Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/as-u-s-troops-mount-offensive-in-afghanistan-new-strategy-is-tested Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Transcript U.S. Marines marked the start of a new offensive in Afghanistan Thursday, as part of the Obama administration's efforts to stabilize the Afghan-Pakistan border region. A Washington Post reporter embedded in the Helmand province provides an update. Read the Full Transcript Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors. JIM LEHRER: Now Judy Woodruff has more on the U.S. Marine offensive in the south. She spoke earlier this evening with Rajiv Chandrasekaran of the Washington Post. He's embedded with the U.S. Marines at Camp Leatherneck in Helmand province. JUDY WOODRUFF: Rajiv, thank you for talking with us. You were with the Marines as they launched this. How has the first day gone? RAJIV CHANDRASEKARAN, Washington Post: Well, the first day has gone better than the Marines had expected. Some Marine units have engaged in firefights with the Taliban insurgents. Some of them have hit roadside bombs.But overall, with 4,000 Marines participating in this operation, which is one of the largest in the history of the U.S. military engagement in Afghanistan, things have gone surprisingly well, commanders here say.Marine units have been out and about in Afghan villages in the Helmand River valley, walking foot patrols, talking to community members, passing out handbills, talking to people with the help of interpreters, trying to convince them that they're here to stay and that they're here for the protection of the people.What they're trying to do is essentially engage in a form of counterinsurgency strategy by trying to protect the civilian population, instead of focusing in on kicking down doors and hunting down Taliban insurgents. They figure that, if they can win over the people and start building some more effective local government and security institutions, then the Taliban will be marginalized and that will be a better use of their resources than simply focusing in on offensive operations against the insurgents.