But Taliban commanders are denying that the man was killed. We'll be staying on top of that for you. Also a shot in the arm to fight a disease. An update on one vaccine that has some parents saying, no way.