http://start.localnet.com/article.php?article=D9DS7H981.htmlTwo U.S. rockets slammed into a home Sunday outside the southern Taliban stronghold of Marjah, killing 12 civilians after Afghanistan's president appealed to NATO to take care in its campaign to seize the town.
Inside Marjah, Marines encountered "death at every corner" in their second day of a massive offensive to capture this bleak mud-brick city filled with booby traps, hardcore Taliban fighters and civilians unsure where to cast their loyalty.
Marines confronted a fierce sandstorm as they ducked in and out of doorways and hid behind bullet-riddled walls to evade sniper fire. To the north, U.S. Army troops fought skirmishes with Taliban fighters, calling in a Cobra attack helicopter against the insurgents.
Insurgents littered the area with booby traps and explosives before the offensive, and the sound of controlled detonations _ about three every hour _ punctuated the day along with mortars and rocket fire.
snip
Some troops complained that the strict rules issued by McChrystal to spare civilians were making their job more difficult and dangerous. Under the rules, troops cannot fire at people unless they commit a hostile act or show hostile intent.
U.S. soldiers operating near Marjah said the Taliban can fire on them, then set aside their weapon and walk freely out of a compound, possibly toward a weapons cache in another location.
A few crafty, determined insurgents can keep a larger force engaged for hours with some degree of impunity.
"The inability to stop people who don't have weapons is the main hindrance right now," said 1st Lt. Gavin McMahon of Brooklyn, N.Y. McMahon. "They know how to use our ROE against us," referring to the Rules of Engagement.In areas where troops have wrested control from the Taliban, the second phase of the operation is under way _ trying to convince civilians that their future lies with the government and not the insurgents.
