US brigade combat team begins operations near Kabul

The Third Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division:

Afghan surge begins in dangerous region
3rd BCT of the 10th Mountain Division already seeing combat

LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan — Close to 3,000 American soldiers who recently arrived in Afghanistan to secure two violent provinces near Kabul have begun operations in the field and already are seeing combat, the unit’s spokesman said Monday.

The new troops are the first wave of a surge of reinforcements expected this year after President Barack Obama put an increased focus on Afghanistan [actually no, their deployment was ordered under President Bush--see Upperdate here]. U.S. commanders are contemplating sending up to 30,000 additional soldiers to bolster the 33,000 already in Afghanistan.

The new unit — the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division — moved into Logar and Wardak provinces last month, and the soldiers from Fort Drum, N.Y., are now stationed in combat outposts throughout the provinces...