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  Afghan Vice President Karim Khalili Visits Former Taliban Stronghold of MarjahThe Afghan Second Vice President, Karim Khalili, visited the former Taliban stronghold of Marjah today to meet local residents. The town formed the central point of Operation Moshtarak, launched over two weeks ago. It was the biggest operation, involving ISAF and Afghan forces, since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. Also in attendance today were Helmand's Governor Mohammed Gulab Mangal, NATO's Senior Civilian Representative Ambassador Mark Sedwill and Commander of ISAF General Stanley McChrystal. Shotlist: 1. (00:00) VARIOUS KARIM KHALILI WALKING THROUGH A US MARINES BASE WITH NATO SENIOR CIVILIAN REPRESENTATIVE MARK SEDWILL AND GENERAL STANLEY MCCHRYSTAL 2. (00:17) GENERAL STANLEY MCCHRYSTAL TALKING TO HELMAND'S GOVERNOR MANGAL 3. (00:21) GENERAL STANLEY MCCHRYSTAL, GOVERNOR MANGAL AND KARIM KHALILI WALKING ALONG A DIRT ROAD FOLLOWED BY CROWD OF PEOPLE 4. (00:28) LOCAL RESIDENTS STOOD AT ROADSIDE 5. (00:34) GENERAL STANLEY MCCHRYSTAL, GOVERNOR MANGAL AND KARIM KHALILI WALKING ALONG A DIRT ROAD FOLLOWED BY CROWD OF PEOPLE 6. (00:38) AFGHAN ARMY MEMBER STOOD NEXT TO RIVER GREETING LOCAL RESDIENTS 7. (00:46) KARIM KHALILI STOOD NEXT TO POLICE CHIEF GREETING AFGHAN POLICE 8. (00:52) KARIM KHALILI SAT ON GROUND IN FRONT OF CROWD OF AFGHAN MEN 9. (00:57) VARIOUS SHOTS OF CROWD OF AFGHAN MEN SAT ON GROUND 10. (01:05) HELMAND'S GOVERNOR MANGAL ADDRESSES THE CROWD 11. (01:10) VARIOUS KARIM KHALILI TALKING TO CROWD OF MEN 12. (01:20) CLOSE SHOT OF FACES IN CROWD 13. (01:24) GENERAL STANELY MCCHRYSTAL WITH AMBASSADOR MARK SEDWILL WATCHING THE MEETING 14. (01:29) CROWDS OF RESIDENTS GATHERED IN MIDDLE OF DIRT ROAD 15. (01:33) VARIOUS AFGHAN POLICE TRUCK DRIVES ALONG DIRT ROAD 16. (01:42) MARINES WALKING ALONG DIRT ROAD BACK TO CAMP 17. (01:46) GENERAL STANLEY MCCHRYSTAL TALKING TO A MARINE 18. (01:51) SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Brigadier General Larry Nicholson, Commander 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade "We have a legitimate partner here. When we did Operation Khanjar in July, we had four thousand Marines and four hundred Afghans, ten to one ratio. This time it's a two to one ratio. So I've got about three thousand Marines and fifteen hundred Afghans and they have been performing exceptionally." 19. (02:11) SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Ambassador Mark Sedwill, NATO Senior Civilian Representative " What we've seen in the Marjah operation for the first time, is central Government really engaging in an operation of this kind. In the past these have been done at the provincial level and by the local police forces and the local army. For this operation we've had the central Government directly engaged. President Karzai was authorising the operation he set the conditions for the shuras and so on that happened in advance of it. The Ministry of Defence and the Minister of Interior, the guys responsible for local government have all been down here and ensuring that central Government, ministries and departments are seeking to deliver as well." 20. (02:45) SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) General Stanley McChrystal, Commander of ISAF "Yeah it is just a first step but it's been an amazingly good first step. People like Marines, you know if you watch what they did, how little damage was done and how few civilians were harmed and yet how many are now protected it's certainly amazing. And yet we take that for granted because when you realise how hard this is, how dangerous this is, the restraint, the maturity, the professionalism, to me that's what jumps out and I don't think that's lost on the Afghans either ."
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